I'm planning 4 nights in Prague this fall. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience in booking AirBnBs in Prague?
It looks like a lot of the hotels are concentrated in Prague 1, where many of the AirBnBs are located a little farther out in zone 2 or 7. I want to be walking distance to attractions/restaurants but I wouldn't mind being a little bit outside of the tourist zones and their tourist prices.
Anyone have an recent experience or advice here?
I’ve used Airbnb several times in Prague and generally been pleased.
In May I was at a flat in Prague 5. It looks quite far out but there was a tram stop at the end of the road, trams every 2 or 3 minutes and a 10 minute journey to Andel metro station.
The accommodation and local eating places were cheap and I could be in the centre in 20 minutes. The fact public transport is so good means being a bit outside the centre isn’t a problem. It’s worth getting a 3 day ticket which covers all forms of transport.
Alan
Thanks Alan! That's helpful. I think I'm leaning towards airbnb.
I spent six days in Prague in May of this year. I stayed in an Airbnb located in a part of Prague called Zizkov. It was only one tram stop from the main rail station, Hlavni Nadrazi and the instructions provided by the owner made it easy to find. It was my best Airbnb experience in the 89 days I spent travelling around Europe although others in Austria, Germany and France came close.
The apartment was on the fourth floor of the building and a small circular staircase took you up to a rooftop patio with a panoramic view of Prague and neighbouring Zizkov. The daily tariff was cheaper than a basic hotel room and among the little home comforts the owner provided was home baked bread and coffee beans to grind fresh for your morning coffee. There were plenty of bars, cafes and supermarkets nearby and trams took you into the centre of Prague in about 17 minutes or across the river to the Castle area in about 25 minutes. I highly recommend an Airbnb over a hotel if you are travelling on a budget.
I tend more to airbnb's but booked a hotel for our stay next month - because I used my air miles and got 4 nights for 11.50. It's the Best Western City Moran. Looks like trams on the same street and only a block or two to the metro and looks like a 5 min walk to the Dancing Houses. I think the big thing is if you are staying outside the city center is to make sure you are close to public transport - I wouldn't want more than a 5 min walk to a tram or metro station. And you don't want to have to travel too far into the center - your time is also valuable on your holiday and (for me) a 20-25 min ride to city center is too long. (But I like getting up early and heading out before things get too busy, then have to go back and collect my husband, so I don't want to spend a lot of time going back and forth).
Please support the local economy and stay in a hotel.
Hotels are designated accommodation for tourists. They have to meet fire safety criteria, they are inspected regularly, and the staff are trained professionals - who pay tax on their wages. Also, as employers, hotels must pay health and social insurance contributions for their employees. Hotels also must charge VAT (sales tax) of 15%, which is an important source of revenue for keeping our streets clean, our hospitals and schools open, and maintaining our transport system.
The original concept of an airbnb is quite noble - stay in a local's spare room, and see the city from a local's perspective. However, in reality, that is not how must airbnbs actually function. Rather than renting out spare rooms for pocket money, entire flats are being rented out on airbnb as operate as illegal, unregulated hotels. There is no fire safety regulation, no inspections, and no tax paid.
By staying in an airbnb you have a net negative effect on an area. Firstly, there's the tax that isn't paid, meaning that our society is being deprived of funds that are necessary provide basic services. Secondly, airbnbs drive locals out of areas. Each flat that operates as an airbnb is another flat that local people can't stay in, and the resultant shortage of availabile accommodation pushes up our rents to the point that we are straining to make ends meet. On average, rents in Prague have gone up by 30% in the last two years. Finally, airbnbs break down communities in buildings. Instead of living in houses of good neighbours, we are increasingly finding our communal hallways filled with an unceasing parade of strangers with suitcases.
There is a space for tourist accommodation - in hotels and regulated apartments - and there are hundreds of hotels to choose from. You can find lots of small hotels in the residential districts, a short tram ride from the city centre. Please stay in a small hotel in a residential district and you'll have the best of all possible worlds - you'll support the local economy, create employment, pay tax into our coffers and get a flavour for local life outside the tourist centre.
Thank you for that insight Marcus. I've never thought about Air BnB that way, but you bring up some very good points. Do you have any areas you'd recommend looking for a hotel?
Look in Vinohrady, Žižkov, Karlín, Holešovice, Letná, Anděl and Nusle. All short tram rides to the city centre.
I've found a few nice hotels in Vinohrady. Thanks for the input Marcus.
As I'm reading, it seems like Prague is suffering from some of the effects of overtourism. Some things that I would have considered normal, like pub craws might be seen as loud and disruptive to residents.
Are there any other things I should avoid? Or maybe things that you think I should do? As a tourist, I would like to be a net positive to the local community.
