http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19584
I have also stayed at Hotel Tranzit (four stars) which is situated at the airport area. You can book it just for a few hours and relax! Modern, clean and super services. I can recommend these two hotels.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19584 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19470 www.a-prague.com, which has a wide choice of hotels.

You can find cheap and comfortable hotels near the city centre or more expensive hotels. I was never disappointed. Hotels are cheaper than hotels from another websites and the site has a special discount now.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19470 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19106
On www.abcprague.com I have found helpful guideline how to avoid problems with parking in the centre of Prague.

Prague has parking zones now and there are 3 types of zones:
* Blue zones - just for residents and local companies
* Orange zones - short time parking (up to 2 hours) for 40 CZK per hour (8 AM to 6 PM) and
* Green zones - parking up to 6 hours for 30 CZK per hour (8 AM to 6 PM).

This is just brief info, for more information try original www.abcprague.com/2008/05/28/parking-zones-in-prague]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19106 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18756
It's walking distance to the centre of the city but secluded enough within its diplomatic quarter to be quiet.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18756 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17888
Hearty Czech soups are cooked daily, fresh tea can be had from big caddies or, if you want to spend more, they will cook a steak for you to order and the cook will bring it to the table.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17888 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17644
We stayed for the whole month of August last year (2007). Fantastic time with our two young daughters (7 and 5). Every day doing different things. If it was hot we borrowed canoes and went for paddle on the river, or just hung out in the cottage's pool. On cooler days we went exploring. We had a car with us, but the train stop is just two minutes' walk away so we often went up to Prague for the day or to visit local castles. Beautiful area, very friendly locals in the pub (and cheap food!), and we managed to see a lot of the country. The place was perfect.

But, not recommended for disabled or elderly. There's a sofa bed in the bedroom downstairs, but to reach the two bedrooms upstairs you need to go up fairly steep wooden steps. No problem for agile people like us (!) and the girls didn't have a single fall during our whole stay, but worth bearing in mind. Also, although the cottage has a bathroom inside, the loo is just outside the front door. No problem in the spring or summer, but I wonder what it would be like in the depths of winter! Although it is under the porch.

All in all, a fantastic place, relaxing, in the countryside yet a short (fun!) train ride into the centre of Prague. Recommended!

Oh! Forgot to mention the bikes! Probably the highlight of our stay. We headed off on rides at least three times a week, sometimes taking the bikes on the trains with us. From the cottage itself there are plenty of options- along the river Sazava, upstream or downstream, into the local town, or up into the forests. Great fun!

And the lovely old people in the next door cottage joined us a couple of times for a barbecue in the evenings. We didn't understand very much, but a nice time was had.

Unique qualities: great views, pool, lots of attention to detail (tourist leaflets, dozens of hiking and cycling maps, board games for children, a collection of DVDs etc).

Very comfortable accommodation with nice clean bedding and firm beds. Small but well-equipped kitchen.

Very quiet surroundings - we had deer coming up to the fence at the back of the garden some evenings! And hares and foxes.

Unpredictable weather - ranging from very hot and dry to pretty cool and showery. But always plenty of things to do and places to visit.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17644 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17626
However, we got a tip from a local shop owner to go to Chodov Shopping Centrum - it was ok -great if you are looking for Zara, M&S etc. There were a few Czech shops - again it was the same price as home but if you don't mind this - it is worth a trip for all those shopaholics!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17626 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17625 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17625 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16934
The modern art palace of the National Gallery is not far from here and is a great gallery which many tourists miss because it is not near the Old Town, the Castle or Malostranska. It is usually quite quiet and I really recommend seeing it. It could take most of a whole day with a lunch break to visit all of the floors, so one and a half hours is the minimum time I recommend. You can have tea or coffee or a cold drink and snacks there.

The vast majority of people who visit Prague see only the three main areas with maybe also the Jewish Quarter and/or New Town and miss these attractions I mention. But especially if you have been to Prague before, make a point not to miss them. Don't forget the great value of Pension Vltava and recommend it to those who would like a very basic, clean and quiet place to stay with the added bonus of cheap drinks in your room at any hour.

For £7 or £8, have a sauna for a few hours in a basement private day spa near Holesovice station. Another similarly priced sauna in Holesovice is infinit (infinit.cz) which also has a jacuzzi.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16934 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16932
It's also good if you need to to save money and have a private room if you are just passing through the city and need a place you can rely on for a cheap room which is clean.

This guest house happens to have a tiny coffee shop and bar which stays open all night every night and is really cheap. You can relax with tea or coffee, beers, wine, cognacs or becherovkas back in your room at any time.

I recommend this place. I have nearly always got a room when enquiring on the same day (it is a quite a large guest house). The price is around £11 to £14 for a room for one person per night with very clean common shower and loo.

For those who don't know the city and especially for those to whom the central places are familiar, for the lowest budget place to stay the guest house is ideally placed. It is around eight to ten minutes on a tram from near the guest house to central areas. Around it are a few interesting bars and cafes. There aren't very many tourists around here though the area is quite nice and fresh if you know Prague, except backpackers and younger travellers are noticeable as Sir Toby's travel hostel, Extoll Inn, a few other guest houses and a Czech H.I. travel hostel are around here.

The river where it bends is just over five minutes walk away and it is a pleasant walk into the centre along the riverside from near Pension Vltava. Set aside a couple of hours for a great walk across the river, away from the city, to a leafy part on the outskirts of the city, to the Trojska Chateau gallery and courtyard cafe in summer, Prague Zoo and the lovely Botanic Gardens.

It is ideal to walk here, if you have the time, and better than taking a tram, though you can eaily go by tram. Either way, it is a quiet part of the city which is lovely and I really recommend it.

A good walk away of over ten minutes is the nice Cafe Lisbon on the main riverfront road, which has characteristic pizzas especially and is good for drinking at. Just over ten minutes in the opposite direction, toward Stromovka park, is the Absolut Hotel which has an unpretentious and quite minimalist, pleasant bar and restaurant. The Mecca Music Club is a few minutes walk from the guest house. Not far, good food at a good price in the restaurant of Hotel Henry, U Papírny.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16932 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16790
I prefer to spend as little as possible on flights and then put what I saved towards a good hotel (I normally go for something that's very central).

directline-citybreaks.co.uk let me search for a hotel priced with either an easyjet or ryanair flight. I got £50 off for booking online (not too sure if they're still doing this). I've not found any other site that does this.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16790 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16640
What is more, staff are kind and always willing to suggest and book excursions. This kind of accommodation also suits businessmen. Last but not least, breakfast is served in a striking cellar with brick walls! Highly recommended.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16640 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16484 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16484 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16323
These apartments are reasonably priced, well furnished and air conditioned. You can reach Charles Bridge from here in 25 minutes on foot. Unlike central apartments I always find these to be available even in high season.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16323 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15251
I especially recommend the 'Be-Bop' bar on the first floor, which has one of the only live Jazz sessions in Prague on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15251 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15247 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15247 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14850 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14850 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13903 www.mi-prague.cz services, who helped us with our trip. They arranged for us all services - hotel booking (we were offered great last minute price), transportation from the airport and back as well as sightseeing. They are very friendly, reply fast and recommended lodging was excellent. Hope we will come again!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13903 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13738
Buffet breakfast included in the room price.

Staff extremely helpful.

Would definitely stay there again if I was visiting Prague!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13738 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13695
I stayed with 7 other people in Opera 1 through Escape to Prague following the Guardian recommendation, and it was excellent. Lovely place, clean, roomy and three bathrooms/toilets.

If you're going to hostel it, again I'd recommend paying a little bit extra and going for somewhere nice. Miss Sophie's was excellent, and far enough out to avoid the crowds, but close enough to stroll into town.

Check out Banditos opposite for a friendly drink, and The Crow for some late night supping of that gorgeous beer!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13695