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| Photo by Freeimages.com/Grzegorz Skaruz |
by Sarah Royce-Greensill, The Daily Telegraph, June 16, 2016
A stylish, design-led hotel in the heart of Prague ’s Old Town with a rooftop spa providing Pure Altitude treatments, The Emblem hotel provides a basement members’ club and a popular steak restaurant. A regular programme of talks and activities invites guests to discover a modern slant on Prague’s cultural heritage.
The rooftop spa terrace
Location 10/10
Right in the heart of the action, The Emblem is a 60-second walk to Prague’s Old Town Square and, in the other direction, the famous Charles Bridge is a couple of minutes more. Though the city centre is prime stag-do territory, the upscale Jewish quarter, including Parizska Street with its roster of luxury boutiques, is also close-by.
The Emblem Hotel suite
Style/character 10/10
The antithesis of baroque grandeur, The Emblem is slick and contemporary and showcases the work of global designers, from Andrew Clancy’s covetable custom-made bedside lamps to copper Tom Dixon lights. Rooms are small but stylishly furnished with acute attention to detail, and the palette – textures of grey with copper accents – couldn’t be more ‘now’. Espresso machines and high-speed Wi-Fi come as standard, while a selection of Happy Socks alongside the mini-bar is a playful touch.
Downstairs, a collection of moodily lit, chicly furnished rooms provide space for work and play (including a fumoir and a games room) and the hotel regularly hosts intimate art exhibitions and events, adding to the sense of it being a creative community hub.
M Spa treatment room
Spa facilities 8/10
Located on the hotel’s top two floors, the M Spa comprises a compact gym (open 24 hours), four treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, ice fountain and ‘Kneipp path’ (adjacent pools of hot and cold pebbles with which to massage your feet), along with a bright and airy relaxation space. The jewel in the crown is a rooftop Jacuzzi and terrace which guests can reserve exclusively; a perfect spot to drink in the views across Prague, along with a bottle of prosecco. Continuing the theme of the hotel, changing rooms are compact but aesthetically pleasing, and everything is kept spotlessly clean.
The rooftop spa jacuzzi
The treatments 9/10
One of the only resorts outside France to offer Pure Altitude treatments, M Spa’s extensive menu features a section that is dedicated to the plant-based beauty range, which claims to harness the antioxidant power of edelweiss extract. The treatments range from 60-minute facials and massages to three-hour ‘rituals’, and therapists are trained in Pure Altitude’s signature massage technique which uses special hand and forearm techniques to relax and re-energize. My Comme la Neige body treatment, comprising a full-body exfoliation followed by a hydrating body wrap, left my skin smooth and glowing, and my therapist was charming and meticulous. The only niggle is that the treatment rooms are brighter than anticipated, which hampers the ability to fully drift off.
The rooftop spa relaxation room
Food & drink 9/10
The Emblem’s on-site restaurant, George Prime Steak, is said to be one of the best steak restaurants in Prague. It serves myriad cuts of prime Black Angus beef, which are brought, raw, to the table to choose from. Vegetarian options are sadly lacking, but the cocktails are spot-on. For breakfast, there’s a buffet of the usual fruit, cereals, cold meats and cheeses, plus eggs made to order.
George Prime Steak restaurant
Favourite thing: Fashionable yet laid-back, the hotel possesses a distinctly stylish buzz that you can’t help but feel a part of.
Could be better: Standard rooms are on the small side (the four suites are roomier), so seasoned five-star hotel guests may find extraneous bells and whistles lacking.
The hotel's 'living room' lobby
Value for money
Double rooms from £150 in low season, rising to £250 in high, including Wi-Fi and excluding breakfast (around £15 per person). Facials from £62 and massages from £68; the Comme la Neige treatment costs £68.
The details
Platnerska 19, Prague, 110 00, Czech Republic
00420 226 202 500 ; emblemprague.com
This article was written by Sarah Royce-Greensill from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
