Buddha once taught that suffering is an inherent part of existence; at the Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague however, this noble truth is unequivocally refuted. Upon stepping off of Prague’s cobblestone

The atmosphere of the Buddha-Bar

Hotel reaches its true state of Zen in the

rooms themselves, which are a balanced

crossroad between the ancient beauty

and tranquility of the Far East

Each room features a hand-made, dragon tiled bath tub, which is
a masterpiece in its own right.

To insure your comfort, there is a hidden television behind the mirror-wall for viewing, or an outstanding sound system that flows up from the floor, with a Buddha-Bar music library at your finger
tips

No details of comfort are overlooked, and guests enjoy such
familiar features as Bang & Olufsen televisions, personal Nespresso
coffee bars, and Sub-Zero refrigerators in every room…and yes, they always include vintage champagne chilling. . . patiently

Buddha-Bar Hotel has created a
philosophical approach to indulgence
that they call “Buddhattitude”.

The décor of the Buddha-Bar Hotel is a certainly an exotic experience, and the services offered maintain that standard. In keeping with their tradition of redefining the entire approach to
elegance and comfort, Buddha-Bar Hotel has created a philosophical approach to indulgence that they call “Buddhattitude”. Included within this intimate approach to luxury are such features as Thai massage, aromatherapy, and Swedish massage, and all of these services are
offered within the privacy and comfort of each guest’s room. There is 24-hour access to the fitness facilities, and private Jacuzzi, sauna and a hammam steam room. As with every other aspect of the property, state-of-the-art facilities are in harmony with the Zen experience at the Buddha-Bar Hotel.

The staff preserves the atmosphere of grace and harmony in the full Eastern tradition, while delivering a truly exceptional level of service. There is a natural ease and elegance shown when caring for any client requirement. Ms. Veronika Fajčíková, the Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague Director, personally oversees the hiring and training of the staff, and enjoys the rewards. The quality of service and attention to detail is reminiscent of a by-gone era, when guests enjoyed a personal relationship with the hotels they frequented. This is the mark that truly distinguishes a “grand hotel” from other five star lodgings.

Ms. Veronika Fajčíková Hotel Director

The dining selections are also fusion by design- the two restaurants are an essential part of the Buddha-Bar Hotel experience. Covering the space of two large floors, Buddha-Bar’s intimate lighting is accentuated by massive, richly decorated chandeliers and a candle-lit, 2.6m tall statue of a sitting Buddha overlooking the main dining room; as in all others, Buddha is in perfect harmony with the finely restored original details of this art nouveau property, here and throughout the hotel.The main room is surprisingly similar to the famous Buddha-Bar in Paris. Tomáš Stehlík – The Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague Chef has created the ideal menu, a perfect blend of Asian and Pacific-Rim fusion cuisine, mostly inspired by the now legendary Buddha-Bar Paris signature dishes.

The second restaurant, the Siddharta Cafe, has a “Pop Art” feel,and colorful décor that includes a wall of transparent, colorfully lit Buddhas, as well as modern paintings, rich chandeliers and turquoise chairs. Chef Stehlík has prepared a menu that is both sophisticated and contemporary, and features International Cuisine in an all-daydining restaurant. After dinner, slip upstairs from the restaurant to the mezzanine bar and lounge, with the original wrought-iron balustrade framing an intimate and trendy place to socialize, dance and enjoy the music….in a 360 degree loop. The Buddha-Bar music is a compilation of lounge, down-tempo

and world music, and is spun nightly by the best DJs in Prague. The Buddha-Bar music series, a world famous collectable since the first Buddha- Bar opened, is even more popular today than their beginnings 15 years ago. These signature discs are compilations of the very finest musical mixes from Buddha-Bars around the world. The Buddha-Bar Hotel offers truly convenient access to some of the most coveted locations in Prague: The breathtaking views of the grand gothic Týn Cathedral are outside your window, and a walk through the courtyard to Prague’s old town square; world class shopping is waiting on either Parižka or Na Přikope Streets, and both are less than a five minute walk.

The problem with planning extensive reconstructions in a city as ancient as Prague is that you really don’t know what you’ll unearth when you dig beneath the surface.

The discovery of some silver coins reckoned to have been minted in the medieval silver-mining town of Kutná Hora in the 15th century held up work on the new Best Western Premier Hotel Majestic Plaza by four months, meaning bureaucratic delays added a full year in total to the planned two-year reconstruction.

The reconstruction project was designed by architect Jan Javůrek, while his wife took responsibility for the interior design. It is the fourth Prague hotel in the portfolio of the Korean-owned Le Investments group whose other developments are the Elite, the Meteor Plaza, and the Charles, with another new Plaza in the planning stages.

The Majestic Plaza hotel is an amalgamation of two reconstructed buildings sharing a common courtyard. The larger of the two, facing onto Štěpánská Street, was formerly an office building dating from the 1920s and it now houses the hotel’s Italian-marble-clad lobby and 135 guestrooms decorated in an Art Deco style. The spacious lobby and the Lobby Bar create an elegant, classy first impression with rust-and-cream marble floors and tables, and red-and-cream leather seating.

The smaller adjoining building, which reaches all the way back to Školská Street, was a residential building originally constructed in 1840, and it has now been given a Biedermeier-style revamp. The four floors with 50 rooms offer guests a cozier alternative to the Art Deco theme running through the rest of the hotel. Fans of the Czech author Jaroslav Hašek, who penned the satirical novel The Good Soldier Švejk, will be interested to learn that the writer was born in this very building. That littleknown fact is what that the hotel’s general manager Petra Hubáčková is hoping to promote in the future by having a special menu dedicated to the lovable anti-hero Švejk in the hotel’s Asmera Restaurant.

One very attractive feature for both tourists and corporate guests is the fact that 17 rooms in total have a clear view of Prague Castle and the accompanying skyline. Indeed, the 6th floor of the larger building is known as the Majestic Panorama Club. While many hotels in Prague claim to have a view of the castle, it’s very rare to find one with so many rooms and quite such a panorama.

Regarding the mix of guests, Hubáčková reckons that so far the hotel has received “half and half corporate clients and tourists, and also a lot of conferences because we are directly in the city center so it’s a nice location.” The four-star hotel has been well-equipped to cater for conferences. The airy Majestic Conference Room has a capacity of 80 and is flooded with daylight. And in addition to the Asmera Restaurant in the smaller building, there is the Victoria Restaurant in the larger building, which can provide an extra 150 places in a theatre-style seating arrangement.

While the feel of most of the hotel is very classic, the Havana Club in the basement offers something else entirely. “It’s a really modern Latin-American bar and it’s in a very different style,” says Hubáčková. With space for a DJ and dancing, it is fast becoming a popular night spot that is open to the public at weekends, as well as a hip venue for private parties. Canary yellow leather seating and contemporary lighting give the space a modern, urban feel. The dance floor is surrounded by free-standing lighting features depicting the outlines of dancers in various poses, which create something of a disco atmosphere.

One can’t help but wonder what Švejk would have to say on the matter.

BELLAGIO Hotel Prague is located in the historical heart of Prague within a walking distance of all metropolitan tourist sites and outstanding points of architecture. It is placed in the quiet Jewish Quarter of Josefov – just a few steps from the Spanish and Old Synagoges and the Old Jewish Cemetary.

BELLAGIO Hotel Prague is one of Prague’s most beautiful boutique hotels of the first class – charming character in all of its own. All rooms are individually designed with wonderful composition of colors, handmade wall murals, stylish Italian furnishing and finest fabrics creating a romantic and chic ambience throughout. The hotel has 47 luxurious rooms on 5 floors and 4 rooms are specially equipped for disabled. It offers all necessary amenities for the sophisticated traveler.

Saloon VENEZIA is located on the ground floor of BELLAGIO Hotel Prague a comfortable conference room, which can be booked for business meetings, trainings or conferences for up to 30 people. Business lounge is part of hotel’s conference room and hotel guest may, in big cozy sofas, comfortably rest or wait for their friends or taxi. Their time can be shortened by browsing the internet on the computer in the internet corner, watching the news or sport games on a large flat TV screen or reading some interesting books from the hotel’s library.

www.bellagiohotel.cz

it’s good to live like a 17th century aristocrat every now and then, the only sign of human habitation your chateau, your own private lawn and forest spreading to the horizon in oxygen-rich percentages of green and darker green. Your balcony hangs over it all like a 5-star gold deer stand.

At Chateau Mcely, in the middle of St. George Forest, you’ll pity the poor city apartment dwellers. At around EUR 150 for the cheapest room it’s an attainable fantasy, perfectly feasible if you want to impress that special someone or if you’ve ever entertained notions about starring in Sense and Sensibility.

A chateau is a stately residence in either France or the Continent imitating a castle. Mcely is a hotel, imitating a chateau, imitating a castle. Moreover, it is an award-winning hotel, a standout in an exclusive chain of “small” luxury hotels, only an hour’s drive northeast of Prague.

About the time you swing open the French windows to that walloping view, you’ll say “Methinks in yonder distance I doth hear the hounds bay,” or “Not in your riding breeches, please, darling,” or “Shall we take tea at five sharp with Napoleon’s harp or fashionably later with that Steinway?”

You’ll speak to your special someone, because in such a romantic getaway, you must have a special someone.

Corporate groups, honeymooners, and wedding party guests will toast and appreciate the Thurn-Taxis family, former owners of the manor. Guests will thank all nobility and their ilk as never before for being accidental environmentalists who created mini-biosphere reserves and national heritage sites without even trying to.

Indolence multiplies like flowers, your backyard is a game park reserve, the ritual of high tea is honored again… so many appetites to be satisfied at once. In such a place, at such a pace, it is easy to see how Lord Sandwich hit upon his snack idea. Why rush anything when you can stay at the tables and continue gambling, as it were?

It’s not easy being an aristocrat, though. So many decisions, so many worries. Your tasks for the day will be as real as any prince’s or duke’s.

Should we pop open the complimentary champagne now or wait to see if the moon rises? Should we have breakfast downstairs in that neoclassical hall or should we stay snuggled in our neoclassical room and king-sized bed, the poached eggs and glazed strawberries only the ring of a bell away? Mmmm… more decisions await in the forest, too. Should we take the shorter trail so that we can pick mushrooms and hand them to the chef in time so that he can incorporate them into a sauce to cover our viandes?

Or should we have the staff pack us a lunch so that we can go for a longer jaunt around the genuine lakes and through trees and herds of fallow deer, perhaps shooting a few on the way, and still be back in time for the samovar tea and cakes at 5-ish?

Or should we opt for the winding, non-violent path that Bedrich Smetana strolled down and venture to that other, far-off chateau so that our bodies will be sufficiently exhausted and sore, not to mention musically inspired, to appreciate the Thai masseuse and spas when we return?

Or should we just skip the hiking altogether (too plebian) and rise above it all in a hot-air balloon? Yes, it’s good to be an aristocrat every now and then. In your own chateau, servants at your service, the hounds in their kennels. Thus innovators like Lord Sandwich…

“The original parts of the building, such as the staircase and hand rails, had to stay as they were,” says the hotel’s resident manager Stanislav Bayer, “Apart from that we did everything new.” Bayer describes the style of the hotel as “boutique and unique… very free, very hip.” It’s a design hotel that is very much about design. The industrial-style lounge and other public spaces in the building serve as a living gallery that showcases the work of various upand-coming artists who are very keen to have their pieces presented in such an up-to-the-minute and unusual setting.

Despite being so stylish, the lounge space and bar are very casual, with none of the stuffiness associated with larger traditional hotels. Comfy purple leather couches, embroidered cushions and free Wi-Fi encourage guests to kickback and relax with a laptop and a cappuccino or a good book and a glass of wine. A spot for a DJ and topclass sound system means that it’s also a good spot for parties or events. Return guests comprise a mixture of business and leisure travelers, with those in more creative professions in particular choosing to make their way to The Icon. “Film production and advertising companies love the hotel because it’s hip and funky and new,” says Bayer. “And you can do what you want… within reason.”

The hotel’s Jet Set restaurant offers fare similar to that of its sister venue of the same name in Prague 5 – international cross-over cuisine with a lot of Italian and Czech influences. The restaurant, which can hold up to 80 people, is also used for serving generous breakfasts to guests. Another unique feature is the Zen Asian Wellness massage salon at the front of the hotel. With four tranquil massage rooms and a dedicated staff of Thai and Balinese professionals, it’s the perfect spot to recharge your batteries after a hard day of shopping, sight-seeing or doing business in the very heart of the city. There is a small meeting room where twelve people can be seated around the historic meeting table that used to be in the office of Czech entrepreneur Tomáš Bata’s shoe factory in Zlín.

A stroll up to your room will reveal other interesting touches, such as the room numbers, which are displayed on illuminated cubes beside each door. The purple color scheme of the lounge is carried through to the guest rooms, although here it is muted with calming beiges, creams and golds, imparting the rooms with a modern yet homey and comfortable feel. The Icon is very proud to be the only hotel in Europe fully equipped with beds from the company Hästens. The company has been manufacturing these very special beds, which are built in one piece, since 1852. They feature specially constructed handmade frames and springs and are stuffed with horse hair. “Their slogan is ‘You’ll sleep like a King. And we can prove it!’,” says Stanislav Bayer. “They are the exclusive provider of beds for the Swedish king and the entire royal family.” The bedding and towels are all anti-allergenic, so even the most sensitive guests can be assured a restful night’s sleep.

Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV and a DVD player. Ingeniously hidden inside the table, there’s a connection to the Internet, as well as iPod and MP3 interfaces, so guests can play their own music in the rooms. The telephones are wireless and compatible with Skype, allowing them to be linked to a laptop and used as Skype phones, all of which is important to the type of clients the hotel is targeting. Almost all of the bathrooms feature a tub as well as an American rain shower, a definite attraction for visitors from across the Atlantic. Huge mirrors and luxurious marble floors and walls mean that after sleeping like a king you can bathe like a king, while taking advantage of the complimentary toiletries from the Dutch-based company Rituals.

Apart from the home comforts and little luxuries, what really makes the hotel stand out is the pleasant and helpful (and Diesel-attired!) staff. “We try to be as personal as possible,” says Bayer, “but not to bother people… just to be attentive and to help wherever we can. I think that is what the people who come here look for and come back for.”

From Lisbon to London, from Shanghai’s Suzhou Creek to Toronto’s Lake Ontario shoreline, no matter what part of the world you choose, waterside redevelopments are making their mark. Given that most of these redevelopments tend to transform former industrial property or otherwise inaccessible land into thriving parts of the community, it’s no surprise that waterfront revitalization is a hot topic in sustainable development in today’s environmentally conscious world. The development schemes are making headlines – and the trade show circuit – around the globe. No fewer than 35 countries are expected to send representatives to this year’s fair dedicated to the topic, Waterfront Expo 2007, taking place in Lisbon this October.

Prague jumped firmly on the bandwagon of riverfront redevelopment in the late nineties, and just about every year since then new schemes have been coming to light. Now, from the city’s south end along the Modřany embankment to the meander past Troja, large plots and small are in various stages of planning or construction, with total investment estimates according to some experts now at CZK 30 billion, that should have the river’s banks looking very different in a few short years.

One of the most dramatic areas of change right now is right in the Vltava’s bend. On the west side of the river, several projects are in the making. Notable among them, Prague Marina by developer Lighthouse is now in the full throes of construction. The redevelopment of the 110- year old Holešovice Port will include more than 1,000 high-end apartments, along with office, shops and cafes in the first phase alone. Just inland across the street from this sits a large plot close to the Libeň Bridge owned by Slovak developer J&T. The site awaits plans that include two skyscrapers that will house luxury apartments offering bird’s-eye views of the river and large parts of the city surrounding it.

But the next project to really take off will be across the river in Libeň. The area in question was previously owned by developer Real Estate Karlín Group, which in 2002 hosted the country’s first architectural workshop for a project called Libeň Docks. It involved the complete revitalization of 6.5 hectares of riverside land in the crux of the river bend’s eastern side. The results turned over a concept that would see the currently neglected land reach a new level of potential with a full mix of offices, shops, dwellings and services modeled on the success of London’s Canary Wharf.

Now, following transactions in the last several months, Libeň Docks has new owners at the helm. Crestyl, a developer that focuses on regional shopping centers and select office buildings, is handling the commercial component. ICKM, a dedicated residential developer hailed for high quality refurbishments in Prague’s historical center, among other projects, will develop the apartments. (The two companies are now bound in an even closer relationship with a greater funding base following a recent merger, announced this summer, in which ICKM was acquired jointly by Crestyl and GE Real Estate Central Europe.)

As a whole, Libeň Docks will contain some 350 apartments, to be realized in two phases, the first of which is targeted to finish by the end 2009. The land plot is spread across three fingers of land that jut into a harborlike area of the Vltava, to the north of the Libeň Bridge.

The apartments will be set in areas back from the trafficladen bridge, where the commercial buildings will be erected, acting more or less as a noise-shield. “We hope to begin construction in March 2008,” says Omar Koleilat, managing director of Crestyl, who are set to build in their portion some 80,000 sqm of offices, shops, and amenities. The results of the architectural workshop will for the most part be maintained though minor adjustments will be made to adapt the project where necessary. “The footprint of the original project is being maintained but we will improve some of the facades as well as the common areas and greenery,” explains Koleilat.

Crestyl found the prospect of taking part in Libeň Docks very attractive. “It’s a unique location,” Koleilat says. “In terms of its micro-atmosphere, it’s a closed water basin surrounded by greenery, including the Libeň Chateau and a small park. On the macro level, the infrastructure of the whole area is being improved. The main artery of Karlín, Pobřežní Street, is being extended right now and will go straight on to Libeň, right to the edge of our site – that’s a four-lane street directly linking Libeň Docks to the city center.”

Giovanni Lainati, general director of ICKM, shares Koleilat’s sentiment. “Our ambition there is to build something very special with particular attention to the quality of living and to common green spaces,” he adds.

Environmental sustainability is a carefully considered aspect of Libeň Docks. Car access, for example, will be underground, eliminating traffic from circulating around the buildings. Perhaps more impressive yet is the approach the developers are taking to what is now a scenic, though relatively stagnant, offshoot of the river. “With regard to cleaning the water of the basin in Libeň Docks we will invest approximately CZK 100,000,000 in a technology that is able to self-purify the water naturally,” describes Lainati. As part of this process, particular kinds of vegetation and water plants will be included that keep the water clean. “This means that it will be technically possible to swim there just like in a very large swimming pool,” he says.

The impact that the Libeň Docks project is likely to have on the river, and the city’s urban plan as a whole, is something Lainati puts into a larger context. “Waterfronts have historically been areas where factories were located because the river was an important means of transportation,” he notes. “Today these areas have become a very fashionable location to live and work. All over the world cities crossed by major rivers are placing great importance on the re-evaluation of these areas in their master plans.”

The developer points out that those changes are significant in helping to bring the capital to its full potential. “The City of Prague is facing an historical project: the regain and re-evaluation of two kilometres of waterfront in Prague 8, of which Libeň Docks is one o the most important parts,” claims Lainati.

Owning a Private Spa

In the late 1990s, the Czech lands and Slovakia were home to many contradictions. The young market economy was enriching some entrepreneurs while others struggled. Per capita income was rising but pensioners and day laborers scraped by on inadequate incomes.

Czech emigrant Michal Beránek had returned home from West Germany and was working in the construction industry. The times appeared anything but propitious for importing and selling high-priced luxury goods, like, for instance, private spas, or whirlpool baths ranging in cost anywhere up to CZK 799,999.

Beránek was chatting one day with a friend and two of the friend’s former classmates, visitors from Canada. The conversation ranged freely over the growing and prospective prosperity of Central Europe, similarities of climate between Canada and the Czech Republic, and the business interests of the Canadian couple.

And the idea for a new Czech business was born.

The Canadians exported whirlpool baths, private spas were particularly appropriate, they said, for places like Prague where the residents were traditionally active and the swimming pool season was short. Typically, swimming pools require substantial maintenance for several months a year of use. Spas demand little attention and are used year round, they noted.

“A spa is always ready to use and you can sit inside, chat or sip your favorite drink while the snow falls outside,” explained Beránek.

Daniela Fuxová of Prague, wife of a prominent advertising executive, supported the 1997 launch of Aquamarine Spa, the first Czech company to specialize in selling, installing and servicing private spas.

“Our big job that first year was mainly communication and public relations, just getting people to understand what a spa is and why they should have one,” recalled Beránek, now the company’s managing director. “In the beginning people here didn’t know even what a spa is good for. They asked questions like, ‘Can I soak out the parlor curtains there?’”

Even so, he says, the company sold 20 spas in the first year. The spa business seemed like a natural for Fuxová. “When I traveled abroad,” she said, “I saw people in their productive years spending their free time together. They tended to emphasize active lifestyles, healthful relaxation.”

“In those days Czech people gave all their time to work just to catch up with those things that hadn’t been possible to do during our 55 years of socialism,” she said.

That there was no market in 1997 for wellness products seemed to Fuxová a challenge not a hindrance.

She gathered and analyzed information and visited producer. For her first product, she chose Sundance spas, made by an international company based in the UK.

She chose, she said, with the cold heart of a business executive and the warm aesthetics of a woman.

Sundance had the longest tradition, certificates of quality, patents and new technologies. But she also responded, as a woman, to their original designs and their colors, their looks.

Success has brought its own new set of challenges, Fuxová and Beránek said. There are now a dozen competitors in the market, many distributing spas as secondary lines with other merchandise.

The trend that fascinates Beránek now is the increasing sophistication and technical understanding of the market. Spas still are for socializing, for healthful relaxation and family togetherness, he said.

But, he said, customers arrive at Aquamarine’s showroom aware of the varieties of outline, color, lighting and nozzle placement that are available.

Funny to mention, neither Beránek nor Fuxová has a spa at home just now. Beránek lives in a flat with insufficient space for one, he says, but he has access to the use of spas in the showroom. Fuxová says she donated the family spa to a friend, who works as a healer.

And, says Fuxová, she has renewed her research for the world’s best spa – taking into account beauty of lines, arrangement of nozzles, lights and colors, quality of construction. “It will go in soon,” she said. “Having had spas, now, we can’t live long without one.”

A half-dozen years ago the mention of loft living, NYC-style, in Prague, was raising some eyebrows. In those days, when the first round of apartment complexes built by smaller developers still learning the ropes or others aiming for a quick profit were earning the unflattering moniker of “shoebox”, some suspicion over more non-traditional living spaces might have been expected.

But some enterprising individuals were already making plans. They were keen to bring to Prague that famous trend set in New York’s SoHo district and mimicked in countless western cities ever since. It was perhaps an accident that 19th- and early 20th-century factory buildings saved from demolition in the district in the late 1960s and later inhabited by cash-starved artists turned out to be such perfect fodder for dwellings – large open spaces, high ceilings and big factory windows all conspire to stimulate the psyche and lift the spirit.

Prague luckily emerged from the Velvet Revolution with several former industrial relics intact, though they are spread among various districts of the city. While Nusle isn’t replete with them, one 19th-century flour mill there caught the eye of Alberto Di Stefano in 2001. Blessed with solid red-brick walls, high ceilings, large windows, and a charming smokestack, all incorporated into living spaces, Nuselský Mlýn became what is now generally considered Prague’s first true loft conversion. “There were some individual cases of attic or individual room conversions, but not any of an entire building,” said Di Stefano, reflecting on his first project. It was completed in 2004 and offered a range of sizes from 50 sqm, as was common on the market, to 200 sqm, which was decidedly uncommon. Despite prices of CZK 50,000 per square meter, which some argued was too high, the project easily sold out.

An opportunity recognized

One interesting aspect of loft development is that you’re never sure where a project will turn up next. Opportunity in the form of a suitable basic structure to work with must meet with the means to develop it. The project Ateliery Spektrum real lofts in Smíchov came about by such a favorable coincidence.

When digital printing company ATELIERY SPEKTRUM s.r.o. was looking for new facilities for its expanding operations, it came upon an old car factory in which it saw potential that went far beyond what it had previously dreamed. The old Škoda factory, built in 1919, has stood as something of landmark for almost a century. Constructed in the style of Le Corbusier’s projects, original plans called for a building of seven stories, although only five were completed due to interruptions by the war. The company acquired the property in 2003 and began to draw up plans to transform the upper two levels into loft apartments.

The transformation changed little of the basic industrial character that made the building interesting, though, more in line with original plans, another level was added to the building. The fifth floor contains seven units, ranging from roughly 72 sqm to 172 sqm. Ceilings are 4.5 meters high and large, and huge, original, cross-framed factory windows provide an almost breathtaking loft feeling – not to mention tremendous views. A mezzanine of about 1.9 meters adds a split-level to the units. The seven units on the sixth floor are even larger, with ceiling heights of up to 6.5 meters and higher, almost full-reach mezzanines that contribute to total areas of between 134 sqm and 340 sqm, and access to rooftop terraces.

The building is positioned rather high up on a grade, between the lookout hill of Ctiradova vyhlídka and the southern strip of Smíchov flanking the river. Buyers of the lofts particularly liked this placement, says Kamila Kubátová, who is responsible for sales at the project Ateliery Smíchov. Not only is the protected natural park of the Prokopske Valley just over the hill, but a striking panorama of Prague is visible from the other side of the building. “People loved the view and how the city is moving – the light, the cars, the boats in the river. A magnificent portion of the sky can be seen. The light changes during the day and the sky can be very dramatic, creating something like a giant painting with the clouds,” Kubátová explained.

The lofts have appealed to a certain profile of buyers, namely successful businessmen or people interested – or in some cases directly involved – in, art, fashion, or photography. They are generally above the age of 30. Many have traveled and have become familiar with the loft concept from what they’ve seen in other countries; others have taken a liking to it simply from their own quick understanding of the space and a desired lifestyle. Prices may have seemed ambitious at CZK 59,000/ sqm, but according to Kubátová, only two units – of 142 sqm and 288 sqm , both on the sixth floor – are left.

Cornlofts Šaldova – Another step in Karlín’s transformation

Karlín provides among the best opportunities in the city for transforming industrial buildings to lofts. Indeed, the whole quarter was traditionally associated with disused but architecturally important industrial buildings, but now the district is fast becoming synonymous with stylish redevelopment. The skillful blending of heritage structures, modern business and residential needs, with loft living is very much part of this metamorphosis.

Until recently, the lion’s share of conversion work in Karlín has been for office space, but attention is now turning to residential projects, including Cornlofts Šaldova, on the street of the same name. This robust, powerful structure is a former granary dating from the 19th century, and its thick walls and narrow windows punched into them are important features in the Karlín townscape, contrasting strongly with the residential buildings close to it.

The granary has been disused for decades, but now, as one of the most noteworthy historic buildings owned by developer Real Estate Karlin Group, is set to undergo a significant transformation. The company launched a competition held in late 2002 and early 2003, the “Cornloft Workshop”, with the aim of inviting proposals for bringing this striking structure back to life.

The aim was to conserve the original building and its industrial appearance, while adding a completely new structure on the courtyard side of the complex. Leading architects from the Czech Republic and abroad took part in the competition, with the Austrian architectural firm Baumschlager and Eberle emerging as the winner. The firm’s proposals blended old and new, respecting the historic architecture of the granary, including the façade on Saldova, with its characteristic rows of arches and arched windows.

At the rear of the building the architects proposed a different solution – a thoroughly modern ensemble of three interconnecting buildings. The result is a contrast that enhances both portions. Completion of the project, set for August 2008, will see over 120 lofts and luxury flats being built. Average prices are 65,000kc per sqm. “It is another unique product in a unique area. People have more money now and they have become more discerning about a place to live,” said Milorad Miškovič, marketing director of the Real Estate Karlin Group. “They want to diversify and live somewhere which is different from where others live, and Cornlofts Saldova is aimed at them,” he adds.

Palmovka Lofts – A catalyst for transformation

Another notable project is Palmovka Lofts, completed in 2005 and already home to some of the city’s loftdwelling pioneers. Designed by Masák & Partner, the converted 19th-century furniture factory retains a strong industrial character. One the project’s strengths say Pavel Prouza of Masák & Partners is its connection to the neighborhood. “There were already loft projects in old industrial buildings, but they had the character of isolated luxury flats, without a relationship to their surroundings,” he says. The complex consists of 199 flats of various sizes, ranging from 36 sqm to 83 sqm in the original building, plus a series of terraced houses converted from a smaller building immediately adjacent to the main factory hall.

But of course talking about square meters doesn’t fully illustrate the point when describing a loft project, because height is the main selling point, and Palmovka Lofts offers plenty of it – up to five meters from floor to ceiling. And the project doesn’t just stand out in terms of its obvious spatial advantages – although it is a typical industrial building in one of Prague’s typical industrial areas, the concept of loft-living is not typical for the Prague 8 district.

But Masák & Partners are hopeful that such an innovation can help change an area which, according to the project’s developer Immo Group, is like Smíchov years five years ago, and unlike neighboring Karlín has not so far seen regeneration. “Palmovka is certainly a problematic area, and it is exactly projects such as Palmovka Lofts that can help start its revitalization and further development,” said Prouza. “The residents of our building are often young people who care about how and where they live. They are exactly what Palmovka needs today,” he added.

U Zámeckého Rybniku – Baroque lofts in the 21st century

Bouyed by success on Nuselský Mlýn, DiStefano is currently working on two more loft projects. The first, U Zámeckého Rybniku, extends the loft concept in a way that even SoHo can only dream about: the use of a 17thcentury baroque brewery as its starting point.

Located beside a small pond in the town of Škvorec, just outside of Prague, the site, said Di Stefano, was a real find. “It’s a unique building surrounded by nature with very interesting spaces in a very small, nice, countryside village only a half an hour from the centre of Prague,” he said. The project is larger than its predecessor, with 53 loft apartments spread over four buildings. Details such as stone doorways from the baroque period add an unrivalled charm.

The downstairs offers another surprise, as Di Stefano explained. “The building had such beautiful huge cellars that we wanted to take advantage of them, so rather than making a garage or something like that we decided to make a fitness center with a swimming pool. This brings the total cost of the project higher of course, but if you divide the cost among the number of flats, it’s not so much.

“We always try to offer something a little better, but at a price that is not necessarily much higher,” he said. Prices range from CZK 24,000 to CZK 36,000 per sqm. “We’re already working on it and there’s a huge amount of interest – over half the lofts are sold,” he said.

“We’re just before starting pre-sales on Lofty na Vltavě, a renovation of an old gun powder factory in Libeň,” says Di Stefano. The 19th-century charm of the building will be preserved, as with all of Di Stefano’s projects, and incorporated into the modern loft design. Most of the apartments will be units of either one or two bedrooms, averaging about 55sqm.

“We’ve decided to design this project as sort of ‘minilofts’ but if someone buys more than one unit, we offer the possibility of joining them.” Despite this, they will still have the essential characteristic of open space, and over half of the lofts will have either a ground level or rooftop garden of 14 to 44 sqm. The building is situated in middle of lush greenery, with Thomajeroy Sady park immediately under the windows, and several units offer a view directly onto the Vltava.

Those who travel frequently for business or pleasure will probably be accustomed to the disconcerting phenomenon of waking up in a chain hotel room and having to think for a few minutes to work out what city or even country they are in. But in recent years there has been somewhat of a shift in the hotel business, as discerning clients spurn formulaic ‘branded’ hotel chains and larger hotels in favor of ‘boutique’ or ‘design’ hotels. The concept of a ‘boutique hotel’ is a little difficult to define. It is usually luxurious, themed, smaller than a chain hotel and quirky in some way.

A focus on music is what sets one boutique hotel in Prague’s Malá Strana quarter apart from the mainstream. Jiří Hlavatý, Operations Manager of Aria Hotel, is pleased to talk about what makes his hotel stand out: ‘I think the big difference is in the theme, because this is a music hotel and each room is dedicated to a particular composer. In each room there’s a computer where you can find the music of that particular composer. Or if guests don’t want to listen to the music of that composer they can come down to the music library where we have about 4,000 CDs to choose from. The Aria’s 52 rooms and suites are situated on four floors, with each floor dedicated to jazz, opera, classical or contemporary music. Each room features an in-room computer from which guests can select their favorite pieces from their chosen composer, artist or genre, from Beethoven to Billie Holiday. The architecture and furnishings also subtly reference the musical theme.

Original artwork is another factor that makes the Aria something truly special. ‘There are a lot of special things in the hotel, especially paintings. We have works by Chagall here, by Picasso and a lot of Dalis,’ said Hlavatý. The hotel is also proud to have a fine collection of work by the contemporary Czech artist Josef Blecha, who created caricatures of composers especially to adorn the walls of the public and private areas of the hotel.

If guests can tear themselves away from their rooms they can enjoy the airy open space of the hotel’s atrium, the cozy atmosphere of the music salon or the delights of the Coda Restaurant, one of the best spots for fine dining in the city. Guests can now dine on the hotel’s rooftop terrace, which boasts one of the most magnificent views of Prague’s Old Town across the river and of the Vrtbovská Garden next door. The hotel now offers guests direct access to this beautiful Italian-style Baroque garden.

There is live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, usually jazz or contemporary music. The hotel’s music director Dr. Ivana Stehliková tries to find interesting acts that provide real entertainment and not just background music. This musical entertainment is not just for the enjoyment of guests staying at the hotel but also visitors to its restaurant and music bar.

While the Aria is defined by its theme, other Prague boutique hotels can offer a unique historical background. The Golden Well Hotel, just below Prague Castle, is situated in a Renaissance building that once belonged to Roman Emperor and Bohemian King Rudolf II and served as the residence of the famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, whose body is interred in a tomb in the Church of Our Lady before Týn on Prague’s Old Town Square. Although the Communist regime left the building in a state of near dilapidation, extensive renovations have made it one of the most desirable spots to stay in Prague, with a popular terrace restaurant with stunning views and direct entrance to the gardens of Prague Castle.

Another fine boutique hotel that can boast a long history is Domus Balthasar, also in Malá Strana. The building was originally part of an archbishop’s palace in the 15th century before undergoing Baroque and late Baroque reconstructions in the 18th century. It’s sister hotel Domus Henrici is situated in a building that has a history dating back to the late 14th century and, like the building that the Golden Well is situated in, it once belonged to Rudolf II. With only eight spacious well-appointed rooms each and locations that are second to none, Domus Balthasar and Domus Henrici are boutique hotels that offer a personal touch and breath-taking views of the city.

So the next time you are planning a trip to Prague, for business or pleasure, do yourself a favor and bypass the ubiquitous giant hotels in favor of one of these charming gems, where the staff will remember your name and you will be sure to remember where you are when you open your eyes in the morning.

Sandwiched between the slopes of Vinohrady’s genteel, residential grandeur, and the bustle of the city’s heart, is Prague’s Main Railway Station (Hlavní Nádraží), a hub of European rail travel for 160 years. Passengers can depart here bound for Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Krakow, Budapest, Bucharest, Minsk and Moscow, where a change of train extends the journey to Vladivostok, Ulan Bator or Beijing.

But while other parts of Prague – most obviously the historical center, but also Vinohrady and areas further afield – have enjoyed years of attention dedicated to their betterment, Hlavní Nádraží has remained relatively neglected. In fact, the station’s first significant renovation since the days of the Communist regime began last December.

Railway stations do get bad press, tending to attract the seamier elements of civilization, and Hlavní Nádraží is no exception, The once-grand complex has long been regarded as a destination for danger, one of the city’s most notorious locations. “Don’t go there! Especially at night!” the locals will tell you, and with inimitable Czech humor, the park in front of the station has been nicknamed “Sherwood”, after the legendary forest where the rich were robbed for the benefit of the poor.

Throughout its rich history, the station complex has undergone various revamps and changes of name, and by Andrew Parker between 1901 and 1909, in the final years of the Austro- Hungarian Empire, the Kaiser Franz Josef I foot the bill for a stunning Art Nouveau building, naturally naming it after himself. The renowned architect Josef Fanta was handed the design job and, true to architects of the day, hedidn’t hold back on elaborate details, all of which remain to this day – albeit in dilapidated, dusty form.

The building’s cupola was once the main entrance where horse drawn carriages would pull up and vast chests were unloaded to waiting porters. The same site is now home to Fantova Kavárna, a coffee shop serving commuters, backpackers, day-trippers and the occasional vagabond who may have spent the night nearby.

Above the doors that used to lead to the main railway office, now the café’s kitchen, a naked lady, sculpted from stone, gazes dreamily across to her Adonis. Welcome to Bohemia. A bust of Franz Josef juts from a wall, and one can almost envisage the royal valets throwing open the heavy doors to allow their kaiser entry to the former concourse, and from Prague a safe passage home to Vienna. The whole space retains an air of faded glory, and the huge clock hanging from the ceiling gently ticks off the time for travelers present as it did for travelers past.

World War I accounted for the Habsburg family, and in 1919 the station was renamed Wilsonovo Nádraží (Wilson Station) in homage to American President Woodrow Wilson, who oversaw the end of hostilities. His statue then overlooked the park – Sherwood – until it was destroyed by the occupying Nazis during World War II.

In the early 1970s the Communist government embarked upon a further period of renovation and introduced the style that can still be seen in the complex’s cavernous lower halls, adding an underground station as well as constructing the now very busy road that effectively cuts the city in half. It has been whispered that this highway was a politburo afterthought in an attempt to disrupt antigovernment protests at the foot of the National Museum and the top of Wenceslas Square.

Today and Tomorrow

Carrying out the makeover thirty years hence is Italian company Grandi Stazioni, which, having gained extensive experience in the renovation of train stations on home turf, has been awarded the contract by Czech Railways to give the building a modern facelift. The design concept includes an ultra-modern glass and metallic shopping concourse in the main hall and upper level, with extensive restoration to be carried out on the Emperor’s original building and landscaped gardens slated to replace the park.

The Italian investors have formed a parent company, Grandi Stazioni Česká Republika, which has taken the building on a 30-year lease with a budgeted venture of EUR 32 million for the reconstruction work. In a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement, a form of business cooperation which has only recently made headway in the Czech Republic, Grandi Stazioni hopes and expects to make a profit on this outlay. The benefits for Czech Railways are apparent: they will not only get a completely up-to-date facility, but also freer finances to modernize rolling stock. According to Aleš Ondruj, press officer for Czech Railways, “The private partner gets return on expenses from the rent, and Czech Railways has the benefit of a modern infrastructure and attractive premises.”

While this plan is currently on track, don’t look forward to a stroll through the landscaped gardens just yet. Due to the necessity of maintaining business as usual at the country’s most frequented train station, it’s not surprising that renovations will take some time. As Martin Hamšík, press spokesman for Grandi Stazioni, pointed out, “We can’t just stop operating the station with so many people using it – more than 100,000 passengers daily. That’s not feasible, so the work will take place in phases over a period of five years.”

As with Grandi Stazioni’s projects on railway stations in Italy, ambitious plans are afoot to hold exhibitions, concerts and even fashion shows in the newly liberated space. “We don’t want it to be just a place where travelers come and go, but to keep it as a social space and attract people who live and work in the city,” said Hamšík.

Ondruj agrees, saying that a more welcoming venue may even bring in more revenue for Czech Railways. To a large extent, the concept follows a German and Austrian model. “If you look at Germany, you can see that when you walk through the stations, you are greeted with so many shops and services,” said Ondruj. “It’s our goal to bring in a whole spectrum of activities. Of course, you have to have better quality to cultivate the right environment and draw a mix of people.”

A modern concept for Hlavní Nádraží has arrived right on schedule. Train travel is on the rise in the Czech Republic – up 20% in 2006 – as people abandon the everincreasing dangers and inconvenience of traveling by car, and Czech Railways remains one of the country’s biggest employers. With luck, its staff and their successors will carry rail travel into the next century and a revamped portrait of Kaiser Franz Josef I may display a smile of satisfaction on his whiskered face.