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While putting together a last-minute trip to Prague, I was excited to see that Hyatt was making its first entry into the Czech Republic, with the Andaz Prague. This category 6 hotel is just a short walk from Old Town Square. The property, which opened in early March, has 152 rooms and 24 suites. The building occupies the iconic Sugar Palace, a former office building constructed in 1912-1916 for the Sugar Industry Insurance Association.
Booking
I booked somewhat last-minute, especially given that this was a brand new property. The hotel was not bookable online using the Pay My Way option and I wanted to combine my soon-to-expire category 1-7 certificate with points. As a World of Hyatt Globalist using the concierge perk, I reached out to my Hyatt Concierge. She was able to make the booking happen quickly. She booked one night on certificate and one night on points (21,000 off-peak), which was better than the $970 cash rate for the two nights. When booking, I always use my Chase World Of Hyatt credit card to secure booking and for any incidentals while at the hotel.
For the points portion, I transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards that I earned with my Chase Sapphire Preferred (review) to my World of Hyatt account.
Check-in
I arrived via Uber at what turned out to be the back side of the hotel, as I later learned. This entry had the inner door secured, but I was able to ring the buzzer and a front desk staff came out to let me in and welcome me. I felt very welcomed right away with the friendly front desk staff, which immediately offered me a drink while I was checking in. The operations manager even came out to thank me for being a World of Hyatt Globalist and welcome me.
Lobby
The lobby is expansive with many sitting areas. I enjoy this in a hotel as it made a perfect place to get some work done in a relaxing sitting. The long narrow hallways leading in are bright white and blue with lovely artwork.
Room
As a Globalist, I was upgraded to a junior suite on the 5th floor. A staff member even mentioned that I may be the first to stay in this room. I am not sure if that was true, but that shows just how new this hotel is.
I found the living space to be large and comfortable. The bedroom was a bit smaller, but still had plenty of space. The king bed was very comfortable. My one complaint about the room was the thermostat, which appeared to be programmed with a fixed range. I enjoy a cold room and found myself waking up quite warm at night. Opening the windows made things better.
Bathroom
The luxurious and spacious bathroom included heated floors, a large bathtub, double sinks, and a shower that this tall traveler loved. There was plenty of space in this bathroom, which included a private enclosed toilet area as well. Large bathrooms like this are great, whether traveling solo or with friends or family.
Food
The hotel has a bar and restaurant, Mez. The restaurant states that it features modern Czech bistronomy crafted from local ingredients. I did not have dinner at Mez, but the atmosphere felt swanky, with plenty of well-dressed clientele flowing in during the evening hours.
The restaurant also doubles as the breakfast area. As a Globalist, I received complimentary breakfast. I was a bit confused at first as the entrees appeared to be priced very reasonably, but it appeared you had to add on the entrée to their continental breakfast (about $34 US). They did offer a vegan option to this continental breakfast which was nice. I had the eggs benedict ($9 US), which were fantastic. As part of the continental breakfast portion, the staff brought out breads and pastries as well as yogurt, which was also very fresh and tasty.
If on a budget, and without status, there are plenty of local and much less expensive options. Prague is a fantastic city for food and many local bakeries to indulge in. With that being said, I found the food at Mez to be very good and tasted fresh. The staff was friendly and spoke with me at length about various topics over breakfast about my trip as well as inquiring about my Czech name. The friendly staff was a common theme here at the Andaz.
Bar
The Andaz also has a fantastic bar adjacent to the restaurant Mez. This bar leads into the lobby area as well as some of the sitting areas. They had a fun and vibrant cocktail menu with lots of fun options.
Spa
This hotel also features a full Spa. I had wandered down to look at the facilities, where I was greeted by a friendly staff member. I received a full tour of the facilities. Had I been here longer, I may have indulged.
Other
For those that like to workout on vacation, there is a gym as well with all brand new equipment. The hotel also has plenty of conference and event space. I saw several people touring the event space areas during my stay. The hotel seemed like a perfect setting for a party or event.
Final Thoughts
Hyatt made a splash into the Czech Republic with this property. It brings a classy, elegant, yet comfortable property that makes you feel welcome. It features well-appointed large and spacious suites. The customer service felt authentic and makes Andaz a great property for anyone visiting Prague. Fi you want to see how I got to Prague on Points and miles you can review my redemption here.
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