The Renaissance is indeed well situated. If you would like a bit more of a local flavor, I highly recommend the Grand Hotel Bohemia. It can be pricey in high season, but hotels.com sometimes has great discounts during off-season.

When I was in Prague, I decided to go for something more local than the Hilton. And whilst this property certainly isn't up to the standard of any hilton, the rooms are comfortable, have ensuite bathrooms and is in a good area (only a few hundred meters from the Charles Bridge and then across the Bridge to Town Square, and a short walk up to Prague Castle).

Pension Avalon II, Nerudova street 27, Praha 1

Price - 1200 czk = about A$66 or about US$40 per night.

http://www.pension.cz/en/p-avalon2.asp

You can email them directly on:

[email protected]

The rooms upstairs have a beautiful wooden roof, but no TV (though not much in English in Cz), or downstairs which have TV's but the rooms aren't as nice.

You can catch the bus there (only 12 czk - A$0.70c or US45c) from the airport, then take the tram to Nerudova Street, then its a 5 min walk from the tram stop up Nerudova to the Hotel/Pension.

Bus 119 : Leti�t� Ruzyn� (airport) - Dejvick� (then get out of the bus walk down the road and catch the tram)
Tram X-A : Dejvick� 14:14 - Malostransk� n�m�st� (then get out and walk up the road which is slightly hilly - Nerudova)

OR

Bus 199 : Leti�t� Ruryn� - Dejvick� (same, different bus #)
Tram X-A : Dejvick� - Malostransk� n�m�st�

Alternatively you could take a cab, though it's much more and you don't get the full experience!

There will be a lot of taxi-cars (taxi mafia!) before the airport, but they are expensive (500-700 czk). For a cheaper rate - AAA Radiotaxi, tel. no. 33 11 33 11. The price is about 320 czk - A$18 or US$11 though as I said, no where near as fun!

I suggest you email them if you have any questions, they don't take credit card, cash only and there aren't very many rooms so you need to book well ahead. I've been reluctant to tell Lonely Planet about this because once there it will most likely be impossible to get a room there full stop.

All the best, kawoh.

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited 08-10-2003).]

Stayed in the Prague Marriott last week. Very nice (A/C was a definite plus in this heat spell). Check out Marriott website for deals (or FT forum for coupons). Don't know cost. Used points.