Romantic Danube: Boscolo, Autograph Collection

Romantic Danube: Overview
Romantic Danube: Flying United from Chicago to Brussels
Romantic Danube: Brussels and continuing to Prague
Romantic Danube: Marriott Courtyard Prague
Romantic Danube: Exploring Prague
Romantic Danube: Boscolo, Autograph Collection

While our first two nights in Prague were spent at the Marriott Courtyard because we could each use the free night certificate that came with our Chase Marriott Visa cards (don't have one? I'll be happy to refer you!), we had one more night to spend.  We could, of course, have stayed where we were.  That certainly would have made things convenient. But while we were looking at Prague hotels on the Marriott website we ran across the Boscolo, which is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection.  Our free night certificates are valid on category 1-4 hotels and the Boscolo is a category 8 so we couldn't use the certificates there but while looking at the photos on their website, we just fell in love with the place.  You know that old commercial with the line "don't hate me because I'm beautiful"? Yeah, that's why we picked this hotel, just because it was beautiful.

Not owning a camera with a wide-angle lens, I couldn't figure out how to shoot the front of the building.  Fortunately I was able to "borrow" this photo from the Marriott website.

Boscolo Prague, Autograph Collection

In its former life, this building was a bank.  The bank's name is still visible over the front door.

And as luck would have it, this hotel was practically across the street from the train station and was within walking distance of Old Town.  We would have loved to have been able to afford to stay here for all three nights but settled for one night.

After checking out of the Courtyard we summoned an Uber to transfer us to the Boscolo.  The young man who picked up our ride request had a very (VERY) small car.  I'm still not sure how we got two large suitcases, a roll-aboard, two backpacks and ourselves in the car but we managed.  I'm sure when we pulled up to the Boscolo (a ride of about 10-15 minutes, thankfully) the doorman must have thought he was watching a clown car unload.

We left the luggage with him and took the steps up into the main lobby, which was absolutely gorgeous.  High, frescoed ceilings, soft lighting, marble floors - it was easy to picture this as a bank.  While there was nothing that looked like a front desk, there were several desks set up on the left side of the lobby and the associate invited us to have a seat while she got us checked in.  As expected our room was not yet ready (it was around 9 AM) but they were happy to hold our luggage for us while we went out for the day.

The left side of the lobby where check-in took place

The right side of the lobby

In the photo above, the room on the left with the purple lighting is the restaurant.  We had breakfast there the morning we checked out as it was free thanks to my Marriott Gold status.  It is so strange to me that breakfast is included in a very upscale hotel like this but we're charged for it at the Courtyard.

By the time we returned from our tour of Prague Castle our room was ready.  We were given a room on the third floor, which was just one floor above the lobby.  I loved the polished checkerboard floors.  I was initially concerned they might make any hallway noise amplified in the room but that was not the case.

Boscolo Prague Hallway

As we walked down the hall I began to suspect we'd been upgraded from the standard room we'd ordered because the doorways between rooms were quite far apart.  When we stepped into our room we found we'd been upgraded to a Junior Suite, I assume because of my Gold status.  While the door from the hallway was a single door, immediately inside was a set of smaller double doors that I assume was meant to help muffle hallway noise, but we never needed to use them.

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Foyer

In the room's foyer was a chest with a couple of drawers on one side.  Across from that was a built-in unit containing the wardrobe, coffee station, mini-fridge and safe.

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Foyer

Inside the wardrobe were a couple of robes and pairs of slippers.  While there were quite a few hangers, I was surprised to see they were the kind with no hooks.  I guess if they were good quality but had the hooks then they'd be more likely to "disappear"?

Inside the wardrobe

Beside the wardrobe the coffee station sat on a shelf.  It would remain untouched during our stay as neither of us drinks coffee.  In the cabinet above was the coffee pot and serving tray.  I assume there were coffee condiments up there as well.  And the safe was there as well.

Coffee condiments (top), safe (middle), coffee station (bottom)

The mini-fridge had quite an array of beverages of all types...though once again we didn't partake since we were just there for one night.

Boscolo Prague Mini-Fridge

Exiting the foyer was the sitting area.  The sofa and chairs were along the right wall, with a coffee table in front of them.

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Sitting Area

Making a 90-degree left turn at the sofa, the desk was on the left side, in between the doorways from the foyer and into the bedroom.  The desk fit the space nicely and we loved that the plugs were up high so we didn't have to climb under it to recharge our electronics.

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Desk

Stepping into the bedroom it was clear that this room normally had a single king bed but that they'd made it up as two beds for us, based on the fact that we'd originally reserved a room with two beds.  This was much appreciated.  I don't know if this is common or not but it's always been a point of frustration for me that sometimes we don't get upgrades for which we're eligible because the upgraded room - even though it has more space - can't be configured to handle two beds.  It seems to me that these days there has to be a better way to set up hotel rooms than by permanently affixing the night stands to the wall so that they can't be moved.  (OK, rant over.)

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Bed

The bathroom was a very nice size and we really liked the dual sinks with the marble countertops.

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Sinks

Naturally, being a higher-end hotel, there was no shower curtain, only the glass half-wall which sorta keeps the water in the shower.  But it also sorta doesn't.  Will never understand this European design.

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Shower/Tub

The toiletries were made for the Boscolo by ETRO.

Boscolo Prague Toiletries

Across from the sinks was a separate room with the toilet (pictured) and bidet (not pictured).

Boscolo Prague Junior Suite Toilet

Once again we had an issue with the room being warm but we were able to leave the window cracked open overnight which helped a lot.  We were a little concerned there might be street noise since we were not very high up but perhaps we'd just walked so much over the last couple of days that we were quite tired and never noticed it.

The staff was terrific and we really enjoyed our brief stay here.  The hotel is not too far from the tourist district and is very convenient to the train station.  It's an absolutely beautiful building and we would love to stay here again if we ever make it back to Prague.