When it opened in 1967 after the politically and economically strained 1950s, Prague’s Parkhotel quickly became a symbol of the city’s newfound freedom. An iconic building of its time, the glory days saw the property appear in a string of popular Czech films, host both local and international sporting elite and even had global companies such as Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation set up their regional offices in the suites. Now, after a couple of decades of decline - and a series of substandard refurbishments - the hotel has been given a new lease of life by property development firm Daramis Group. Bringing on board Zdeněk Edel, one of the building’s original architects, the company carried out extensive research, building on the hotel’s rich history and cultural legacy to restore the public spaces to their original glory. Of the most significant is the lobby, which with the help of Israeli architect Gade Halperin, has been reinstated to its mordernist beauty with reproduced furnishings and lighting fixtures created from the hotel’s original plans and photographs. Contemporary furniture from Vitra and B&B Italaia meanwhile, transports the property into the 21st century. ‘We do not want to run one of the many hotels that are in Prague. We want to be something unique and authentic,’ says the property director Monika Hilm. ‘Architecture of our hotel offers that option. That is why we turned to it.’
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Veletržní 20
-
A postmodernist home reborn: we tour the British embassy in BrazilWe tour the British Embassy in Brazil after its thorough renovation by Hersen Mendes Arquitetura, which breathes new life into a postmodernist structure within the country's famous modernist capital
-
Bvlgari's celebration of the Serpenti snakes its way from Tokyo to Shanghai, Seoul and MumbaiRoman high jeweller Bvlgari marks the Year of the Snake with the sensual Serpenti Infinito exhibition
-
Fancy transforming your ageing Casio into a smartwatch? Ollee has the answerThe Ollee Watch transforms Casio's cult digital watch into a retro-tinged smart device
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this yearFrom the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
The best new hotels to love without reservationExplore the best new openings in the world, from city buzz in Vienna and Macau to laid-back escapes in Thailand and India
-
Spa experiences in superlative surroundings, to revitalise mind and bodyThese spa experiences offer the ultimate in wellness and relaxation in serene settings around the world
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico -
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland -
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia -
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -
Casa Hoyos — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
