Очень хороший отель Very good hotel

We were in Prague three times with Amigo Tours: in spring, summer, and now - in winter. I will try to briefly describe the impressions of the last trip. It cost us not so much for two: 42 thousand rubles for two for a week-long stay in a very good Ostash Hotel (three stars, but in the historical center of Prague), with a flight (not a charter! ), transfer and a walking tour of the city.
Plus, for 80 euros (160 - for two) we paid for a package of excursions:
1. Day trip to Vienna;
2. a visit to the Orlik castle, after which there was an excursion to the brewery Velkopopovitsky Kozyol (! ), not so far from the castle, with a beer tasting after a hearty lunch included in the price of the excursion (chicken leg, mashed potatoes with cracklings and sauerkraut salad );
3. walking tour of Prague Castle and Hradcany.

I would like to thank the travel agent Svetlana Medvedeva for her professional work, patient answers, unobtrusive advice and tickets sent in advance - we never had any problems or extra trouble during the entire trip. And the guides from "Amigo" again turned out to be on top! But we are fastidious people, we have heard many, we have something to compare with and something to build on. I would like to say a huge thank you to Vladimir Khudyashov, Irina Belova and Olga Galmanova! They understand the main thing: in addition to dates, names and beautiful legends, a tourist wants a lively conversation about the country, its inhabitants and customs. I can advise you to read at least a guide to the Czech Republic before starting the tour. The more you know, the more questions you ask the guide, the more you will get from the tour. Checked.
Speaking of Prague itself. There are a lot of rave reviews, so I won't repeat myself. Petrin Hill with its observation tower, the protected town of Krumlov - yes, you need to see it. But I will talk about what is mentioned in the reviews less often:
-- The Prague Technical Museum "on the mountain", behind the "pendulum", from which you don't even want to leave (steam locomotives, the first bicycles, an airplane, etc. ) Many halls dedicated to the measurement of time, photography, cinema. From the latter we were politely asked for in the evening, explaining: "shut". A ticket to the museum costs about 150 crowns.
-- black light theaters (BLACK LIGHT THEATRES), a purely Czech invention based on a simple but very effective technique: artists in black velvet suits against a black curtain manipulate colorful objects, creating the illusion that the objects are moving "by themselves". Of these, the Czechs themselves prefer the IMAGE theater on Parizhskaya Street. Expensive (720 CZK), but you need to see this once!
-- Classical music concerts in historic buildings with excellent acoustics, such as the Municipal House or the Spanish Synagogue. True, this pleasure is not cheap (600-700 crowns).
What else to say? Going to Prague in winter, we were very afraid of a cold hotel room. I don’t know how it is in other hotels, but in Ostash they heated well! And I liked the complete absence of a tobacco smell in the room and on the stairs, with this the hotel is strict, guests smoke on the open veranda. Breakfast is quite good, coffee and cocoa from the coffee machine, Olivier salad, many different types of sausages, delicious scrambled eggs, excellent pastries. If we talk about the staff, they understand Russian there, albeit at a different level, everyone. "Ezdenki" to buy? Please, at the reception they are. How to get from point A to point B? Even if they don’t know, they will find it on the Internet, they will tell you. And the Wi-Fi in the hotel is free, the signal is good.

Pivnitz in Prague 3, where we stayed, is a dime a dozen. We can recommend "Spirit" (200 meters uphill from the hotel) or "U Yaru" (it's next to "Spiritoma"), where they serve a very tasty 18-degree dark beer "porter". Both here and there in the evenings, the local people sit with a mug of beer, which speaks of the quality and low price of the drinks and dishes served.
In general, our first trip to Prague in the cold season was a success. Its advantages: low price and lack of crowds of tourists. Small excursion groups (even with 8 tourists, the tour was not canceled). Opportunity to view the facades of buildings and talk with the guide.
About purchases and discounts. We bought a lot of children's things of good quality, and at a discount, in a store on Wenceslas Square (the giant Palladium store seemed stupid and expensive to us). Because our purchase cost more than 2000 crowns, we also received a discount at the airport. The procedure is rather tedious, requiring time, a specially issued check, and the provision of purchased items. At the same time, we received about 200 crowns on our hands. Yes, and at the airport we bought a glass vase of amazing design. Crystal is expensive, but glass, even the author's work, is real to buy. Especially if you pay with a ruble card, it's profitable! Cards are accepted everywhere.
Finally, I’ll tell you about a pleasant January surprise in Prague - blooming heather! Wow.
Now, if there is an opportunity, we will go to Prague in the fall, I don’t know if I’ll go to Ostash (we love variety, we were in Amadeus and Columbo), but with the same tour operator.
Maria and Sergey