Prague - the Villa David

What can I say about the Villa David?

Only that I would return there at a moment’s notice, and it has to be one of the most personal hotels I have ever stayed in. It is situated in west Prague near the Radlicka subway stop. The area is rather rural and green. And the hotel itself is a renovated semi-detatched mansion with its own gardens and sundeck.

The price when I visited in the mid-nineties was only about £20/$35 a room (though it may have gone up since then) and the rooms were massive and had big picture windows looking out onto the patio. Their decor was lilac with Blackwood furniture with blue and mauve fittings (very camp!) and the staffs were wonderful. They did not mind when I got them up at 6:30am after arriving on the night train from Budapest. I actually got the proprietor out of bed

But the star attraction was the restaurant. The waiters and staff were such fun and the food terrific. Although I wasn’t sure how they had time to cook it, as it always seemed like they were having such fun in the kitchen. They were a chance of the staff enjoying themselves.

 The Koruna was so low; it was only five years after the fall of the iron curtain that I could dine out on steak in beer sauce every night. The breakfast was superb – dined out on fishcakes and mouth-watering sauce each morning.  And I still waters at the thought of the Rudolf II steak washed down with a tasty Bohemian white wine...