Prague hotels are not all business

PowerPoint, panel discussions and motivational speakers are all terms that conjure up images of business suits piled into generic meeting rooms for conferences. Rock climbing, gambling and bowling, on the other hand, are not.

Organizers are starting to switch their focus to such extra amenities when choosing their conference venues, and, with Prague hotels now offering an assortment of leisure activities, visiting attendees no longer have to settle for just business - they can have function as well as fun.

"Hotels want to provide clients with the widest range of services that they can, from business to leisure, and customers appreciate it," said Martina Kvašová, spokeswoman for the Prague Convention Bureau. "Professional conference organizers and destination management companies are dedicated to managing the best leisure activities. The world-class services at reasonable costs are the reasons Prague is popular with business travelers."

From physical activities such as sightseeing jogging tours and bowling to more relaxing options like saunas and in-room Thai massages, Prague hotels are expanding their offerings, adding to the city's allure as a prime location for congress and company meetings.

The Prague Post has put together a list of the most unique hotels for both business and pleasure.

Hotel Josef

Located in the heart of the city within walking distance of Prague's main attractions is an international four-star hotel as unique in its design as in the activities it offers. The ultra-modern interior, designed by renowned Czech architect Eva Jiřičná, offers three air-conditioned conference rooms, from 37 to 94 square meters in size, that can be set up in either theater or classroom-style seating and offer video-conferencing, Wi-Fi and high-speed Internet. The largest conference room even boasts its own garden.

But perhaps more interesting than the hotel's conference amenities is its sightseeing jogging program: a 30-minute run through the streets of Old Town, with a running commentary including basic information about the monuments and landmarks en route. There are three different options, from easy to advanced, that are offered every Tuesday and Friday starting at 7 a.m.

"It's a healthy way to start the morning, and it offers guests a different way to see the city without the crowds of tourists," said Orsolya Skalec, Hotel Josef's sales manager. "It also allows us to exceed the expectations of our guests by offering them more than just high design, but specialty service, as well. So far, it has been pretty popular, especially in the fall."

After the run and cool-down, runners are greeted back at the hotel with some specialty Asian hot or iced teas and complimentary towels.

Prague Marriott

Whether hosting a large-scale corporate event or a smaller, more intimate meeting, guests can parlay their team-oriented conference activities into a friendly game of bowling - just one of the many activities offered at the Millennium Plaza complex, which houses the five-star hotel as well as the World Class Health Academy. Guests get free entrance to the fitness facility and, in addition to bowling, can take advantage of the gym, spa, swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

If bowling isn't enough excitement, guests can up the ante at the Viva Casino, also in the Millennium Plaza. The conference options are just as varied with 1,425 square meters of space for both exhibitions and meetings, including 11 meeting rooms and a large ballroom accommodating up to 700 guests, all of which have wireless, high-speed Internet access and modern audiovisual equipment with expert assistance available.

Hotel Olšanka

A bit off the beaten tourist path, Hotel Olšanka offers some of the most various work and play choices of congress hotels in Prague, with 13 conference rooms and an expansive sports complex. With a wide variety of wellness, fitness and sports activities, the sports center is popular with tourists and locals alike, especially the 25-meter-long swimming pool, which is good for laps, and the aqua fitness classes offered by the hotel. Guests looking for drier alternatives can choose from a litany of fitness options such as spinning, aerobics, table tennis, tennis and badminton, or just relaxing in the sauna. The conference facilities at the hotel feature 3,000 square meters of conference space, and each room is set up with modern audiovisual equipment and wireless Internet access.

Hilton Prague

Known as one of the premier business hotels in Central and Eastern Europe, the conference facilities and venues at Hilton Prague are state-of-the-art in terms of technology and design, but what might not be known are the distinctive leisure activities offered through the Cybex Health Club & Spa in association with the hotel. Along with visiting the hotel's casino, spa and pool, guests can relieve their stress by exerting themselves in a competitive game of squash or a white-knuckled climb on the seven-meter "Cybex Arch," an outdoor climbing wall.

Unlike most artificial climbing walls, the Cybex Arch gives guests a more natural climbing experience by having it outdoors surrounded by the elements. The wall is fashioned to resemble real rocks. Both seasoned climbers and beginners can climb the arch, which features eight separate routes.

The hotel conference center holds 33 meeting and banquet rooms spread over nearly 5,000 square meters. Each room features state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment that can be tailored for any meeting.

"I think leisure is a vital ingredient to the success of our hotel," said Matthijs Welle, director of sales at Hilton Prague & Hilton Prague Old Town. "Many of our guests are in stressful meetings and conferences and need the health club to relax from their busy life of travel and work. People like to stay at hotels that are built for business efficiency; however, at the same time, the hotel becomes their luxury home for a number of days and should have the leisure facilities to match to enable them to unwind."

Clarion Hotel Prague City

When it comes to conference space, bigger isn't always better, and a more intimate space also lends itself to a more relaxing atmosphere. Clarion offers a smaller, more private venue with two, modern conference rooms, holding up to 50 people. The meeting rooms can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit the needs of guests from theater-style to a more inclusive U-shape formation and even banquet seating. The relaxed atmosphere carries over to the hotel's leisure offerings as well with the special offer of a variety of traditional in-room Thai massages by native-born, certified masseuses. Those looking for a release from their day can get either a full-body massage of up to 120 minutes or just legs and feet for up to 60 minutes. Specialties include Thai aromatherapy oil massages and the Thai Nirvana massage with herbal heat bags. 

Megan Battista can be reached at
features@praguepost.com