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I admit it: Twelve years of Catholic school gave me pause when lifting the cup of holy water from the flight of “angel” cocktails at the Augustine Hotel in Prague to my lips. I doubt Sister Jean Marie would be pleased, but then again, it was the resident monks at the hotel who did the blessing, so judge not. Monks were always more fun anyway.
As secular a city as Prague is nowadays, history has woven hundreds of cathedrals, churches, chapels and cloisters into its fabric, earning it the nickname “City of a Thousand Spires.” Most of these buildings suffered greatly, often from neglect, during the communist period, opening opportunities after the Velvet Revolution for hotels to take advantage of their often prime real estate and rich, historical ambience and architecture.
Located in the Mala Strana neighborhood, just under the gaze of Prague Castle, the Augustine Hotel comprises seven buildings from the 13th-century St. Thomas church and monastery, which underwent a complete renovation before reopening in 2009.
Rather than suppress the buildings’ ecclesiastical past, the designers, including Olga Polizzi, drew inspiration from it, blending the austere spirit with modern, minimalist sensibilities. Gray marble floors cover most common areas, while doses of papal purple, red and orange pop from the upholstery and fabrics. Any spice comes mainly from the cubist-style furnishings by Pavel Janak and the impressive modernist artwork throughout, starting with the abstract sandstone horse sculpture by Vladimir Matousek in the courtyard.
Views vary from the hotel’s 101 rooms, with the best — of Prague Castle, the monastery or garden courtyards — reserved for the suites. The Tower Suite, once the monastery’s observatory, gets a full 360 degrees. For pure history, aim for the Fresco Suite, which features original red and green frescoes, discovered behind plaster during renovation, and a parquet floor from the 19th century.
My own room, a studio suite, may have lacked as much flash, but impressed nonetheless with ample space (not always easy to find in a medieval city) and a comforting softness in muted pastels of pink, green, purple and yellow and super soft textiles, including Hypnos mattresses.
But with so many of Prague’s major sights just steps from the hotel, including the gasp-worthy Wallenstein Garden right next door, most of your time should be spent out and about. That said, be sure to reserve a couple of hours to enjoy the Augustine’s restaurant, which spills into the charming interior courtyard and green garden.
The restaurant offers an excellent chance to explore nouveau Czech cuisine, either a la carte or in two tasting menus, the Monastery and the Augustine, which feature dishes like rabbit rillette, monkfish cheeks and the signature 67% chocolate Michel Cluizel cake made with beans from St. Thomas island. The attached bar, the monks’ former refectory, is worth a stop, too, thanks to the 19th-century ceiling frescoes. It’s the four angels looking down that inspired the “angel” flight that ends with the holy water. The flight also includes a glass of St. Thomas beer. Once brewed in the Augustine’s basement, it’s now produced off-site by craft brewer Matuska according to the monks’ original recipe.
Happily, I did not burst into flames after downing the holy water. If anything, I felt blessed by the tranquil ambience, restrained bling and Samaritan spirit of the Augustine.
Source: travelweekly.com
