Best Way to Book Prague

trotter_inc

Am hoping to get over to Prague with the girlfriend over xmas for 3 nights, probably from December 27th.

What is the best(cheapest) way of booking it?

1. Booking the flights and accomodation separately myself?

2. Booking it through a travel agent like ebookers.ie or goholidays.ie?

Thanks for your help!

Padraig Mor

I reckon go it alone. It's more hassle but it's cheaper. In fact, it's often no more hassle at all. I'm heading over there next Wednesday and have sorted it out myself nice'n'cheap.

Flights: Czech airlines €270 return for two (from Cork)
Accomm: approx €330 for two for five nights. Nice big apartment as well - and far cheaper than a crappy hotel!

I got the flights through the Czech Airlines website (www.csa.cz) where there seems to be good deals to be had. Doubtful around New Year though.
I sorted accomm through www.marys.cz Very helpful crowd with LOADS of apartments available (they also handle hotels and hostels).

One site I found very helpful was http://www.jasoncholt.com/prague/
- it's got masses of useful information and tells you good and bad areas to stay etc.

If you like, I can report back when I return to let you know how we got on (whether we ended up sleeping on the streets etc!)

trotter_inc

Thats great! Cheers Padraig - might have a look at those accomodation sites - I already had a look at the czech airlines site and the flights are roughly €150 each return which isnt too bad.

Thanks again!

muttleys_girl

for booking prague i used www.citiescapes.ie. 4 nights in jan was 570.20 for two...... flying czech airlines.

trotter_inc

muttleys_girl wrote:

for booking prague i used www.citiescapes.ie. 4 nights in jan was 570.20 for two...... flying czech airlines.

cheers - will check that out!

trotter_inc

muttleys_girl wrote:

for booking prague i used www.citiescapes.ie. 4 nights in jan was 570.20 for two...... flying czech airlines.

Are you sure that wasnt €570 EACH - I just rang them and they said it was €540 for three nights 27-30 December, flying with Czech airlines too.

Think I'll just book it separately, will work out a lot cheaper.

nellieswellies

I used Smart Wings and got flights for 2 for Fri returning a Sun for 334.46EUR
http://www.smartwings.net/en/

Got the hotel through the aerlingus hotel booking thingy on their site for 190
http://www.aerlingushotels.com/

trotter_inc

yeah smartwings seem good - flights costing about €175 each - their flights times are terrible though - dont mind coz its cheap

Didnt realise Aer Lingus do hotels too - will give them a look - thanks.

muttleys_girl

jayz thats a lot! ours is 570 for the two of us....all paid for and we have the tickets.....must be the dates we choose.....going the end of january so maybe thats a cheaper time. i found the offer in the independent about two months ago......
good luck with booking ur trip....

trotter_inc

Got a 3 night package with ebookers for a total of €695, flying with Smart Wings.

The hotel is a 4*, Corinthia Panorama, looks lovely, emailed them to see how much it would cost for the hotel on its own and they said €130 per night, so looks like I got a decent enough deal.

Roll on December 27th

rabbitinlights

Im leaving the day after tomorrow, I booked Smartwings €240 for two (thur-tues) But i wanted a really swanky hotel to treat ourselves, I got 5 nights in www.hoteljosef.com for €590 when i booked on http://prague.hotels-europe.ws/ If I had booked it on there website at the time it was a nuts €1900! So I think i did alright!!!

Sean

rabbitinlights

If anyone has any tips for us let me know!

trotter_inc

rabbitinlights wrote:

If anyone has any tips for us let me know!

There was a great thread on here a couple of weeks ago titled 'Things to do in Prague' - if you can dig it out it'll be well worth it - it has loads of info and tips in it.

Let us know how you get on over there too.

Dibs

My brother and his wife just got back from a week in Prague last week and they loved it apart from all the stag parties kinda taking over in restaurants etc.....but architecture and culture/music was great. They booked through a deal with czech airlines and the hotel. Was looking to go myself for a short weekend break flying out on Friday night, back Sunday night if possible flying direct from Belfast.....only cheap ones to fly the route is jet2.com...still costing about £200 !!! :eek: and it's a Friday morning flight but wouldn't mind flying from Dublin if cheap flights can be found !!!!!!

Dibs

Dibs wrote:

My brother and his wife just got back from a week in Prague last week and they loved it apart from all the stag parties kinda taking over in restaurants etc.....but architecture and culture/music was great. They booked through a deal with czech airlines and the hotel. Was looking to go myself for a short weekend break flying out on Friday night, back Sunday night if possible flying direct from Belfast.....only cheap ones to fly the route is jet2.com...still costing about £200 !!! :eek: and it's a Friday morning flight but wouldn't mind flying from Dublin if cheap flights can be found !!!!!!

Thanks for the Smartwings site too - never heard of them before...looks good for Prague Flights

Padraig Mor

Back the other day from Prague. Had a great time. Would definitely recommend MadSL's walking tour (as mentioned, look for the 'things to do in Prague' thread). Two minor corrections to details though - when going to the castle, turn LEFT at Tesco to get the tram. Also, the castle stop is actually 'Prazsky Hrad', and not the parallel Hrancanska.

The castle is pretty cool but (IMHO) not worth the entrance fee. You can see most of St Vitus cathedral and the grounds for free and I don't think it's worth paying 7-10 euro to see the back of the cathedral, a big room (Old Royal Palace) and a tourist kitsch lane (Golden Lane). Just my opinion though!

Weather is getting cold there now, so nothing like some hot mulled wine - yum yum! Shopping - most of the clothes shops in Wenceslas Square and Na Prikipone (I know that's spelt wrong!) are no cheaper than home to be honest. Best place for a few bargains was the aforementioned Tesco.

Going out - keep away from the Irish bars. I mean, why bother going away if you want to be surrounded by Paddies allergic to languages other than English? Went to Rocky O'Reilly's one night alright (just to see) - ****e - overpriced, and full of rowdy English and some Dub roaring '****ing prick' at the barman. My recommendation? U Bubenicku, on Myslikova (near Wenceslas Sq); note - this one is near the river, not the other pub on the street.

Best restaurant? Dynamo, on...errr..... can't remember (will check if anyone wants). Coming down Narodni, turn left at the National Theatre and take the first/second left (depending on which way you look at it - the street is called Na Struze. Next left again and it's right next to the Propaganda pub. Got a gorgeous meal there - 2 starters, main courses, desserts, coffee, bottle of wine for €35. Check it out!

trotter_inc

Thanks Padraig Mor - will make note of those pubs and restaurants.

rabbitinlights

For people who have been there, whats cheap over there? Are electronics cheaper over there (GFX Cards - Ipods etc?) what about clothes, are they the same stuff we get over here? (North face/Volcom/etc)

Any tips would be great!

Sean

Padraig Mor

rabbitinlights wrote:

For people who have been there, whats cheap over there? Are electronics cheaper over there (GFX Cards - Ipods etc?) what about clothes, are they the same stuff we get over here? (North face/Volcom/etc)

Any tips would be great!

Sean

What's cheap?
Drink, food, transport and fags! As far as I know (I am open to correction), it now being in the EU, you can bring back pretty much all the fags/booze you want as you will be paying duty. 20 local fags €1.20 - 1.50. Marlboros €1.80. 0.5l beer in a pub €0.80 - 1.10 (If you're paying more than 35Kc, you're in the wrong place). Lager, I recommend Pilsner Urquell; dark beer - Velpopovicky Kozel Cerny - gorgeously sweet! Available in two places I was in (I presume there are more) - U Bubenicku (detailed in my last post) and the Highland restaurant, around the corner from the Dancing Building.

What's not? From what I saw, clothes are mostly the same as home - little to be saved, if any. Some bargains in the top floor of the big clothes shop (small entrance, so not immediately obvious) at the top left of Wenceslas Sq, pretty much right in front of the National Museum. Didn't check out electronics, but I'd be surprised if there was much of a difference. Basically, 'luxury' goods were about the same price as Ireland.

trotter_inc

Padraig Mor wrote:

0.5l beer in a pub €0.80 - 1.10 (If you're paying more than 35Kc, you're in the wrong place). Lager, I recommend Pilsner Urquell; dark beer - Velpopovicky Kozel Cerny - gorgeously sweet!

Thats what I like to hear