Our favourite hotels (to date)

We’ve visited plenty of hotels over the years. As you might expect, some were more memorable than others. Here are our favourite hotels we have stayed at during our travels:

Hotel U Prince, Prague, Czech Republic

Smack bang in the middle of Prague old town, Hotel U Prince is a slice of luxury – and our go-to hotel in the city. Squarely aimed at tourists, this hotel is over the top in all the best ways.

But the real highlight is the view. With rooms overlooking the main town square and Astrological Clock, Hotel U Prince cannot be beaten. The best views can be seen from the attic room.

We stayed at the Hotel U Prince for our first ever trip to Prague together. When I mentioned it was our anniversary, the manager upgraded us to a suite which was a fantastic treat. We have been back since.

If you can’t get booked at Hotel U Prince, any of the other Bauer Hotels, like the Hotel U Zlatého Stromu, will do.

Čarman House, Bled, Slovenia

Lake Bled is world-famous for its stunning scenery. The lake, the mountains, the castle, the tiny church on the island. The town of Bled is a magnet for Instagrammers and influencers. Which is why you should not choose to stay in the town of Bled itself.

Slightly further around the lake, Čarman House offers a spectacular view across the lake – without the hordes of tourists. The hotel is chic and comfortable – but really it’s all about the view. Breakfast is included in the rate, but is served in another hotel a short walk away.

Accessibility note: There is no lift in this property

Cetate Residence, Brașov, Romania

Slightly out of town and up a hill, getting to Cetate Residence is hot work in the summer. But what a place.

Hot tub set into the bedroom floor, glittery wall paper, flowing black drapes and LED mood lighting – this apartment looks like a Russian mobsters playpad. And maybe it is. But it was certainly memorable – and a great place to retire to after exploring in the searing Romanian summer heat.

Accessibility note: There is no lift in this property.

Jacobean Hotel, Coventry, UK

Chosen for its relative proximity to the Birmingham NEC arena where we going to a gig, the Jacobean Hotel was a pleasant surprise. Linda loved the carved wood fourposter bed. I loved the price.

From the outside, the Jacobean looks like one of those 1930s faux-Tudor monstrosities. Inside, it’s perfectly pleasant and extremely good value. There’s plenty of parking too, making it a great choice for a night out in Birmingham or Coventry – both are easily accessible by bus which leaves from right outside.

Double rooms (with fourposter) can be booked for as little as £60 per night.

Hotel City View Deluxe, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Another hotel where the view is the star, Hotel City View Deluxe is housed in one of the tallest building in Sarajevo Old Town. Two enormous windows set into the corners of the room provide a 180º panorama across the city and on to the mountains beyond.

The view is equally inspiring and solemn, looking out over a city that is running to make up for the tragedies that have befallen it. Red tiled houses jostle with expansive cemeteries, mosques and churches, all scarred by shells and bullets – a constant reminder of the horror that unfolded here in the 1990s.

The Hotel City View Deluxe is a great place to watch the sun go down and the night-time city spring into life.

Lloyd Hotel, Amsterdam, Netherlands

I have to confess, we chose this hotel for our Amsterdam trip based on the name alone. Located outside the city centre in the Eastern Docks, it does not meet any of our usual criteria for choosing a hotel.

However, name aside, this was one of the quirkiest hotels we have ever stayed at. Housed in the former headquarters of the Royal Holland Lloyd cruise line, this is a hotel steeped in 20th century history. We spent several hours exploring its nooks and crannies, weird art installations and unique rooms. It was probably the most enjoyable aspect of our visit to Amsterdam.

Sadly, the Lloyd Hotel was consumed by the Hoxton chain in September 2023, losing much of its charm in the process. Thankfully some of the quirks – and the all-important name – still remain.

Apartment Residence Royal, Zagreb, Croatia

This rental apartment was stunning. Large, well-furnished and with a view out over the legendary Lotrščak Tower and funicular. And none of that Airbnb nonsense either.

Sadly, the apartment is no longer available for holiday rentals, but you can check out the pictures here.

These are our favourite hotels to date. Hopefully we’ll find some more in the near future!

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