W Prague: Where Art Nouveau Grandeur Meets Bold Modern Glamour
The W brand lands in Czechia with a dazzling rebirth of an icon
A Legendary Address Reimagined
When W Hotels chose Prague for its Czech debut, it wasn’t just about opening another stylish property—it was about resurrecting one of the city’s most famous landmarks. The Grand Hotel Evropa, an Art Nouveau jewel on Wenceslas Square since 1905, had long stood silent, waiting for its next act. Today, as W Prague, it returns in spectacular fashion, blending its historic grandeur with the W brand’s signature irreverence and energy. The result is not a restoration in the traditional sense, but a reinvention: a meeting point of old-world glamour and bold modern design.
Architecture That Balances Heritage and Future
The transformation was entrusted to a powerhouse team of studios—Benoy, AvroKO, Chapman Taylor, and Dam—who approached the project with both respect and daring. The original Art Nouveau façade, adorned with stucco flourishes in shades of yellow, terracotta, and green, has been lovingly preserved, ensuring the hotel retains its historic gravitas. Yet rising behind it is something altogether new: a dramatic nine-story elliptical wing, curving with contemporary bravado. This striking addition doesn’t overshadow the original—it plays off it, a bold architectural duet that anchors the hotel firmly in Prague’s present.
Design With a Golden Glow
Prague is often called the “City of Gold,” and the interiors take this moniker as their muse. The concept of a mystical golden elixir runs throughout the design, shimmering in details both subtle and striking. From reflective surfaces that catch the light to rich, warm palettes of amber and bronze, the spaces glow with a kind of modern alchemy. At once whimsical and glamorous, it’s an aesthetic that captures Prague’s dual identity: historic city of spires and modern capital of creativity.
Rooms That Dazzle and Delight
W Prague’s 161 guestrooms, including 23 suites, are anything but predictable. Bold colorways meet reflective textures, while design elements echo the curves and flourishes of the Art Nouveau original. The standout suites—like the Wow Bohemia Duplex and the E-Wow—redefine urban luxury. Think soaring double-height ceilings, restored beams, stained-glass windows, and playful furniture pieces that invite both lounging and lingering. It’s a dialogue between the past and the present, where heritage details shine brighter when juxtaposed with contemporary glamour.
Corridors and Gardens of Imagination
Even the in-between spaces at W Prague are experiences in themselves. The corridor connecting the historic and modern wings was envisioned by Adam Ellis Studio as a magical embroidered garden: faux-thread flora and fauna stretch across the walls, lit by floral chandeliers from Czech crystal masters Preciosa Lighting. The effect is immersive and dreamlike—a passage that feels like stepping into a storybook illustration.
Social Energy, W-Style
No W would be complete without its social heartbeat, and in Prague, that pulse is strong. The W Lounge fuses heritage elegance with playful design, its garden mural by local artist Michael Škapa adding a surreal vibrancy. Bisou, the hotel’s bold new bar, leans into psychedelic wall art and a heady cocktail menu, becoming an instant destination for the city’s creative set. And above it all, a rooftop bar crowns the hotel, offering sweeping views over Prague’s skyline—a perch that promises equal parts spectacle and intimacy.
Art As Experience
In keeping with W’s DNA, art is not an afterthought here—it’s the experience itself. Installations curated by Adam Ellis and Czech artists animate the interiors, ensuring no space feels static. From graphic, tongue-in-cheek murals to immersive large-scale pieces, the art brings a pulse of local culture into the hotel. It’s vibrant, provocative, and utterly of the moment, exactly what W’s global followers expect.
DNA Hotels Verdict
W Prague is more than a hotel—it’s a cultural landmark reborn. By fusing the Art Nouveau romance of the Grand Hotel Evropa with bold architecture, avant-garde design, and a heavy dose of W attitude, it redefines what a luxury hotel in Prague can be. Playful, glamorous, and deeply rooted in place, it’s not just a stay but a spectacle. For travelers who crave history with a side of edge, W Prague is the new gold standard.
