Pure White ★★★★

The concept of the Pure White hotel is straightforward: a great, quiet location, within comfortable walking distance of the Old Town; beautiful contemporary design by Jestico & Whiles, a prestigious firm whose expert touch makes for a chic and stylish hotel; and incredible comfort, with spacious rooms providing a peaceful retreat from the city centre and bedecked with all the modern conveniences. In this hotel, VeryChic has unearthed a real gem, where ‘simple but effective’ means ‘luxurious, sleek and sophisticated’.

No prizes for guessing the main component of the colour scheme at the Pure White, but the airy and refreshing whites are expertly complemented by bright colours or slick black details in all the right places. As you enter through the door of the elegant traditional 19th century façade, you’re met with an inviting lobby where you are warmly welcomed and directed to you room, up a spectacular spiral staircase with exposed brick walls.

The Executive Room easily lives up to the timeless beauty of the exterior and the cutting-edge style of the rest of the hotel. Your room will be brought to life by a daring splash of colour – ours included a bold, luminous lime green, which was used sparingly enough so as not to be garish, highlighting the precision of the meticulous design. It added a welcome touch of fun, as did the unusually shaped blocks drifting down the wall behind the bed, resembling a giant game of Tetris. A plush, comfortable bed and window overlooking the peaceful street completed the look.

As you step out into the sleepy atmosphere of the area’s quiet streets, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were way out of town in the suburbs. Far from it, however, this is merely a bubble of calm within walking distance of the city centre, with its dizzying array of historic churches, pretty squares, grand palaces, wacky sculptures and gothic bridges. In just fifteen minutes, you will be gazing around in awe in the emblematic Wenceslas Square.

As evening falls, you may wish to rest your weary legs, with its proximity to the metro you’ll be unwinding back at the Pure White in no time. Be sure to make time for an aperitif at the swish hotel bar, before heading back out for dinner and perhaps a moonlit stroll along the Vltava River.