Grandhotel Salva

We stopped here during a bike holiday, and the staff were extremely accommodating. It’s a beautiful, newly renovated place, and the rooms were clean and well equipped. Best hotel in Czech Republic so far.

Grandhotel Salva has just 20 rooms, despite the name, and we use it for clients on bike tours from Prague to Dresden. It’s in a lovely old building in the town centre, looking out over the main square. The rooms are large, comfortable, and nicely decorated, with flat-screen TVs, a minibar, a kettle, and individually controlled radiators. The bathrooms are spacious and have baths, though after the recent renovations some rooms still only have a shower tap in the bath. Breakfast is excellent, and the staff are very friendly and helpful, especially at reception. There’s secure, covered bike parking with easy street access.

The breakfast buffet was set out beautifully, and even though I arrived near the end, there were still four other guests eating and plenty of food. One staff member loudly told me I was “too late.” When I tried to explain politely that “late” and “too late” sound different in English, she turned away and walked off. The room felt cheap and dated, with an old, worn carpet and laminate in the bathroom. I’d read about renovated rooms and wondered if ours was still waiting for work. There’s no elevator, and the receptionist didn’t offer to help with my bag. He would carry it for €3 per suitcase, though. Parking right outside costs quite a bit, while parking a few meters farther away is free or much cheaper through the municipality. A few staff seemed to have an old East Bloc attitude. The welcome left a bad impression, and this didn’t feel like a grand hotel to me.

Breakfast was impressive, and the “superior suite” turned out to be a lovely, spacious apartment with comfortable furnishings and huge TVs. It faces away from the town’s main square. The building is grand and old, with no lift, and the bathroom has a bathtub instead of a shower.