Pension Kern

The room felt very old, and its shower curtain was awkwardly long: either I stepped on it or it hung outside the shower and left everything wet. The toilet flush leaked, and the last-floor room got extremely hot in summer. There was no air conditioning, despite it being listed in the pension's general conditions on Booking, and when I mentioned it to the receptionist, no solution was offered. Booking also listed a terrace, but there wasn't one in my room. I was given just two towels, one for the floor and one for my body, with none for hands, plus only 10 g of hand soap and 7 ml of shampoo for four days. For the same money, you could find somewhere much better in the center if you plan ahead, which I hadn't. I don't really understand the good rating; maybe the other rooms are better. Avoid the top floor, especially in summer.

Getting in was easy with the self check-in, and the staff were friendly even though we forgot to complete online checkout. The room was generally clean, quiet, cozy, and good value. It had air conditioning and a shower with separate wet and dry areas. We did find blood stains on the duvet cover, though, and the sink plug was stuck so the water wouldn't drain. The location is a bit away from the center. From the tram stop it's about a 15-minute, slightly uphill walk, or you can transfer to a bus. There are restaurants and grocery shops near the tram stop.

I stayed at Pension Kern for four days from September 25, 2019, and it was the worst hotel experience I've had. There was no kettle, microwave, plates, or forks in the room. On day two, someone entered while I was out. My things were left on the table, and I felt offended that they came in without asking whether I wanted the room cleaned or letting me know beforehand. I don't know the local customs in the Czech Republic, but I didn't need cleaning after one day. On day three I went to the dining room to see if the receptionist was there because no one was at reception. I only wanted to borrow plates for lunch, but an older woman scolded me for coming in without telling her. She spoke to the receptionist as if I were a thief or uneducated. I didn't argue because she only spoke Czech, so there was no point. I paid 200 kc for breakfast on checkout morning, and it was very poor. Others have commented on it too. It wasn't worth the price, and I strongly advise against eating there. The soundproofing was poor, so water noises from others showering could easily disturb you if you go to bed early. The buses ran infrequently, about twice an hour on average, and it's not close to the old town. Wi-Fi was very weak, with serious connection problems at certain times and in certain rooms. The cleaning woman acted like she was in charge and yelled at guests. I felt there was no respect for customers. I wouldn't return, and I'll tell Prague travelers to avoid this pension.

I won't book here again. The place wasn't clean, and the service was the least professional I've encountered at any accommodation. We paid 15% extra because they used their own exchange rate of 26 CZK instead of the official bank rate, and they also charged a higher city tax without telling us. It felt like they were thieves.