A new luxury hotel will be built in the historic center of Prague

Prague - A new five-star hotel will be built in the historic center of Prague. Construction between the streets of Železná, Celetná, and Kamzíkova could begin at the start of next year, with the project expected to be completed in the autumn of 2016. The future hotel, which will cost the investor two billion crowns, will offer 120 luxury rooms, a restaurant, and conference facilities. David Halfi, the director of Akroterion, the company preparing the project, stated this to ČTK today.
     Heritage officials do not oppose the project, but they believe that contentious issues need to be resolved to ensure the construction does not disrupt the historical values of the area. The city hall also agrees with the construction.
     The hotel complex will be built on the site of the historic house U Sixtů and the adjacent parcels. The developer is currently preparing documentation for a change in the building permit. "The current building permit includes six structures; the change in the building permit is for an additional two buildings," Halfi noted. Overall, the reconstruction will involve eight historic houses, four of which are owned by Bucentauro Trade, and four are leased by the developer from the capital city until 2081.
     Talks about expanding to other heritage-protected sites were confirmed to ČTK by Ondřej Šefců from the National Heritage Institute.
     The area near the Old Town Square underwent partial reconstruction in the 1990s. The houses are mostly vacated today, temporarily secured, with only some ground floors used for shops. "This state is unfortunate; it certainly does not serve the building, nor does it serve the city center in this condition. Therefore, we support and welcome that things are moving forward," Šefců stated.
     The design of the hotel, which is expected to have 16,000 square meters, is the work of the studio MS Architekti, known for projects like the Grand Hotel Bohemia and Hotel Mejstřík. The interior was designed by architect Jacques Garcia, who has worked on the designs of Parisian hotels such as Hilton Arc de Triumph and Le Fouquet's Barriere.
     According to heritage officials, it will be necessary to preserve, for example, Romanesque or Gothic constructions. "In the case of the house U Sixtů, there is a Romanesque hall in the basement and clear Gothic constructions. These should be restored and made accessible in a suitable manner," Šefců remarked.
     The city hall also supports the project. "The capital city welcomed that after long negotiations, Akroterion agreed to the conditions and decided to carry out an extensive reconstruction," said city hall spokesperson Tereza Králová to ČTK. One of the conditions was the conclusion of a lien agreement. "This lien is intended for contract penalties of 20 million crowns in case Akroterion fails to meet the contractual conditions," the spokesperson explained.