Communist-era Hotel Praha Now Demolished

Communist-era hotel Praha was once the favourite place in Prague for the Communist party elite to splash out and entertain guests such as Nicolae Ceaucescu, Erich Honecker and Leonid Brezhnev. Located in Dejvice, Prague’s most prestigious neighbourhood , Hotel Praha was hidden in a vast garden-park surrounding the hotel. Hotel Praha was a showpiece of Communist architecture with its curved concrete structure. Almost impossible to see from the street, the hotel was a hideout for the Czechoslovak Communist Party elite and their honoured guests.

Communist-era Hotel Praha

Communist-era Hotel Praha was built between 1979 and 1981and stood for good taste in communist days. Impressive architectural details. The sweeping curves, stainless steel and polished marble were as impressive as the spacious public areas and the majestic staircases. Hotel Praha was Soviet splendour of the highest degree.

It was not until 1989, when Communism collapsed, that members of the public were allowed inside the building. Hotel Praha became a hotel for Hollywood stars and commoners who could afford to stay here. One of the hotel’s attractions is the fact that each of the 136 rooms had its own private terrace with sweeping city view. Guests only had to open their balcony door to hear the birds singing.

Communist Splendour

Built between the years 1975 and 1981, Hotel Praha is dripping with what was considered good taste in communist days. Magnificent curves, stainless steel ornaments, gleaming marble and generous public areas with grandiose staircases are the epitome of splendour.

When the hotel opened in 1981, it was the most modern and luxurious hotel in Prague. The Communist Party of the former Czechoslovakia welcomed here friendly dignitaries such as Nicolae Ceausecu, Erik Honecker, Eduard Shevardnadze, Yasser Arafat and Muammar Gaddafi. After the fall of the regime in 1989, Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman stayed here.

Postmodernism and Brutalism

The building was a typical example of postmodernism with elements of late brutalism. Postmodernism stands for robust, massive buildings made of concrete and uniform glass walls. They can be found all over the world, because they were quick to build. The best available technologies and materials were used in the construction of Hotel Praha. The interior, the chandeliers, the furniture and the ceramic tiles were designed by renowned artists. Construction began in 1975 and the hotel opened in 1981. Until November 1989, the Communist Party used the hotel as top accommodation for guests. After the Velvet Revolution, Hotel Praha got a new owner and became a five-star hotel.

No longer profitable in the 21st century

The maintenance costs of this eye-catching hotel could no longer be afforded, especially because the hotel market in Prague is almost saturated. That is why the hotel was earmarked to be demolished and make way for apartments or an exclusive school.

A public debate broke out; should the building be preserved or not? Preservation advocates hoped that the Ministry of Culture would make Hotel Praha a cultural monument, because its architecture is completely different from the boring block-box architecture of so many other communist-era buildings. Unfortunately the battle was lost and Hotel Praha has been demolished, only the photos remain.

Short Lifespan

Hotel Praha was short-lived. After just over thirty years, the hotel was closed and bought by Petr Kellner, high ranking on the Forbes list of millionaires. Between January and June 2014, the hotel was demolished. Kellner wanted to build one of his private schools on the site of the hotel; an Open Gate School education with an emphasis on self-motivation and personal development. But, according to some, the real reason was that his luxury villa was in the shadow of Hotel Praha after 5pm. In 2021, Petr Kellner died in a helicopter crash while on a skiing holiday in Alaska.

The former Hotel Praha today

Up to today, no school has been built and the former Hotel Praha is a fenced area where weeds are rampant. The necessary permits for a school were not issued because the educational structure of an Open Gate School goes against the government strategy for the development of secondary education in the Czech Republic. The site should also include a publicly accessible outdoor gallery with sculptures by British sculptor Tony Gragg and a playground. The delivery of the last sculptures is still awaited. The project has not yet been realized.

Why was Hotel Praha demolished?

Architectural historians were of the opinion that this building architecturally did not fit into the Hanspaulka quarter in the Dejvice district of Prague. The building gives the impression of being designed for a place on the beach, perhaps somewhere in Crimea. A further objection was that the building had the shape of a fortress made of reinforced concrete and was perhaps intended as a (atomic) shelter in case of war. According to experts, a major renovation was not possible because of the high costs.