The Iron Gate Prague is one of the city’s most interesting boutique hotels, set within a central courtyard that provides a short cut between Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. This 14th-century building offers a rarefied combination of residential and commercial accommodation. Currently the only member of the Preferred Hotel Group in the Czech Republic, it boasts 43 rooms (some duplex) bedecked with antique furniture, discreet kitchenettes, Italian designer cosmetics in the bathrooms and, more often than not, a built-in jacuzzi.

Given the age of the building and the sensitive restoration process, there is real history on offer here – although, of course, you pay for it. Choosing a room with a restored fresco, piece of original wall or painted ceiling from the 14th-16th centuries will immediately put you into the higher price category, but the many features in the public areas are free to marvel at.

The rooms have the feel of a sophisticated apartment, although standard hotel services are always on hand. The unfeasibly charming three-floor Tower Suite (with an extra-large jacuzzi and stunning views over the rooftops of Prague) is a boon for honeymooners and romantics, as is the Iron Gate Prague ‘s prime central position.