Fodor's Expert Review Hotel U raka

With the quaint look of a woodsman's cottage from a bedtime story, this private guesthouse is saturated with romance. Despite only being a 10-minute walk from Prague Castle, it has a wonderfully quiet location on the ancient, winding street of Nový Svět, just behind the Loreto Church. One side of the 18th-century building presents a rare example of half-timbering, and the rooms sustain the country feel with whitewashed walls, exposed brickwork, and stone and iron fittings. There's also a clay-pot-covered courtyard garden, a café serving afternoon snacks, and an interesting collection of artworks (from paintings to sculptures) dotted around the property. With a convenient but peaceful location and just six rooms available, a bit of notice and a lot of luck is needed to reserve a place.