Private Rooms in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Because thousands of tourists flock to the area each year, primarily during the summer months, there are literally thousands of private rooms offered for rent in Czech and Slovak homes.

Booking agents who handle private room reservations can now be found all over Prague and in many of the other well-visited areas. You won’t even have to search out a booking agent if you arrive on one of the more crowded international trains at Prague’s main station. As soon as you step onto the platform, you will likely encounter people offering accommodations in their homes. Most of these folks are just trying to supplement their meager incomes with a little hard currency. You don’t need to be suspicious unless a gut feeling tips you off that the person is more interested in your money than your general well-being. No matter whether you employ a booking agent or follow an ordinary citizen to their own doorstep, make sure that you are shown the location of your prospective lodging on a map. You will also want to know if it is located conveniently for taking public transportation and how long it takes to get to and from the center of town. Only intending to stay in Prague for five or six nights, a lucky traveler related his good fortune:

“When I arrived in Prague at the main train station, I was approached by a cheery elderly lady who asked me in broken English if I needed a room for the night. She showed me pictures of the apartment where I could stay and proceeded to explain that I would meet a couple of Spaniards who were staying in the next room. She looked nice, and the price and location seemed good enough, so I rode the subway and bus back to her place. I ended up staying for almost two weeks.”

Find out what the daily rate is before you traipse off to have a look at the place. If it meets your needs, decide on a daily or weekly rate before you take the room. If you plan to stay longer than a week, see if you can get a deal. You shouldn’t have to pay the same rate as you would on a daily basis because your host is assured occupancy without having to spend time recruiting new guests down at the station.

If your host doesn’t speak English, sketch out your intentions on a piece of paper by writing down the dates you plan to stay and the amount you agree to pay. Keep the piece of paper. In case of any later confusion, you can refer to it.