Radisson Blu Alcron
Historic atmosphere
The Radisson Blu Alcron is one of most romantic art nouveau hotels in Prague
Located in the heart of the city, the stylish art deco Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel is just steps away from famous historic and cultural attractions, such as Old Town Square, Prague Castle, Wenceslas Square, and Charles Bridge.
When it opened in 1932, the hotel was the pinnacle of luxury international hotels and in recent times it has been meticulously restored to its former glory. Much of the interior has been preserved, including glittering chandeliers, rich Italian marble and creamy milk glass that can be seen throughout the hotel. In 2008, all guest rooms at this boutique hotel were renovated under the watchful eye of renowned interior designer Maria Vafiadis. The design retains the grace and elegance of a bygone era, yet offers modern conveniences, such as free high-speed internet access, LCD flat-screen television, Nespresso coffee machine, state-of-the-art online entertainment system, and 24-hour room service.
One of the areas, for which the Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel is globally renowned, is its focus on gastronomy. The hotel features international and traditional cuisines at the art deco inspired La Rotonde restaurant; refreshing drinks and live music at Be Bop Bar; and a creative tasting menu prepared by well-known chef Roman Paulus at the exclusive The Alcron restaurant, recipient of the coveted Five Star Diamond award.
Indeed, the Alcron Restaurant has earned many awards since its opening in 2000. The Czech gourmet guide, Grand Restaurants 2009, listed the Alcron Restaurant in first place in the ‘Top Ten Best Restaurants’ in the Czech Republic and was voted absolutely the best food. In addition, the economical daily ‘Euro’ listed the Alcron within the top ten of Prague’s restaurants in its guide ‘Euro top 50’ in 2009.
The Alcron is an intimate restaurant with seating for only 24 guests. The menu features delectable seafood, prime meats and exotic, adventurous desserts such as chocolate fondant served with green pea ice cream. Prime ingredients, professional and yet genuine service coupled with extensive selection of wines provide unique experience for guests. The aim of the team is to mirror world leading trends in dish preparation.
Roman Paulus, the executive chef of the Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel, came to the Alcron from the Hilton Hotel in Prague, where he was the sous chef for the Czech House Grill & Rotisserie. Roman, who started his career in Austria in the early 1990s, has an impressive set of credentials. After his start in Austria, he took a position in London’s Hotel Savoy in 1999. Like his predecessor Jirí Štift, Roman sailed and worked his way across the world on the liner, Queen Elisabeth II. Following this important learning experience, he returned to Austria where he began his career with the Hilton hotels.
When Roman accepted the executive chef position at the Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel, he said that: “It was my dream and an excellent career opportunity to become an executive chef of a hotel. The Alcron has a great reputation and long tradition; therefore it was, for me personally, very exciting to accept this position. Working for the Alcron Hotel will be different with respect to the size of the hotel, but I look forward to the new challenges and experiences awaiting me. I also look forward to bringing my gastronomic expertise to the Alcron.” In 2010, Roman was awarded a prestigious award-Chef of the Year in the Czech Republic.
Roman, whose desire was to become kitchen chef from young age, is a firm believer in continuing to improve upon his skills and stay on top of the changes in the culinary arts. To this end, he has attended several professional training activities, including The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management in Dubai, which is an off-shoot of the famous Swiss Hotel School – Ecole Hôteliere de Lausanne. He has also cooked in some Michelin-rated restaurants (La Pergola, Rome and Maison du Boeuf, Brussels). In 2004, the Czech Association of hotels and restaurants chose him as the young manager of the year.
Guests at the Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel not only benefit from Roman’s gourmet experience, and the hotel’s wonderful surroundings, but also a range of other luxurious extras. These include complementary access to the fully equipped, on-site fitness centre with sauna, solarium and spa treatments, and other luxury services including childcare, concierge, cooking classes, 24-hour limousine, and underground parking. The hotel’s state-of-the-art meeting facilities can accommodate up to 200 guests, theatre style in the lavish ballroom.
Guests can also be reassured about the quality of service at the hotel. The Radisson Blu Alcron is part of Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, part of the Rezidor Hotel Group, which currently operates over 155 hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with another 47 projects under development. Radisson Blu is a first class full service hotel brand with key differentiators such as the ‘100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee’ and the ‘Yes I Can!’ spirit of service. These policies ensure that the hotel’s staff will do everything to ensure that customers leave a hotel happy, so if there is a complaint, it is addressed with the utmost of haste. If a complaint remains unresolved or a client leaves disappointed, any one of its staff can invoke the ‘100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee’. This means that they will not have to pay for the room or the service in question. It is this dedication to exceptional service that keeps clients coming back time and again.