The 4-star superior Grandhotel Zvon is the flagship hotel of České Budějovice, the main city in South Bohemia. It is also the oldest hotel in the Czech Republic, first opening its doors to guests in 1533. It’s the most renowned of all České Budějovice hotels, and we booked a 5-night stay there with a plan to make several day trips around the area.
In my Grandhotel Zvon review I look at all aspects of the experience of staying in the hotel, its location and the small matter of getting there, something far from obvious to anyone wanting to get there by bus from the city’s rail and bus stations.
Grandhotel Zvon Review Location
The hotel’s location couldn’t possibly be better – on one of the loveliest squares in Europe, Náměstí Přemysl Otakar II in the heart of České Budějovice, the largest city in South Bohemia. A number of rooms have views over the square, looking towards the ornate Samson Fountain and the splendid Baroque City Hall.
Grandhotel Zvon is just over 1 km from the train and bus stations in České Budějovice. See our Getting there section below for further information.
Grandhotel Zvon Review – Building and Style
The hotel is spread across several buildings in the main square, and entry is through a vaulted arcade under the yellow section of the building that features in some of our photographs. The arcade – around 15 metres long – is a survival from the hotel’s early years, and many of the streets of České Budějovice are lined with similar porticoed walkways. We loved this aspect of the hotel, and there are also remnants of murals along the walls.
The arcade is the oldest part of the hotel, along with the beautiful wooden ceiling in the restaurant, which I’d venture to say is from the 17th century.
Grandhotel Zvon is somewhere to stay if you love period charm and a touch of old grandeur – and this goes for the three of us. It has expanded over the centuries to comprise several buildings along the square, either side of the entrance arcade.
Grandhotel Zvon Review– Our Room
We booked a superior double room with an extra bed for our son, taking advantage of a special offer for a 5-night stay. At €188, this proved exceptional value.
Our room was a delight. It was incredibly spacious, a feeling enhanced by the high ceilings. We were at the back of the hotel, and had a great view over the red rooftops of České Budějovice. The bathroom was excellent, with a double sink and one of the best showers we have ever used.
And then there was the free minibar, something I hadn’t encountered in over three decades of travelling. This was replenished daily, and included two bottles of Pilsner Urquell beer, a bottle of Coke and two bottles of water. I got my wife Faye to double-check it was free, then checked my pulse to make sure this wasn’t some kind of after-life experience, before cracking open one of said bottles of beer. I was one happy customer.
Grandhotel Zvon Review – Service
We only dealt with three receptionists and the breakfast staff, and in all cases everyone was courteous, friendly and professional. The first receptionist also gave us advance warning of disruption in the Square during our stay, and suggested alternative means of getting around at this time. Which was all we could ask for.
Grandhotel Zvon Review – Breakfast
Breakfast at the Grandhotel Zvon is served in a fine chandeliered room on the first floor, with great views over the square and overflow rooms available at busy times.
We all enjoyed hearty breakfasts each day. There was a varied selection of food available every morning, and it was of good quality – about average for four and five-star hotels across the world. However special mention must be made of the croissants which, if you were fortunate to catch them fresh out of the oven, were extraordinary, possibly the best we’ve had anywhere in the world. The drawback with this was that they were usually gone in a flash.
Grandhotel Zvon Review– Restaurants
There are two restaurants within the Hotel site. We didn’t dine at the Gourmet Symphony Restaurant upstairs on the first floor of the Hotel, but can tell you that the surroundings – including the wooden medieval ceilings, with views onto the Square, are wonderful.
We did eat at the Pilsner Urquell Zvon Restaurant one evening, and all enjoyed the food – my duck in gnocchi and dried plum sauce was delicious. They do like you to make a reservation – we hadn’t, and thought for a moment that we may need to look elsewhere – though it turned out they did have a table free for well over an hour, so we stayed. I’m not sure why they could tell me this but not my wife moments earlier, but would recommend it for the food.
Getting To Grandhotel Zvon
České Budějovice is around 2 hours 15 minutes from the Czech capital Prague, with bus and train journey times and fares similar. The train and busstations are across the street – Nádražní – from each other.
From there it’s a short hop by taxi (around 100 CZK, or 4 euros) or by the small red buses 21 and 22, which depart from a stop on Nádražní, just outside the Mercury shopping mall (and bus station on the roof) and across the road from the train station. The correct stop isn’t marked on Google Maps, but its location is within metres of 48.972868, 14.488293. Single fares for adults are 16 CZK – around 0.7 euros – and you need to buy tickets from the small yellow machine adjacent to the bus stop.
Grandhotel Zvon Review – Our Verdict
We were very happy with our stay, and plan to return. České Budějovice makes a great base for exploring the South Bohemia region, and the hotel is in the middle of a wonderful old town area. We enjoyed a few wonderful days there, and can’t wait to savour those croissants – and the free beer – again.
You can book your stay at the Grandhotel Zvon here.
Grandhotel Zvon – Final Thoughts and Further Travels
České Budějovice was a wonderful surprise for us. I had briefly visited on a day trip from Prague thirty years before, and only saw the Budvar brewery and glimpsed the main square. I knew there was more to it than this, but just how much was a wonderful surprise.
It has a beautiful historic centre bursting with architectural gems, lovely riverside walks and some of the best beer and food in the Czech Republic.
It’s also a superb base for exploring the South Bohemia region. It’s more convenient than Český Krumlov as a base as it’s the regional hub. To get to many places from Český Krumlov, you need to change at České Budějovice anyway.
Beyond the city, I strongly suggest a visit to Český Krumlov. For an overview of the town, take a look at my guide to the best things to do in Český Krumlov, and the accompanying Český Krumlov Old Town photo guide.
Also check out my Museum Fotoatelier Seidel guide. This extraordinary Museum, in a photographer’s studio in Cesky Krumlov, takes you back to small-town Bohemia in the 1930s, and also into the analogue photographic world of glass plates and film.
We have visited Český Krumlov a few times. Take a look at my article on our most recent visit, to Český Krumlov in Winter. Český Krumlov is magical year-round, but my son and I were blown away by the beauty of Český Krumlov Old Town covered in snow.
České Budějovice is a short bus ride from Hluboka Castle, a fairytale white wedding-cake-style Castle that’s one of the most famous in the Czech Republic.
Also don’t miss Holašovice, an amazing village mainly built in the 18th century. It’s the only one of its kind to have survived intact, 23 farmsteads around a central green. It’s a rare example of the ‘folk Baroque’ style, and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Further afield, check out my guide to Blatna Castle, a stunning water castle with a beautiful Deer Park just across the lake.
And next to the Austrian border, and the former Iron Curtain, take a look at my guide to the the breathtaking Renaissance houses of Slavonice. Many houses in this sleepy border town are decorated with stunning detailed sgraffito style. It’s the best collection of such houses anywhere in Europe, and blissfully way off the beaten path.
Great Day Trips From České Budějovice
- Things to do in Český Krumlov – one of the most beautiful towns in Europe
- Museum Fotoatelier Seidel – unique photographic and history museum in Český Krumlov
- Hluboká Castle – 19th century Romantic Castle, like a cross between Windsor Castle and a wedding cake
- Holašovice – an amazing World Heritage village with folk Baroque architecture