Beneath the morning shadow of hilltop Prague Castle sits the 13th-century St Thomas church and monastery. It is serene here, away from the maddening crowds, yet less than five minutes walk down the hill to Charles Bridge. 

And this building no longer has an eccelesiastical purpose, even though original frescos and stone carvings remain. It is now a luxury collection hotel operated by Marriot, a resurrection of historical class in the fabulous Mala Strana district. 

The rooms are superb and spacious, with the hotel feeling like a place for roaming nobles and princes. Its central garden revolves around a medieval monastery and the hotel is so tuned into history it even has its own beer, brewed to the original monks’ recipe. 

Wander into the hotel’s private reaches and you’ll find the Tower Suite, the most romantic place for couples to stay anywhere in Prague.