Hotel Edward Kelly
by the TopOfHotel team
Hotel Edward Kelly is a romantic riverside boutique where a Vltava-view room costs a fraction of the 5-star down the street.
Hotel Edward Kelly is a romantic riverside boutique where a Vltava-view room costs a fraction of the 5-star down the street.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Hotel Edward Kelly is named after the English alchemist who settled in Český Krumlov in the 16th century, and the rooms lean into that history rather than fighting it — wooden furniture, floral curtains and thick walls give a warm country-Bohemia feel. Rooms split into two types: those facing the Vltava and those looking onto the Old Town. Units sleep 2 to 4, and reviewers consistently praise the cleanliness and the romantic mood, especially in the river-facing rooms where the water runs past your window all day.
Food and amenities
This runs like a small family-owned boutique, not a full-service hotel. Staff recognise guests by name and give specific, useful tips on where to eat and what to do. There's no restaurant on site, but that barely matters here — Dlouhá Street is lined with Czech restaurants and wine bars you can reach in 2 minutes. Free Wi-Fi covers the whole property. If you want a spa or pool, this isn't that kind of place; the appeal is the river, the location and the price.
Location and getting there
Dlouhá Street sits along the river in the heart of the Old Town. The main square, Náměstí Svornosti, is about 5 minutes on foot and Český Krumlov Castle is a 10-to-12-minute walk uphill. In summer you can sit by the Vltava or watch the rafters drift past from the waterside right outside. The bus station is roughly 15 minutes away, with connections to České Budějovice and Prague; the nearest airport is Prague, about 2.5 hours by road.
Things to know before booking
Three things to weigh. First, only some rooms face the river — the cheaper Old Town-side rooms miss the view, so name the room type you want when you book. Second, Dlouhá Street is a tourist zone, so lower and river-facing rooms can catch foot-traffic noise from early afternoon into the evening in high season; ask for an upper floor if that bothers you. Third, there's no in-house restaurant and parking is tight in the car-restricted Old Town, so plan to eat out and park outside the centre before you walk in with bags.
Our take
At a Booking.com score of 8.1 and 8.5 on Agoda, Hotel Edward Kelly isn't the highest-rated stay in town, but it nails one specific thing: a real Vltava view from a central Old Town spot for around $85 a night to start. Book a river-facing room, eat your way along Dlouhá Street, and you get the romance of Český Krumlov without the 5-star bill. Skip it only if you need a restaurant, a pool, or guaranteed quiet — for everyone else chasing the river view, this is a smart pick.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Several rooms face the Vltava directly, giving you one of Český Krumlov's signature views — the river curving past 16th-century buildings, lit up in the evening. Reviewers single out the river rooms as the reason to book.
- The Dlouhá Street address puts you in the heart of the Old Town. The main square, Náměstí Svornosti, is a 5-minute walk and Czech restaurants and wine bars sit within 2 minutes of the door.
- At roughly $85 a night to start, the price is fair for a river view and a central Old Town spot — well under the $170-plus the town's only 5-star charges.
- It runs like a small family-owned guesthouse: staff recognise guests by name and give solid, specific tips on where to eat and what to do, from rafting to castle tours.
- The decor leans into the building's history as the former home of English alchemist Edward Kelly — wooden furniture, floral curtains and a warm country-Bohemia mood rather than a generic hotel fit-out.
- Only some rooms face the river; the cheaper Old Town-facing rooms have far less of a view, so specify the room type clearly when you book or you may be disappointed.
- Dlouhá Street is a busy tourist street, so river-facing and lower-floor rooms can pick up foot-traffic noise from early afternoon into the evening in high season.
- There's no in-house restaurant and parking is tight in the car-restricted Old Town — you'll eat out (easy here) and should arrange parking outside the centre before you arrive.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Český Krumlov
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Insider Tips
- Book a river-facing room by name when you reserve — the Old Town-side rooms are cheaper but miss the whole point of staying here.
- Walk 2 minutes along Dlouhá Street to the riverside Czech restaurants and wine bars for dinner, since the hotel has no restaurant of its own.
- Visit in summer (June-August) to sit by the Vltava or watch the rafters drift past right outside, but ask for an upper floor if street noise bothers you.