Summer Preview: Almanac Hotels

Skip the crowds — and the clichés. This summer, Almanac Hotels invites travelers to experience Europe’s most alluring cities like true insiders. See Prague through the eyes of its most up-and-coming artists, take a celestial-themed ceramics class on an observatory-like rooftop in Barcelona (pictured above), and get behind-the-velvet-rope access to Vienna’s just-opened Johann Strauss Museum.

Read on for these insider experiences and more.

Set inside the former Alcron Hotel — Prague’s first luxury hotel dating to the First Republic and frequented by the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, and Ella Fitzgerald — Almanac X Alcron Prague has always been a gathering place for artists and intellectuals. The interiors channel 1930s-era glamor while weaving in plenty of local art and craftsmanship (see: paintings from up-and-coming artists Martin Lukáč and July Haluzová). Beyond the property’s walls, guests can get in step with the city’s creative side via the hotel’s exclusive roster of just-launched cultural experiences:

• A day at Rückl Glassworks, a family-owned institution dating back to 1846, specializing in traditional Czech crystal. After being shuttled to the factory in the village of Nižbor, on the banks of the Berounka River, just 15 miles from Prague (itself worth the half-day trip thanks to the stunning location in Křivoklátsko National Park), guests they will work with skilled craftsmen to bring intricate, personalized designs to life through mouth-blown and hand-cut techniques. For those with an interest in contemporary design, there is also the possibility of meeting Katerina Handlová, the glassworks’ innovative chief designer.
• A visit to the atelier of Almanac X Alcron Prague’s Art Ambassador, Jan Bican, a Czech artist whose vivid painting style has earned him collaborations with brands including Puma and celebrities like Rita Ora and Machine Gun Kelly. (His illustrations also decorate the window walls of the hotel’s on-site Elias Coffee Shop). During the exclusive meet-and-greet experience, guests will tour Bican’s space, learn about his bold creative process, and walk away with a personalized, one-of-a-kind keepsake.
• Behind-the-scenes access to the atelier of acclaimed glass designer Linda Pro, winner of the Designblok (the most prestigious design event in the Czech Republic), and known for her crystal glass handbag sculptures. During this intimate visit, guests can browse her early drafts and prototypes, watch her creative process unfold, and take home a handpicked piece from her collection.

Top Suite: Sleep amid a constellation of Czech crystal in the brand-new Presidential Suite By Rückl, a shoppable room created in partnership with the iconic Czech glassware brand. Decorated with unique glass bowls, candleholders, and glasses, and with breathtaking views of the Prague Castle (home to the Czech crown jewels), it’s the city’s most glittering suite.

Just off Passeig de Gràcia and within strolling distance of Gaudí’s greatest hits, the family-owned Almanac Barcelona makes for an ideal base in the Catalan capital. Its crown jewel: the Azimuth rooftop bar, offering front-row seats to the soon-to-be-completed Sagrada Familia (set to wrap next year) along with the Montjuïc mountain, the Jean Nouvel-designed Torre Glòries, and Mount Tibidabo. There’s also a plunge pool for cooling off on hot summer days. This season, the rooftop transforms into a celestial-themed observatory, complete with cosmology-inspired ceramics workshops, astro-yoga classes, and watercolor painting contests. Even the cocktails look to the stars: try the Aries, a bold blend of mezcal, chili, citrus, and passionfruit, or the Neptune, infused with blueberry, anise, and a salty spritz that evokes the planet’s deep, moody oceans.

Top Suite: Soak up the Mediterranean lifestyle in the expansive Grand Penthouse Suite — a three-bedroom, apartment-style retreat spanning 257 square meters, complete with two terraces overlooking the Barcelona skyline. Accommodating up to eight guests, the suite features apartment-like extras such as a freestanding soaking tub, generous dressing areas, and an outdoor fire pit for warming up on cool evenings.

Located within a pair of historic palaces on Vienna’s most elegant boulevard, this 80-suite, 31-guestroom Almanac Palais Vienna hotel is steeped in the grandeur — and romance — of yesteryear. Guests will feel that they’ve been transported back in time as they wander the property’s art-filled corridors (featuring works by Gustav Klimt and Hermann Nitsch) and sip coffee in the hotel’s grand Viennese café-bar. This year, Vienna will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its most famous son, the classical composer Johann Strauss, famous for his Viennese waltzes and operettas. There’s no better way to celebrate the festivities than with the hotel’s Strauss-themed anniversary package, which includes:

• Two nights in a luxurious suite facing Stadtpark
• Private access to the newly opened Johann Strauss Museum — New Dimensions, where an interactive exhibition brings the composer’s world to life through immersive soundscapes and multimedia displays.
• A guided “Strauss Walk,” tracing the footsteps of the composer past key Viennese landmarks and performance venues that shaped his career.
• Exclusive entry to Strauss’s former residence (where he composed the iconic Blue Danube Waltz), a rare glimpse into the maestro’s private world
• A curated, plant-forward picnic by Almanac Palais Vienna’s Donnersmarkt Restaurant, served in the lush Stadtpark, perfectly positioned beside the gilded Strauss monument — an unforgettable setting for lunch al fresco.

Top Suite: To take the art viewing to the next level, guests can book the Klimt-themed package in the lavish Palais Suite. This exclusive offering includes a close-up encounter with Klimt’s exquisite drawing Sitzende Dame von Vorne (Seated Lady Face-On, 1912–1914), marking the first time a Klimt work has ever been displayed within a hotel, as well as comes with exclusive access to the Upper and Lower Belvedere Museums. Destination Intel: Starting May 15, the Upper Belvedere will also be home to Klimt’s The Bride, a special exhibition around this famously unfinished work.