The characterful witness of a bygone era...
A hotel's name is never insignificant. That of the Best Western Premier Hotel International links it not only to a major 20th century architectural trend, but also to the disproportionate ambition of the regime that built it as a symbol of its success to the rest of the world, a success that history was to contradict. For both these reasons, the Brno hotel occupies its own very special place in the nonetheless well-stocked portfolio of Best Western Premier hotels. The irony of history is indeed the fact that the hotel has since acquired an unquestionable legitimacy beyond that of politics.
Architecturally speaking, the International style, exemplified by the work of Philip Johnson (New York's MoMA) and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Seagram Building, New York or Villa Tugendhat in Brno) blossomed in total opposition to past references, taking a clear stand in favour of simple, minimalist volumes and the triumph of modern materials such as glass, steel and concrete. "Less is more" is the byword of this style, of which the Best Western Premier Hotel International is an example, built in 1962 and today a listed monument. Its clean, almost severe, outer lines and the simplicity, if not the austerity, of its volumes, cannot leave the onlooker indifferent. The structure gives off an impression of equilibrium and serenity that are entirely in keeping with its majestic central location. Inside, the hotel's distinctive decorative style is visible in the large number of contemporary works of art of great value, such as the steel and glass sculpture in the lobby (which features stylised representations of a wheel and a crocodile, symbols of the city of Brno), the wrought-iron sculpture in the corridor leading to the restaurants that depicts a day from dawn to dusk and the paintings that adorn the conference rooms. Admire above all the hotel's interior design that called upon the country's leading architects and craftsmen, as the curved lines of the lobby ceiling and the splendid light fixtures illustrate.
Given the hotel's importance to the regime, it is understandable that the rooms and communal areas were designed with a rare attention to luxury both in terms of volume and light. The corner balconies of the suites, for example, perfectly illustrate the type of detail that not only makes life more pleasant, but that also enhances the view. When one also knows that the hotel has been treated to state-of-the-art fixtures and fittings, it is easy to imagine the quality of the welcome extended to guests. The sports centre, built around the pool, is emblematic of this outstanding level of quality and justly popular with many top-ranking sports men and women.
After having shed the excesses of the Communist regime that built it, the hotel now proudly asserts its national and city roots. The hotel's two restaurants, possibly the best in Brno, serve excellent local dishes accompanied by a fine selection of wines from Central Europe. The region of Moravia was the birthplace of some of the world's leading minds, among whom Freud, Oskar Schindler, composer Janacek, pianist Alfred Brendel, artist Alfons Mucha, writer Milan Kundera and the exceptional photographer, Josef Koudelka. Indeed this rich cultural and artistic heritage can be felt as soon as one ventures out into the city. Idyllically located, right in the heart of the historic city at the foot of the wooded hillside on top of which stands Spielberg Castle, the hotel's identity and character are entwined with that of the city of Brno and its breathtakingly slender bell towers, delicately cobbled pedestrian streets and smiling passers-by, clearly happy to be living in a country that is free, independent and European. This symbiosis is so authentic that the hotel has for many years now been the setting of one of Brno's most important social events: a ball that magnifies the modernity of this city, nonetheless so anchored in the past.
| Best Western Premier Hotel International |
| Husova 16, Brno, CZ, Brno, Czech Republic - CZ-65921 |
| Phone: +420 54 212 2111 Fax: +420 54 221 0843 |
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