Visiting the Hotel Pupp - Daniel Craig and Queen Latifah Made Me Do It

Magnet #45

Karlovy Vary - Not your average Czech town

Prague - definitely a hot spot for travelers these days. Was so in 2019 as well. Deciding to visit determined a whole different type of vacation I’ll never forget. Given what is going on in eastern Europe in 2023, this trip remains my most memorable.

Why?

Because a Sept 2019 trip weaving together Prague, Budapest, and an obscure destination has broadened my world view immensely. What a spoiled and naive American I was just four years ago.

On Sunday September 22, 2019, Pete, our 25 year old son Henrik, and I embarked on a bus trip to a remote Czechoslovakia city called Karlovy Vary, located two hours by bus from Prague.

Why?

Daniel has his own brick on Pupp Drive

Blame it on Hollywood. After seeing in 2006 both Last Holiday with Queen Latifah, and Casino Royale featuring oh so handsome Daniel Craig more than three times, I promised myself, “I have to see the Hotel Pupp before I die”. Both movies were partially filmed at “the Pupp” (pronounced Poop).

Hollywood influence me???

Despite my enthusiasm, my naivete about visiting Karlovy Vary proved almost disastrous; my trip planning prowess put to its ultimate test.

Flying to Prague from Amsterdam on KLM –no problem. Bursting with excitement, I said to my husband Pete and son Henrik after clearing customs,, “I’ll go to the desk inside the terminal where we can buy tickets to Karlovy Vary. Stay put”. I had read online how easy it was to purchase public transportation fare.

First lesson —don’t necessarily trust online information.

After finally locating an English speaking official inside the airport’s terminal, I was informed, “That help desk closed last year”.

A tad worried but undaunted, I returned to where Pete and Henrik were relaxing on a bus stop bench.

How were we supposed to get to the mystical land of Karlovy Vary? I realized I had committed a huge fail for planning this part of our trip.

When the first bus arrived — chaos. People poured out as others formed a neat line to embark; not a word of English to be heard. The bus driver appeared quite intimidating while he directed traffic. Anxiously, I approached the driver. “Is this the bus to Karlovy Vary?”

He looked at me as if I asked, “Is this the bus to Vegas?”

In broken English he instructed me gruffly, “Buy seats online”. Mind you, this was my first experience traveling in a country where English is not a first or most possibly a second language.

When the bus filled, it roared off leaving us behind in its dust. Thank goodness for youth and their gift with technology. Henrik got busy on his phone trying to figure out how to buy seats for the next bus to Karlovy Vary. In the background, taxi drivers shouted at me, “Where you go?” When I explained our destination, one driver said, "Yah, can take you for $500 US dollars”.

Nope, not an option.

Sitting next to Henrik, Pete also attempted to buy tickets; a race ensuing between father and son. Just when Pete thought he found success, the internet kicked him off. UGH!!! Being the one responsible for this predicament, I silently left them to it.

Travelers Tip: It is very easy in 2023 to purchase data from your US carrier or better yet, buy a SIM card. Believe me, whatever it costs, it’s worth it!

After twenty minutes, Henrik felt sure he had procured three seats for us on the next bus due to arrive within the hour.

Traveler’s Tip: If planning your own trip, be patient and do your homework when trying to arrange travel between towns, especially if the destination has been in the Soviet bloc in the last 35 years.

Did I mention Russia yet? Trust me, I hadn’t given it a thought (big mistake) before deciding I needed to visit the place where James Bond almost died in the casino parking lot.

My heart pounded as “our” bus rolled up. I didn’t know what to expect. Would we be denied entry even though it “looked” like we had bus fare?

When the driver nodded as Henrik displayed his phone showing three tickets with assigned seat numbers, I almost fainted with relief. A bit dazed, I boarded the bus, soon filled to capacity. With the release of the air brakes, we were literally off for unknown lands. Did I take the time to look at a world map to see where we were actually headed?

Some lessons are learned the hard way.

Upon boarding, I informed the driver we were going to “Karlovy Vary” to which he gave a curt nod. No smiles found on this bus. Fortunately, the seats were very comfortable. As we rumbled along, you could hear a pin drop. Henrik and Pete fell fast asleep. Feeling like a true adventurer, I stayed alert, determined to take in the scenery.

Again, silly me for not doing my homework. While the Czech landscape is truly beautiful in places, it is obvious that this region has seen hard times fairly recently —maybe warfare? We passed villages with still vacated homes missing their roofs along with a palpable general stillness making me appreciate the obvious difficult times these communities had endured in recent decades.

We definitely weren’t in Kansas anymore.

When we arrived in “downtown” Karlovy Vary, the three of us excitedly disembarked along with approximately twenty other very serious looking folks. We made it!!!

Well, not quite.

I’m not kidding, within 45 seconds, we found ourselves standing alone at the now deserted Karlovy Vary bus stop. Where had all our fellow passengers disappeared so quickly? It felt like we had been dropped in a Clint Eastwood movie in an arid western ghost town. “Creeped out” best describes how we felt with no one to ask, 'Where is the Hotel Pupp?"

We knew we couldn’t be more than a few miles away but we had no idea how to finish the journey with luggage in tow. The one taxi driver who offered us a ride sped off when we refused the exorbitant koruna fee he wanted to charge for the 4 mile ride. Reflecting back, he must have radioed his cronies about the “cheap Americans” because for the next 30 minutes we never saw another taxi.

Finally, Pete had the brilliant idea of calling the hotel. We learned we had to board “bus #2” which would get us close to the Grandhotel Pupp. Sure enough, bus #2 pulled up exactly where we were told to find it. We boarded the standing room only vehicle not knowing what to expect. We saw no eye contact or smiles on any fellow passengers. Instinctively we hid our American luggage tags and rode along in silence.

The Grand Hotel Pupp

After being dropped off at our stop, the three of us walked the last ¼ mile. Rounding the last graceful curve into the town's hotel row, I gasped with delight. The Grand Hotel Pupp truly is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOTEL I’ve ever seen in my life!

After checking in at the same desk where 007 made inquiries in 2006, we were shown to our room. Ok, I wish I were more of a fiction writing genius in order to best describe our accommodations. Upon entering our suite, we gawked in amazement at 25 foot ceilings, gorgeous windows outlined in floor to ceiling silk drapes, a Baroque Revival inspired balcony, and gleaming woodwork throughout our two room suite. In addition, The Pupp is filled with miles of thick carpeting, gorgeous dining rooms (including the one where Queen Latifah’s movie character, Georgia Byrd, ordered her “last' ' feast”), along with an expansive spa like no other I’ve ever seen.

Everything is elegant at the Pupp

We’re talking about a stainless steel swimming pool! It’s simply a gorgeous feeling to kick your feet off the bottom of one.

Despite the self incurred travel issues, was the journey worth it?

You bet.

Bond, James Bond

When we checked in, the formally dressed desk clerk asked, “How did you find your way here?” He smiled and said “Of course”, when I explained about seeing the hotel in the two movies.

Turns out we were the only Americans in the hotel, and possibly in Karlovy Vary? Still naive, I never gave it a thought —-- until—--

The view from our balcony - what do you mean, "no lights"???

Henrik checked out the town on our suite's balcony. Thoughtfully he asked me, “How come there are no lights on in any of the buildings across the street?” “What?”, I said as I joined him in the late afternoon sunset glow. Sure enough, though we could see open stores on the ground level, there were absolutely no lights in any of the upper floors of the handsome French/Georgian influenced buildings. Post pandemic my reply now seems uncannily on target, “Maybe folks work from home.”

We left it at that.

I won’t go into further detail about traveling to Karlovy Vary except to recommend a recent article in the New York Times. It turns out that the Russians have essentially “owned” Karlovy Vary in the past. According to my research, in response to what is happening in the Ukraine, Karlovy Vary has been recently turning away the Russians (and their money). I admire and support their efforts. Family friendly, there is plenty to do in Karlovy Vary beside shopping in the ritzy stores we couldn’t afford.

Karlovy Vary - Not your average tourist trap

If you feel adventurous and wish to experience life in a royal palace,The Grand Hotel Pupp fits the bill. Watch both Casino Royale and Last Holiday before you go. It is so fun to see places in and around the hotel used as Hollywood sets in both movies.

Travelers Tip: To enter the famous casino, you must hand over your passport.

Travelers Tip: Look at a map and know where you are going when traveling. Never leave too many pieces and parts of a trip too unplanned. And always travel with data or a SIM card.

And for heaven's sake, if you get yourself all the way to Prague, go one bus ride further and visit the amazing Karlovy Vary! It's breathtakingly beautiful and such a perfect backdrop for your own fairy tale getaway.