This year, one of my dreams came true. Not only did I visit the sophisticated spa town of Karlovy Vary in Czechia for the first time, I also stayed at the legendary Grandhotel Pupp. This luxurious 5-star hotel is located in the historic center of Karlovy Vary and has been a hot spot for the rich and beautiful since 1701. Not only have statesmen, artists, scientists, and famous actors stayed here, but the Grandhotel has also been the setting for well-known films such as “Last Holiday” with Queen Latifah and Gérard Dépardieu and the James Bond blockbuster Casino Royal with Daniel Craig and Eva Green. I was very excited about this traditional hotel, which, in addition to 228 rooms and apartments, houses an exclusive spa and wellness area, several first-class restaurants, the world-famous Becher’s Bar, and the most beautiful and luxurious casino in Czechia. The history of the Grand Hotel goes back three centuries. It all began with the construction of a large ballroom under the then mayor of Karlovy Vary, Anton Deiml. This ballroom was financially supported by the Saxon Elector Friedrich August. It was given the name Saxon Hall because many of the staff employed there came from Leipzig. The later mayor, Andreas Wenzel Becher, built a direct competitor hall on the opposite plot of land, the so-called Becher’s Lusthaus. In reference to the Saxon Hall, this quickly became the Bohemian Hall, as most of the staff came from Prague. The two halls stood at right angles to each other at the mouth of the Teplá river valley. Together with the house “U Božího oka,” built in 1730, which today houses the famous Café Pupp, these two buildings formed the basis of today’s Grandhotel Pupp. But before that happened, the Saxon Elector Augustus the Strong had a wooden theater built next to the Saxon Hall in 1717. In 1759, a great fire raged in Karlsbad and the town hall was severely damaged. From then on, the town council meetings were held in the Bohemian Hall. It was not until 1767 that the Pupp dynasty began, when master confectioner Johann Georg Pupp moved to Karlsbad. He married and, together with his wife Franziska, bought the Bohemian Hall. They built a park with an avenue of lime trees, which quickly became a popular spa promenade. The Bohemian Hall surpassed the Saxon Hall in popularity, which is why Philipp Valentin Keil opened the first publicly accessible restaurant in the Saxon Hall in 1801. However, a devastating flood destroyed the ground floor of the Bohemian and Saxon Halls and the beautiful park on the night of September 9-10, 1821. A year later, in 1822, both halls were completely restored and once again formed the cultural center of the spa town. After lengthy inheritance disputes following the death of Johann Georg Pupp, the first major renovation of the Bohemian Hall was carried out in 1831. In 1868, the Bohemian Hall belonged to the Pupp family again. In 1877, the Pupp brothers built a park hotel building, the first part of today’s Pupp, which flourished so much that it was extended by another wing. In 1890, the time had finally come and the Pupp family bought the Saxon Hall. The foundation stone for a new building was laid, and in 1892 the Grandhotel Pupp was built. The grand opening took place on May 13, 1894. In 1907, the hotel’s façade was unified in a monumental neo-baroque style by Viennese architects. Starting in 1923, every room was renovated to the highest standards with a toilet and a bathroom with hot water, which was revolutionary at the time. After the end of the war, the hotel was nationalized in 1945, which meant the temporary end of the Pupp dynasty in Karlovy Vary. From 1950, the hotel became the annual venue for the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, attracting famous personalities to Karlovy Vary. In 1951, the nationalization of the hotel bore fruit and the Grandhotel Pupp became the Grandhotel Moskva. During this period, the hotel’s fame faded more and more. It was not until 1964, after extensive renovation, that the hotel shone again in new splendor. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the old name Grandhotel Pupp once again adorned the hotel facade. In 1992, a new era began for the hotel. The state-owned hotel was converted into a joint-stock company as a compromise with the Pupp family. Since then, the hotel has once again become the place to be, where everyone wants to see and be seen. In 2013, the hotel’s own exclusive balneo center and swimming pool were opened. Starting in 2018, all guest rooms were gradually renovated according to the design of Prague architect Boris Drbal. I entered the legendary Grandhotel Pupp through an imposing heavy wooden door with golden handles and glass elements and immediately felt transported to another time. Through a long hallway with carpeted floors, magnificent chandeliers, and wonderful white stucco ceilings, I reached the reception desk and checked in with the friendly concierge. Next to the reception area, a stately white marble staircase with red carpet, reminiscent of a Hollywood classic, led to the rooms. Of course, there was also an elevator. When I entered my room, I was amazed to find a small fruit basket with a bottle of chilled sparkling wine and a bottle of mineral water waiting for me. The hotel room was furnished with elegant wood interiors and black-and-white photographs of world stars who had once stayed at the hotel hung on the walls. In addition to a cozy sitting area, my room had a small balcony with a magnificent view of the imperial-looking casino. I took a seat in the comfortable wingback chair and enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine. My adventure in this historic hotel and my stay in the sophisticated spa town of Karlovy Vary could begin.
