Every since we first saw "Last Holiday" with Queen Latifah and LL Cool J....the ultimate feel-good movie....my husband has wanted to spend New Year's at Grandhotel Pupp, where part of it was filmed. So we did it this year! We splurged on a premier suite.....ours - 454 on the top floor - was a corner suite, with six French doors to little balconies! Was worth the extra money.....Decor was understated, not lavish like you might expect or like the suite Latifah occupied in the movie (that was in Prague, we were told), but the it was attractive and enormous. Instead of going to the pricey New Year's Eve party, we stayed in our rooms, eating food I'd bought downstairs in the coffee shop, watched the movie again on our laptop, and looked slack-jawed at fabulous fireworks from our windows. The hotel is big, and the staff, while not all trained to the standards of five-star hotels in major cities, is friendly. Buffet breakfast was excellent. There are oversized black and white art photos of actors and other luminaries who have stayed here during the annual Karlovy Vary Film Festival, including a wonderful one of Morgan Freeman in the bar (which was used as the check-in desk in the movie). The town, about which we knew nothing, is absolutely charming......a spa town with colorful buildings....We loved our two-night stay here!

The Pupp is to Karlovy Vary what the Walldorf Astoria is to New York, the Raffles Hotel is to Singapore, or the Ritz is to London. Iconic, historical and traditional. However, unlike the oils mentioned above, the Pupp, while nice, is not a 5-star hotel. The exterior of the building is magnificent, in the Baden-Baden or Nice way. The location is great: by the river, in a river bend, surrounded by boutiques and restaurants. Although: be warned that you can book a table in a cute Italian restaurant but end up listening to Russian elevator music (live).... My room at the. Pupp was a Superior, clean and very large (certainly compared to hotels in Paris or London). Wifi throughout the hotel, nice bar in the basement and a classy restaurant (did not try).

Now for the negatives: flat and stiff pillows, bathtub without a curtain, no shower, 21-in CRT tv with 4:3 screen ratio, lack of outlets (room dating back to times before we needed to recharge iPods, mobile phones, laptops...), spartan room furnishing, room lacking overal coziness.

Make your choice..... Certainly not a bad place.

We were only there for one night in late December. First, there are two reception desk since the hotel is so big. One in the main bldg., and the other in the annex. We were taken to the other - the second annex. You walk in and the energy of the place is low. I wanted to be in the main bldg., so they showed us two rooms but in both you can hear the construction noise (which they didn't tell me about when making the reservation). So we settled for the original room they offered us. I thought the young man at the desk was courteous, also the assistant manager and the guest services gal. The annex bldg. is a trek from the main bldg., and you have to go through hall ways, the bar and one of the restaurants to get to the main bldg. The place seemed empty but were told it was 70 percent occupied. We didn't run into anyone else except staff. I'm sure with more people it won't seem so spooky.

We had dinner at the fine restaurant and only three tables were taken, including us. The wait staff were very attentive and spoke English. The food was good. My husband had the crispy duck, but he sent it back because it wasn't crispy, so the chef made him another duck dish, altogether different and it was much better. I ordered off the Christmas menu. It was fine.

Now the spa - my husband went first. He gets there and he wasn't offered any water or tea. When he was shown the table, he saw someone else's p-hair on the towel. He should have left then, but he told the lady to clean the bed. He said it was the worst massage he has ever had. He thought that the gal might not have been trained. Touch was very light, and she didn't look for the knots in his back. After that experience, I cancelled my massage. The Castle Spa looked better, but you have to be there a minimum of three hours and we just didn't have the time.

I must say though, the bed was comfortable and the location of the hotel is great. We got a room with the view of the town and river. They did charge us extra for a cot for our 11 yr old daughter. (At the Hilton in Prague Old Town, it was complimentary). The hotel is located at one end of the town. There are hotels all along the main road that looked nice and quaint. It was okay, but I wouldn't stay there again.

We did use their car service. It's a bit more than a cab but no hassle at all. It cost 350 kc each way.

This is an amazing town and The Grand Hotel Pupp lives upto its name. The most spectacular architecture ( it looks a little like the casino in Monte Carlo) from the outside. Spectacular in every way. If you have the time and money and are going to Karlovy Vary then you must at least visit if not stay here.