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Why I can’t resist the Hotel International

Prague’s Mesmerizing Monument to Stalinism

Haters are going to hate, as they say. And yes, this hotel’s Socialist Realist architecture does elicit some unpleasant vibes. But I have to confess something: I like the Hotel International. I don’t think it’s necessarily a great hotel. I’ve stayed there a few times over the years, and my visits were merely okay (more on that in the story). Where the building excels, though, is the undeniable statement it makes. It’s a weird repository of cultural memory and history that demonstrates the remarkable power architecture and design can exert over our perceptions. Anyone who’s ridden tram no 8 or 18 out to Prague’s Podbaba district to catch a glimpse of the hotel can attest that it’s impossible to look away. I happen to live nearby, and I still can’t help but stare every time I walk past.

This is the story of Prague's Hotel International in all its confounding glory.

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Mírně nadsazená historie novodobé metly Prahy

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My Favorite Prague Bike Ride
A lost Prague story, thirty years later

The Woman on the Cover of 'Jáma Revue'
Where the secret police once set a honey trap (for me)

Revisiting Bratislava's Hotel Devín
Scenes from the city's unscripted '90s

Prague Through the Lens of Robert Carrithers
A '90s world of literary journals, mags and 'zines

Part 3: The Lost World of Prague’s Expat Press
A '90s boomtime for business papers and journals

Part 2: The Lost World of Prague's Expat Press
The battles of '90s newspapers and news journals

Part 1: The Lost World of Prague’s Expat Press
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About the author

Mark Baker

I’m an independent journalist, travel writer and author who’s lived in Central Europe for nearly three decades. I love the history, literature, culture and mystery of this often-overlooked corner of Europe, and I make my living writing articles and guidebooks about the region. Much of what I write eventually finds its way into commercial print or digital outlets, but a lot of it does not.

And that’s my aim with this website: to find a space for stories and experiences that fall outside the publishing mainstream.

My Book: ‘Čas Proměn’

In 2021, I published “Čas Proměn” (“Time of Changes”), my first book of historical nonfiction. The book, written in Czech, is a collection of stories about Central and Eastern Europe in the 1980s and early ‘90s, including memories of the thrilling anti-communist revolutions of 1989. The idea for the book and many of the tales I tell there were directly inspired by this blog. Czech readers, find a link to purchase the book here. I hope you enjoy.

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Contact

I am always open to new projects. If you'd like to hire me as a writer or editor, or simply wish to find out more, please contact me directly.
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© 2026 Mark Baker
Site by Tom Brickman
Tales of Travel & Adventure in Central Europe
Mark Baker