The year 2025 was in many respects extraordinarily dynamic for the Prague hotel scene. Several leading hotels have seen changes in their management and have brought in new general managers during the year. We are now introducing these personalities to you, along with their observations, visions and plans for the future.
The Cloud One Prague: Lucie Ledvinová
As of 1 st November, Lucie Ledvinová returned to the hotel industry after five years —thrilled to be stepping into her new role as Hotel Manager at The Cloud One Hotel Prague. She began her hospitality journey in 2009 at the Mövenpick Hotel, advanced through Sales roles at NH Hotels and Hilton Prague, later served as Director of Sales at Hotel International, and became Hotel Manager of Pytloun Grand Hotel Imperial Hotel in Liberec. In 2020, she moved back to Prague to open and manage The Fizz Prague, a 539-room residential building.
Lucie is very proud to represent The Cloud One Hotels, part of the rapidly growing Motel One Group — she sees the brand as truly unique, combining beautiful design, an unbeatable location, sustainability aligned with nature, and an individual urban lifestyle experience. She also believes that the hotel’s rooftop bar deserves far greater recognition among local guests with its stunning views and exceptional terrace, as it is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable rooftops in entire Prague.
INNSiDe by Mélia Prague Old Town: Pavel Otrusina
Pavel Otrusina has become the new Hotel Manager of INNSiDE by Meliá Prague Old Town. He has brought in many years of international experience, a strategic management approach, and a strong focus on service quality and modern hospitality concepts. During his career in the United Kingdom, he managed Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury boutique hotels, and spent six years at the iconic five-star Celtic Manor Resort, host of the Ryder Cup and NATO summits. Through his work, he gained exposure to environments where he personally interacted with renowned celebrities, political leaders, and members of the royal family. After returning to the Czech Republic, he contributed to the development of the Blue Orange Resort, Vista Resort, and Prokop Square Hotel projects. In his free time, he enjoys sports, especially ice hockey and padel.
Pavel Otrusina has come to the hotel with a vision of continuity and thoughtful development. The previous manager built a very solid foundation; many systems, standards, and the overall culture are set up extremely well. His aim is therefore not to introduce radical changes, but to maintain what has already been working and build on it. What he would like to focus on are gradual improvements, especially in areas where we can further enhance the guest experience, internal communication, and efficiency of daily operations. These would be evolutionary changes rather than disruptive ones, always respecting the hotel’s identity and values. At the same time, he strongly believes that there is no need to change what is already functioning excellently. The team structure, service standards, and overall atmosphere of the hotel are clear strengths and should be preserved. They are the result of good leadership and consistent work, and they form a strong base for future success.
Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Prague: Anke Glaessing
Anke Glaessing has joined Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Prague as General Manager, bringing a career defined by international experience and thoughtful leadership. Originally from Germany, she has built her path across Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, developing strong expertise in rooms, revenue management, and food and beverage. Before relocating to Prague, she served as General Manager of La Ville Hotel & Suites City Walk, Autograph Collection in Dubai, amongst previous experience in Europe, Middle East and Asia, earning industry recognition including Boutique Hotel of the Year and various Sustainability Awards.
At Augustine Hotel, Anke brings a vision grounded in respect for heritage, people, and excellence. Leading a property set within a former monastery calls for a sensitive balance between historical authenticity and contemporary luxury, an approach she embraces fully. Her focus is on preserving and elevating the hotel’s refined character, delivering exceptional guest experiences, and fostering a supportive, engaged team. Building on the hotel’s recent recognition with One MICHELIN Key and its ranking among the top luxury hotels in Europe and the Middle East, Anke steers Augustine forward with continuity, integrity, and long-term vision.
Hilton Prague Atrium: Otakar John
Otakar John has joined Hilton Prague Atrium as Cluster General Manager, bringing many years of experience across the hospitality industry. Throughout his career, he has led large teams and worked with internationally recognised hotel brands, with expertise spanning daily operations, strategic leadership, innovation and sustainable hotel management. He also continues in his role as General Manager of STAGES HOTEL Prague, with Hilton Prague Atrium joining his cluster responsibilities as of the New Year.
Otakar’s vision is to build on the hotel’s strong legacy and long-standing position in Prague while supporting thoughtful development where it brings real value. He believes that exceptional guest experiences start with a motivated team and a positive working environment, and he looks forward to continuing the hotel’s journey with the same commitment to high standards, partnership and service excellence.
ibis & Novotel PRAHA Wenceslas Square: Matthieu Claudel
Matthieu Claudel has been appointed as General Manager of combo hotels ibis & Novotel PRAHA Wenceslas Square, in November 2025. Matthieu started his career at Accor in 2013 in Prague. His background is in the Revenue Management, with experiences from a position as Deputy Manager in the Ibis Old Town. In September 2019, Matthieu was appointed General Manager at ibis Mala Strana Praha. Under his leadership, the hotel achieved a higher GOP and recorded the lowest staff turnover in Accor CZ since 2022 improving guest satisfaction.
His vision is to build on the hotel’s existing strengths while continuously elevating the guest experience. Matthieu wants the hotel to be known not just for its renovated facilities, but for flexibility and consistent service, strong team culture, and attention to detail. This includes actively promoting the MICE facilities, ensuring the renovated interiors are consistently maintained to the highest standard, and continuously refining the new restaurant concept based on guest feedback and market trends to maximize its success.
Diplomat Hotel Prague: Miroslav Picek
Miroslav Picek’s career in hospitality has always been closely linked to daily contact with guests and to hotel operations he learned step by step. Starting as a Front Office Agent he understood how important first impressions, empathy, and attention to guests’ needs are. Later, he worked as a Shift Leader and Front Office Manager, which helped him gain a broader view of hotel operations, team leadership, and everyday responsibilities. The role of Operations Manager was a natural next step for Miroslav Picek. It allowed him to see the hotel as one complete operation, to connect different departments, and to balance efficiency with service quality. In this role, he also realized how important open communication, trust, and cooperation across the whole team are. A key experience for him was coordinating the complete renovation of the Diplomat Hotel in 2019, which taught him how to manage change while keeping daily operations running smoothly.
For him, hospitality is mainly about people and relationships. When Miroslav’s son was seven years old, he once wrote in a school assignment that his dad helps people and gets paid for it – very simple and honest description. Miroslav believes that decency, fairness, respect, and mutual understanding should be a natural part of everyday work in a hotel. These values guide his approach to working with both guests and colleagues, and he aims to create an environment where people feel comfortable and want to come back.