The luxury Hotel Aplaus in Šantovo Square is the result of the conversion and reconstruction of three historical, national heritage listed houses which were vacant and in a state of disrepair. The houses are located on an imposing, elevated site in the vicinity of the former Augusta printing works (01-182), and directly abut with the retaining wall of the monastery gardens (01-VP11).
The conversion process, carried out according to a design project by the Prague studio Architektonický atelier ABV, was a complicated one from the very beginning. The main complications were finding a suitable manner of linking the individual buildings, ensuring that they function together and providing barrier-free access.
The historical and structurally significant buildings Nos. 180 and 181 with their massive arcades were reconstructed. Due to its poor condition, most of the third building was demolished, rebuilt and had an extra storey added. A glazed annex was also built in the courtyard at the rear of the building, allowing additional access directly to the Monastery Gardens. This link with the natural environment underlines the exceptional location of the hotel in the centre of the town.
The entrance into the hotel is via the arcades of house No. 181 and links up with a corridor with a vaulted a ceiling leading to the rear of the building which in turn opens out onto the aforementioned glazed annex. The architects located the hotel's technical facilities (kitchen, preparation room, area for personnel and utility rooms), requiring more radical construction modifications, in house No. 179, which was the least valuable and was thus significantly modified. Thus, the remaining two houses required minimum alterations. The designers also managed to even out the differences in heights between the individual storeys of the neighbouring buildings and visitors therefore, do not realize that they are moving from one building to another.
The lavishly furnished interior takes its cues from the history of house No.180 where the Na Sklípku pub was located which was in the past frequented by the renowned Czech painter Josef Váchal (03-75). References to the painter himself and to his work are especially evident in the interior of the restaurant.
Currently, the hotel provides accommodation in 21 double rooms and in 2 apartments.