Czechia | Resort Kovárna: boutique hotel in Český ráj

Resort Kovárna in Frýdštejn in the Liberec region is one of my favourite places. I have known it for a long time as a restaurant where I came back for food a few times. Then the two of us were given accommodation in one of the apartments, and Amazing Places named it the best boutique hotel in 2022. I recommend it for accommodation, and if not that, then definitely for the restaurant.

Stone and half-timbered building of the former smithy in Frýdštejn with a hydrangea bush in front of the entrance — Kovárna seen from the street.

White Kovárna building with the Restaurace Kovárna sign at sunset above the road and a stone wall — Kovárna at sunset.

What is Resort Kovárna?

The former smithy began to be saved in 2012 by the brothers Dalibor and Jan Cidlinský, who are also musicians. In 2014 they opened the restaurant and later an underground design spa. The accommodation in the historic building was created at the end of 2020. The reconstruction respects the original layout and period materials, so the interior is a little bit 19th century, but with modern comfort.

What are the apartments like?

The apartments are luxurious and each one is different. There are four:

Imperial suite: for two, with a double bed.
Romantic suite: for 2 to 4 people, with a double bed and separate beds.
Royal suite: for 2 to 4 people, with a double bed and a sofa bed.
Wellness suite: for two, with a double bed and its own spa, from 9,775 CZK (about EUR 391) per night.

In our apartment we had a fireplace, a huge cast-iron bath that you can really soak in, and a four-poster bed. The bed is fantastic. On the table stands a globe with a surprise, because a little bottle is hidden inside it.

Resort Kovárna: Attic apartment with beams, a stone fireplace and a large bed on a wooden floor — Apartment with a fireplace.

Four-poster bed under a sloping wooden ceiling in the attic — Four-poster bed.

Wooden globe with a bottle inside and gold labels on a metal stand — Globe with a little bottle.

Apartment with a stone wall, wooden beams and a bath by the window, with a floor of solid planks — Huge cast-iron bath.

What are the restaurant and the Josper grill like?

The restaurant is what I really like about Kovárna. It is family-run and historic, in a 19th-century interior, and it cooks traditional Czech cuisine and specialities from a charcoal Josper grill. On the menu you will find steak tartare with truffle mayonnaise, duck liver pâté, svíčková (beef sirloin in cream sauce), grilled pork tenderloin, fresh pasta, an Angus burger and, for vegetarians and vegans, roasted vegetables or grilled cheese.

We sat outside in the garden at sunset, had a burger and the pork tenderloin from the Josper grill, and a bottle of prosecco with it.

Resort Kovárna: Angus burger with chips and sauce on a metal plate on a garden table — Angus burger.

Pork tenderloin in a herb crust with grilled pak choi, purée and sauce in a bowl on a plate — Pork tenderloin from the Josper grill.

Bottle of prosecco and a glass in the garden, with a sunset behind the window — Prosecco at sunset.

Man in a dark sweatshirt holding a burger at a garden table, with chips on the table — With the burger.

Sunset with an orange sky above the hills and meadows of Český ráj — Sunset over Frýdštejn.

What is breakfast like?

Breakfast is really generous. You get it in a basket that waits in front of the room door in the morning, so you have breakfast right in the apartment. There were cheeses, pastries, fruit, yoghurts and lots more. And because Kovárna is a hotel, there is also a minibar in the room, full of things you can buy.

Resort Kovárna: Table by the window with breakfast, flowers in a vase and juice on a wooden table — Breakfast by the window.

Is there a spa?

Yes, and it is private. Under the building there is a design spa with a stainless steel hot tub, Finnish and steam saunas, a cooling pool, a Kneipp path (a barefoot walk through water), an adrenaline shower and a relaxation bath made of hand-hammered copper. You book the spa just for yourself, and you can find the price list on the resort website.

Resort Kovárna: Private spa with a Finnish sauna made of wooden logs and a hot tub in blue lighting — Private spa at Kovárna. Photo: Resort Kovárna.

How far is it to Frýdštejn castle?

Frýdštejn castle is almost around the corner. It is about 1.5 km (0.9 miles) from Kovárna by road, so you can walk, or drive a short way and walk the rest. It is a pleasant walk. The castle is known from the fairy tale Princezna Jasněnka a létající švec (Princess Jasněnka and the Flying Cobbler), which was filmed here. From the round tower there is a view of the surrounding landscape of Český ráj. We climbed up, and right at the top a flag is flying.

Resort Kovárna: Ruins of Frýdštejn castle with a tower above greenery and rocks under a blue sky — Frýdštejn castle from a distance.

Path between rocks to Frýdštejn castle, with the sun above the tower in the background — The way to the castle.

Black and white photo from the fairy tale attached to a rock by Frýdštejn castle — A photo from the fairy tale on the rock.

Flag flying above the stone wall of the tower, with a spiral staircase below and a distant view — Flag on the tower.

Man with glasses smiling on the castle tower, with a flag flying behind him and a blue sky — On the tower of Frýdštejn castle.

What is nearby?

Frýdštejn castle right in the village
Český ráj: rock towers, forests and rivers, and hiking and cycling trails
Turnov, Hrubá Skála and the Prachov Rocks

Trips nearby

Trips in Český ráj on GetYourGuide

Český ráj is close by, from the rock towns to Turnov. Here are organised trips and hikes.

Area

Český ráj

Rock towns, castles and trips around Český ráj.

Hiking

Hiking from Turnov

Hikes and walks around Turnov.

Practical info

Address: Frýdštejn 47.

Price: according to Amazing Places from 5,635 CZK (about EUR 225) per night (as of 13 October 2026).

Restaurant: Tuesday to Thursday 17:00 to 21:00, Friday and Saturday 11:30 to 22:00, Sunday 11:30 to 21:00. Spa from Tuesday to Sunday, during the day and overnight.

You can find more information and booking on Amazing Places. It also suits weddings and company events.

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