Expat Next Door: Stefan Radstrom From Sweden

The Mozart Prague – the beautiful and historical hotel which faces the Vltava River and Prague Castle continues to stun visitors time and time again. The hotel welcomes all guests to enjoy the experience and magic of staying in the famous hotel. 

We met with Stefan Radstrom, the hotel’s general manager to discuss his own personal journey of how he ended up working for the iconic hotel. 

Born in Sweden, Stefan always had the ambition to put 100% effort into everything he did. Beginning his hospitality career as a teen during a summer job as a garbage collector in a hotel, he made a promise to be “the best garbage collector the hotel had ever seen.” 

With his smiley attitude and lease for life, he was soon approached by the hotel manager to move on to start another job within the hotel – the hotel restaurant.

With his love growing for interacting with guests and all walks of life, Stefan stayed in the hospitality sector – a journey that allowed him to travel the world. 

In his career, Stefan has been involved in thirteen hotel openings, including Grand Hyatt Muscat, Paramount Hotel Dubai. His first hotel opening was in Oslo, Norway for the Plaza Hotel, a luxury hotel in the city center. 

His favorite place he has lived has been India, where he opened the Grand Hyatt in Goa. He describes living there as “India is so huge, it’s like a big melting pot of all different types of people. It’s beautiful and very colourful. What I love about Indian culture is that family always comes first, which is sometimes something I think that is forgotten about in European culture.”

Stefan moved to Prague in 2020 to be General Manager for The Mozart- formally and originally known as Pachtuv Palace when it opened in 2004 and later on Smetana Hotel.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the hotel decided to take the opportunity to rebrand themselves and change the name of the hotel. Stefan says, “Today is all about storytelling, and we realised that the hotel had a better story to be told.”

Stefan explained that Mozart used to love visiting the hotel and staying with the Pachta family during his stays in Prague. The Pachta family loved to have him visit and were great friends, however, Earl Pachta said one day “Mozart, You have stayed with me many times, however have never written anything about me.” With that said, he locked Mozart in one of the rooms and said “Do not come out until you have written me a piece.” Mozart then wrote K509, the “Six German Dances” in a room which is still to this day in the hotel. 

With this being said, the hotel then changed its name to honour Mozart and his love for Prague as Mozart once said “My Prague people understand me.”

Stefan explains the hotel is a hidden gem and undiscovered jewel of Prague. Hidden in the bustling streets of the middle of the city, the hotel has a calm and elegant atmosphere, quiet and tranquil compared to the streets outside. 

It sits 154 metres from Charles Bridge and has a beautiful view of Prague Castle. “The castle looks onto us. It’s perfect” Stefan adds. 

The stunning hotel dates back to 1628. Stefan explains that the hotel welcomes many different types of guests including couples, families, celebrities and even royals. He explains that guests feel the romantic and historical ambience of the property. He says “If these walls could talk. The property has so much history, it has welcomed so many people from so many places over the years.”

When asked what he envisions for the hotel in the near future, Stefan explains he wants the hotel to attract locals and tourists. The hotel has plans to create a space for people to meet in Prague. There are plans for events to be on weekly – creating a bustling atmosphere that attracts people time and time again. 

“The hotel is going through a period of transformation. We want to showcase the beautiful history of the building and classical framework of the hotel, but we also want to create a modern and stylish ambiance for guests.” Stefan says. 

With classic rooms on offer and a modern fusion of energy and spirit – to learn more or book online visit The Mozart Hotel’s website for more information.