Straight from the O2 arena to backstage?

Just a few steps separate the O₂ arena from a hotel that feels like a natural extension of its world. STAGES HOTEL Prague is more than just a place to sleep; the music, design, cuisine, and even the names of the various spaces reflect a lifestyle driven by the rhythm of concerts, sporting matches, and major events. Global stars and sports champions rest in its rooms, fans gather at the BACKSTAGE Restaurant before shows, and during the Ice Hockey World Championship, the hotel served as home to the Czech team that went on to win the title. We spoke with General Manager Otakar John about managing a hotel next to the Czech Republic’s largest arena, what goes on behind the scenes, and whether any guests still manage to surprise him.

A Hotel That’s Part of the Experience

STAGES HOTEL Prague is located just steps away from the O₂ arena. To what extent do you consider the hotel a natural part of the arena, and to what extent has it established its own identity?

I think it’s a bit of both. The connection to the O₂ arena has been literally in our DNA from the very beginning—from the hotel’s initial concept and design to the names of the individual spaces. At the same time, however, we’ve built our own identity over the years; today, we are no longer just “the hotel next to the O₂ arena.” We offer a distinct product with a unique atmosphere and our own culinary experience, and many guests visit us even when there isn’t an event taking place at the arena. And that is precisely what I consider proof that the whole concept works.

People usually come to a hotel to seek out experiences elsewhere. At STAGES, however, the idea from the very beginning has been that the stay itself should be an experience. How is that philosophy translated into day-to-day operations?

Above all, by ensuring the hotel isn’t just a place where you get a room key, sleep, and leave in the morning. We want guests to feel the STAGES atmosphere the moment they step into the lobby. The music, design, scent, restaurant, and—most importantly—the people looking after them: everything has to work in harmony. It becomes even more intense during major concerts or sporting events. For a few hours, the hotel becomes part of the event and the overall experience itself.

The world of music is present almost everywhere at STAGES—from the hotel’s name and the BACKSTAGE Restaurant to the MUSIC Lounge and the FRONTMAN Suite. Which detail do you think guests enjoy discovering the most?

I particularly like the details that aren’t immediately obvious—like room signage that references musical themes, or subtle design elements in the interiors and exteriors. And, of course, the BACKSTAGE Restaurant; the name itself perfectly captures our location. Guests gradually realize that the musical inspiration isn’t just a marketing gimmick but truly permeates the entire hotel.

If you had to describe the hotel’s atmosphere in three words to someone who has never been to STAGES, what would they be?

Energetic. Informal. Authentic. Unique.

Living Next Door to the O₂ arena

Can you tell, just by walking into the lobby, whether a metal concert, a pop show, or a sports match is taking place at the O₂ arena that evening?

Absolutely. And often, you don’t even need to know what’s on the schedule. The audience for each event is slightly different—in terms of attire, energy, and how they spend their time before the show starts. A metal concert, a pop star’s performance, and a hockey match create three completely different worlds in the lobby. For me, these constant transformations are one of the things I enjoy most about STAGES.

What happens in the hotel when a sold-out concert for nearly twenty thousand people ends and a portion of the crowd heads your way?

Everything changes in a matter of minutes. One moment the lobby might be relatively quiet, and the next, it’s filled with people, emotions, and the energy from the concert. Naturally, it’s an operationally demanding moment that we have to be prepared for. At the same time, however, it’s exactly the moment when STAGES works just as we envisioned—the concert doesn’t really end with the final song at the O₂ arena; its atmosphere lives on with us.

Hotel guests also enjoy priority entry to the O₂ arena. How important do you think it is today to link accommodation with the visitor’s entire experience—from arrival right through to the event itself?

Very important. Nowadays, the experience is about far more than just luxury. It means more than just a nicer room or a larger bathroom—those are taken for granted. The real added value lies in convenience and time. You arrive, park, check in, have dinner or a drink, and then simply walk over to the concert in a matter of minutes. Add priority entry to the O₂ arena to the mix, and another set of worries disappears. Guests don’t have to deal with logistics; they can simply enjoy the entire evening.

Stars Behind Closed Doors

Thanks to its location, STAGES naturally plays host to artists, athletes, and their teams. Is looking after a global music star fundamentally different from caring for an ordinary guest?

In principle, not really. Every guest expects us to take good care of them. Of course, with famous personalities, there are much higher demands regarding privacy, security, and logistics, and everything is often planned well in advance. But our philoso
The philosophy is the same: the guest should feel that everything runs naturally and without complications. Ideally, they shouldn’t even notice the amount of work going on behind the scenes.

Do big stars really have such unusual requests as the public imagines, or is the reality much more ordinary?

The reality is usually far more ordinary than the legends about rock stars suggest. Of course, there are very detailed riders and occasionally unusual requests, but most artists basically want the same things as other guests—peace, privacy, good food, and quality service. Surprisingly, the bigger the star, the more normal their requests often tend to be.

Without naming names—can you recall a request from a guest that surprised even your experienced hotel team?

Certainly—and more than one. Some requests can really challenge us to be creative. But this is where I’ll stick to one of the fundamental rules of the hotel industry: what happens in the hotel, stays in the hotel. Discretion is just as much a part of our service as a comfortable bed or a good breakfast.

Does it ever happen that guests have no idea they are standing next to someone at breakfast or in the elevator who sold out the O₂ arena the night before?

Yes, and perhaps more often than you’d expect. Without the stage, lights, costumes, and entourage, some global stars look incredibly unassuming. They sit at breakfast in a hoodie and sneakers, and most guests have no idea who is at the next table. And I think that’s exactly what many of them enjoy about staying with us.

And conversely—has a famous guest ever surprised you with their utter modesty and lack of demands?

Many times. I’d even say that after all these years, it doesn’t really surprise me anymore. Some of the biggest names we’ve hosted were also the nicest and least demanding guests. It makes you realize all over again that the size of a person’s name and the size of their ego don’t necessarily go hand in hand.

The World Champions’ Hotel

During the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship, the Czech national team—who ultimately won gold—stayed at your hotel. How do you look back on those days?

That’s something you never forget. The hotel became home to the Czech team for the duration of the championship, and naturally, we were all living and breathing the tournament long before it even began. With every subsequent match, the tension and anticipation grew.

When I signed my employment contract at the O₂ arena in 2020, the first outlines of the hotel were just beginning to rise above ground level in the parking lot across the street. I remember standing there for a long time, imagining that one day the Ice Hockey World Championship would return to the O₂ arena, that the players might stay with us, and that we might become part of one of the biggest events imaginable in our country. When the Czech team won the world championship title on home soil after fourteen years, we were overjoyed and felt like we were part of something extraordinary.

Can you describe the atmosphere at the hotel after the winning final? Was it a typical hotel night, or had it turned into one big celebration?

Let’s just say it was a very atypical hotel night. (laughs) Emotions were running high—not just among the players, but among our staff as well. You look after the team for weeks, seeing the players every day, and then suddenly they return to the hotel as world champions. In a moment like that, it’s obviously hard to remain completely professionally neutral. That evening, we were Czechs and fans first and foremost.

Then, on Monday afternoon—just before the players left for Old Town Square—Roman Červenka suggested we take a group photo with the team, saying, “After all, we were one team.” That led to a unique photograph that has held a place of honor in the hotel lobby ever since.

That story also gave rise to the “Champions’ Table,” featuring an original gold medal and seats associated with specific players. How did that idea come about?

We wanted something to remain in the hotel after that extraordinary period—not just a photograph on the wall, but something with a real story behind it. That’s how the Champions’ Table came to be, located right where the players used to meet regularly during the championship. It serves as a memento of the team that stayed with us for several weeks and ultimately left as world champions. The original gold medal we received from the hockey federation as a token of appreciation naturally adds a whole new dimension to it.

A more personal look at Otakar John

The hotel operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the manager, are you ever able to truly “switch off”?

Completely? Probably not. The hotel never closes, and there is always something going on. Of course, you can put your phone down, but in the back of your mind, you know the operation is still running. On the other hand, over my many years in the industry, I’ve learned to trust the people around me. You couldn’t do this job in the long run without a great team.

What still surprises you about the hotel business after all these years?

People. But that’s also the reason I still enjoy the industry. You can have perfect processes, standards, and prepared scenarios, but every day someone or something comes along that isn’t in any manual. A hotel is essentially a living organism—and no two days are the same in…
…practically non-existent there.

When you have the chance to walk just a few meters from work to the O₂ arena—are you still a hotel director observing the service and operations around you, or can you transform into an ordinary fan?

For the first ten minutes, I definitely still notice things an average visitor might not even see. It’s likely a professional habit. But once a good concert or an interesting match gets underway, I can switch gears very quickly.

At the same time, I have to take my hat off to the level of service my colleagues at the O₂ arena—and, of course, the O₂ universum—manage to provide. I travel a lot, and concerts or sporting events are often the reason for those trips. Yet, the standard set by the O₂ arena is something you rarely see elsewhere.

And which global star do you think should definitely stay at STAGES?

Pearl Jam. Not only do I really love the band, but theirs was also the first major concert by a global star we were preparing for after the hotel opened. Unfortunately, the concert was cancelled at the last minute, and we’ve been waiting ever since. In fact, the very first reservation we received for the hotel—back in the spring of 2021, before it had even opened—was for the dates of that concert. We still have it framed in our meeting room to this day.

And if Eddie Vedder happened to leave a guitar behind as a souvenir, I certainly wouldn’t mind.