Our Night in a Shopping Centre and a Trip to Vsetín 🙂

When we drove all the way to Lešná Zoo and Zlín’s Baťa Skyscraper, we decided there was no point rushing home the same evening. We wanted to explore somewhere new the next day, and the choice fell on Vsetín — a town neither of us had ever visited. So we booked one night at Hotel Smetanova right in the town centre. 🏨

Like Night at the Museum… except it’s a shopping centre! 😀

What makes the hotel unusual is that it occupies the top floor of the local shopping centre. 🏬

We parked in the underground car park (free for hotel guests) and took the lift all the way up to reception. The receptionist was wonderfully friendly and gave us all the information we needed.

Our room was absolutely wonderful. I was immediately struck by the huge floor-to-ceiling window — thankfully it could be opened — which offered a lovely view of the greenery and the street below. 🙂

There was even a live plant in the room. 🙂 The bed had a fantastic, properly thick and spotlessly clean mattress. Bottled water and miniature toiletries were waiting for us, and although there was no fridge, for a three-star hotel it felt like a luxury room.

Our room at Hotel Smetanova

The hotel offers a wellness centre for a fee and a gym free of charge, though we used neither. There is also a 5D cinema in the shopping centre.

Right next to reception is a great Restaurant & Bowling Smetanova, where we had dinner one evening and lunch the next day. The food and service were both top-notch. We would definitely recommend this restaurant. 👍

The most memorable thing about the hotel, though, is that you are essentially locked inside the shopping centre overnight. All the shops close at eight in the evening, after which hotel guests can only use the lift and the night entrance. The escalators are switched off and taped off with red tape, and the whole place falls completely silent.

Breakfast here is table service — you choose your time slot and menu in advance. We tried both the classic option (scrambled eggs with sausages and vegetables) and filled croissants.

Restaurant & Bowling Smetanova

We are Wallachians, one family!

The following morning, straight after breakfast, we headed into town.

Not far from the hotel is the tourist information centre, housed in a striking glass building. A charming gentleman there spent quite a long time with us, giving excellent tips on what to see in Vsetín and the surrounding area. And there is plenty! It was a shame we only had one day for the town.

Even so, Vsetín completely charmed me. It is an incredibly pleasant, green and clean town. And those buses! They drive around town painted with Wallachian motifs and decorated with brilliant slogans like “We are Wallachians, one family” or “The Wallachians are coming.” It instantly puts you in a great mood. 🙂

We also came across a wonderful stone weather station on the main square.

Vsetín's main square and the famous slogan-covered buses

Architecture that makes you stop in your tracks

On our walk through the centre we came across the beautifully decorated building of the Civic Savings Bank, whose stunning sgraffito was designed by the celebrated Czech painter Mikoláš Aleš.

A little further on, we noticed a building with a top shaped like castle battlements. I found out it is the former Old Town Hall from the eighteenth century, now home to a business incubator.

Our steps naturally led us up to Vsetín Castle as well. Don’t expect classic castle chambers — the building houses the Museum of the Wallachia Region — but the building itself, with its tall tower, is beautiful.

Right below it is a lovely park with a small pond, a gazebo and a large VSETÍN sign where we took a few photos and rounded off our walk. 🌳