Fragile Dasa wants to open the Augustine hotel more to Czechs

She speaks English, Russian, some German and Italian she learned from a textbook for self- learning. Before 1989 it was the easiest solution. "Italian was my great love," says the Czech native and graduate of Czech Technical University Dagmar Smit, who, also thanks to this, started working for an Italian company in Prague immediately after the borders opened. Today she is an executive of the Czech branch of an international development company Waldeck Capital LLC, which belongs to her husband Thomas. One of the investments of the company was the repair of buildings in the Lesser Quarter, where five-star hotel Augustine is located. "My husband is a big supporter of art and it usually happens so that we begin to repair some interesting and historically valuable buildings. This is also the case of the Augustine in Prague" says Dagmar smiling, but stating it was not an easy job. The set of buildings, which include among others the Augustinian monastery and St. Tomas church, is registered on the UNESCO list.

"We were guarded by conservationists a lot, but we have good relations with them till today. When we discovered old wall during the research, and it could be suitably integrated into the new premises, we made a route with a crane and moved it to a new location centimeter by centimeter “ she shows a piece of the wall with enthusiasm. Her own husband initially did not want to work with her together in Prague at all. "He says I am too big perfectionist. Finally he acknowledged that I know the Czech mentality and local conditions better " she laughs and immediately says how again and again she negotiated with the authorities. "It took a lot of patience, but the result is worth it."

Even when the reconstruction was finished and interiors furnished mostly in cubist spirit, the Smit’s did not leave Prague forever. "We help the current tenant, the international chain Rocco Forte, also with its own hotel business. Now we want together to attract more Czech clients to the Augustine, to it’s restaurants and pub " Dagmar points out that in the bowels of the hotel, which is a little unfortunately hidden behind a high wall in the Lesser Quarter, is hiding the original famous pub U Sv. Tomáše, where they nowadays still have beer on tap brewed according to original recipe exclusively for the hotel by Mr.Matuska from minibrewery Broumy. "We want to open direct entrance to this pub from the Wallenstein Gardens in summer, but we have to agree with the Senate. Meanwhile the door acts as an emergency exit. We focus more on the Czech cuisine, cooking from regional products. And Czech guest should get the offer precisely tailored to his needs and his wallet. In order for families with children to visit us, even just for coffee and cake, "says about the hotel plans. Allegedly, Thomas Smit does not hesitate to measure it’s perfection of service on a stopwatch. Morning coffee has to be in guest’s room within five minutes.

"You need to take care of investments, so even if we have a company in Luxembourg, we still come to Prague. In addition, the view from the best Augustine suite in the tower always convinces us how beautiful Prague is. You can check from there whether Mr. President is at the castle, if all red roofs are in their place. Luxembourg is a city of gray roofs, so it's a nice change, " says at first glance fragile blonde, behind whom is seen quite a piece of work already.