Recreating a RL destination in Second Life is quite hard, given the limitations of what you can realistically do within one or two regions. As a result, many creators fall into a common mistake of overwhelming spaces with too much detail. However, SL Restaurant and destination brand Fete has in the past done a good job in capturing the essence of real-world locations without succumbing to the temptation of overcrowding.

That’s the case with their  latest project, The Grand Hotel Pupp, situated in the picturesque Karlovy Vary of the Czech Republic. An iconic Central European establishment, The Grand Hotel Pupp flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Karlovy Vary was known as Karlsbad under the rule of Austria-Hungary.

Overall, the meticulous recreation crafted by Exeter and JeVon Nova-Parnes was impressive. They have successfully captured the grandeur of the hotel, mirroring the layout of the street, main drive, and balcony with a level of authenticity that transports visitors to a luxurious, immersive retreat, especially suited for couples.

Overall look and feel

Check-in is at the main hotel building, which contains a number of suites. These have their own private elevator and foyer leading to them. 

Located in the penthouse, the hotel also contains a branch of the Fete restaurant.

Directly behind the Grand Hotel Pupp, you will find an ice skating rink (skates are provided) while a cable car transports you to a winter sports area. The area immediately in front of the hotel, meanwhile, captures the charm of a small town complete with shops, cafes, and the entrance to the hot springs – a nod to the real-life Karlovy Vary.

The rooms

Suites range from the in-town villas in town at 1600L per person, to the Presidential Suite at 2200L pp, per night.  We stayed in the Quisisana Suite (2k pp per night).

This puts the Grand Hotel Pupp at the more expensive end of RP-led Second Life resorts.  However, it's worth noting that there is also a two night dinner and stay package on offer for 7000L.

The Quisisana Suite , reached via a private elevator at reception, is across two levels.  The living area and balcony is at the bottom, and the bedroom and bathroom at the top. Overall, the suite gives the feeling of space, without too much crammed in.

The bedroom has an Avani French Campaign, which offers MM and FF as well as MF animations.  

The bathroom has an INM compatible KV Shower. I’ve noticed a trend in SL Hotels and Resorts with large walk-in showers replacing baths. This very much mimics what is happening in RL (though in RL it’s done for cost savings and environmental reasons).  Having said that, a few of the other suites do still seem to have baths.

Many SL baths tend to disappoint anyway in terms of couples anims, so large walk-in showers are perhaps a better bet going forward.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that there were little touches in the room such as champagne, and a coffee machine, that enhanced the overall experience.

The facilities

These include:

• A branch of fête restaurant.  Dinner is 1100L pp, unless you want private dining at 1500L pp.  This makes the dinner and stay package at 7000L better value if you want to combine your stay with a dinner date.

• The spa, which has RP services on offer such as massages at 500L pp

• An in-town wine shop with RP wine tastings at 500L pp. This proved to be lots of fun

• The thermal springs (free)

• A skating rink

• Snidane (Czech for breakfast) restaurant and cafe (self service not RP), as well as a pizzeria,  Irish pub and the Borcelle coffee shop

• An extensive ski area that you reach via cable car.  This includes skis, snow boards, sleds and snow tubes, as well as a cosy ski lodge. The cable car is very impressive, and the winter activities on offer are enjoyable.

In summary, you won’t run out of things to do here.

Practical information

• This is a private resort and sim - you need to pre-book via the website.  You then get access for the duration of your stay. As part of that, you can rez poses and props

• Prices vary from 1600-2200 pp per night. As mentioned there is the two night dinner and stay package at 7000L all in

• I had a little bit of lag, but nothing to impact the overall experience too much

• The resort itself is moderate, so adult activities need to be confined to the suites

• The Grand Hotel will be open until March 2024, so if you want to go, you need to book now

Overall

This is one of the higher priced options as far as SL Hotels go, and there certainly are cheaper ones available.  But for that you do get a really well crafted and designed experience, complete with high end suites and plenty to see and do.  Highly recommended

Website for bookings and further information