Montenegro, in Casino Royale, is in fact Bohemia. The Grandhotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary stands in for the Hotel Splendide, and it remains a working hotel where you can still book a room, dine in the restaurant and set out on foot into the same spa town. This is the Grandhotel Pupp Casino Royale connection in detail, and a sensible way to make use of it.
In the film
In Casino Royale (2006), Daniel Craig’s Bond and Vesper Lynd check in at the Hotel Splendide, which is the Pupp. They dine late at night in the hotel restaurant, and it is from the hotel that Bond walks to the casino for the first time. The hotel car park is where his Aston Martin DBS waits. The casino itself is not the Pupp: its exteriors are the Kaiserbad, a former spa building close by.
The details of the Grandhotel Pupp Casino Royale location
Since 1701. The story begins with the Saxon Hall, built that year, and the hotel marks 325 years in 2026. Six generations of the Pupp family shaped it, and over more than three centuries it became a setting for the town’s social and cultural life. Dozens of films have been shot here, and each July it hosts guests of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Two buildings, 228 rooms. The hotel is made up of two connected buildings, River Side and Park Side. Rooms run from Comfort and Superior through Junior Suite and Premier Suite to Apartment, so there is a sensible choice whether you want one quiet night or a longer stay.
Dining and bars. The ground floor holds restaurants, a café, bars, boutiques and a casino of its own. Two of the hotel’s restaurants, Grandrestaurant and Malá dvorana, appear in the first Czech selection of the MICHELIN Guide, which also lists the hotel. Becher’s Bar covers the evening.
The spa. Spa Franziska has a large pool and saunas, with Ayurvedic massages among the treatments. In a spa town, it is the natural second reason to stay.
A work in progress. In its anniversary year the hotel says it is undergoing a gradual, sensitive restoration. It is worth asking at the time of booking whether any part of the building you care about is affected.
Staying there now
We would treat the Pupp as a stop on a longer Czech or German route rather than a destination alone. Two nights is the right length: one for dinner and a walk, one for the spa. Prague’s airport is about 62 miles away, and Karlovy Vary has its own airport about 2 miles from the hotel.
When to go. The film festival is held at the beginning of July, so expect that week to be busy. We would choose a quieter month, when the hotel’s evening programme, running from autumn into spring and taking in ballet, cabaret and cello, gives the stay its own shape.
The film walk. The Kaiserbad, the building behind the film’s casino exteriors, is very close to the hotel. Do not expect the hotel’s own casino to be the one on screen; the film borrowed the spa building for its exteriors.
What to pack. We would pack a jacket for dinner. Nothing more is needed, and there is no reason to dress as anyone else.
How to book. The hotel advertises a best-rate guarantee when you book direct, and its Rooms & Suites page is the place to compare categories. Start there.
Specifications
| Hotel | Grandhotel Pupp, five-star, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Address | Mírové náměstí 2, 360 01 Karlovy Vary |
| Rooms | 228, in two connected buildings (River Side and Park Side) |
| Room categories | Comfort, Superior, Superior Plus, Junior Suite, Premier Suite, Apartment |
| History | Dates from 1701 (the Saxon Hall); 325 years in 2026 |
| Facilities | Spa Franziska with pool and saunas, restaurants, Becher’s Bar, café, casino |
| Location | About 300m from the spa colonnade; Karlovy Vary Airport about 2 miles; Prague airport about 62 miles |
| Rates | Vary by date and room; see the hotel’s booking page |
Rooms, rates and restoration updates are on the Grandhotel Pupp website.
Questions
Is Grandhotel Pupp the Hotel Splendide in Casino Royale?
Yes. The Grandhotel Pupp doubles for the Hotel Splendide in Montenegro. The hotel itself lists Casino Royale among the films shot there, and it is where Bond and Vesper check in and dine late at night.
Is the casino in Casino Royale at the Grandhotel Pupp?
No. The casino exteriors in the film are the Kaiserbad, a former spa building near the hotel. The Pupp has a casino of its own on the ground floor, but it is not the one on screen.
Can you stay at the Grandhotel Pupp?
Yes. It is a working five-star hotel with 228 rooms, from Comfort rooms to apartments, and you can book through the hotel directly.
How old is the Grandhotel Pupp?
Its history begins in 1701, when the Saxon Hall was built. The hotel is marking 325 years in 2026 and is being gradually restored.
For more places worth the journey, see our travel and hotels guide, or browse the full list of Bond films.
