Long Story Short - Hostel Café Eatery Bakery, Olomouc, Czechia

The name Long Story Short refers to the long continuous corridor of the hostel, which mainly offers short-term accommodation. An entire floor has been converted into welcoming, friendly, and cosmopolitan accommodation for contemporary nomads and more demanding clients from the Czech Republic and around the world.

The entire concept of the hostel was created from scratch, including all the furnishings and artistic design. The main idea was to emphasize the historical genius loci and enrich it with contemporary design through sensitive modifications. Interior designer and scenographer Denisa Strmisková worked on the hostel's design for two years. 

The organically arched corridor leading from the reception to all the rooms looks different from every angle and surprises you at every turn as you walk through it. Its forms are further emphasized by the subtle yet sophisticated use of light, for which the designer drew inspiration from scenography. 

The pure white plaster contrasts with black details and a sensitive selection of pastel shades, which are used to upholster the simply designed seating furniture, grouped together to form intimate zones. Most of the furnishings were custom-made. Beds, mirrors, light fixtures, shelves, and bathroom furnishings were custom-designed for the rooms in collaboration with local manufacturers.

How it all began – From fortress to bakery

The history of the Podkova residence – today the headquarters of Long Story Short – began in 1740-1742.

The project was initiated by Eva Dlabalová, a young, courageous entrepreneur who spent many years gathering inspiration from her travels and life abroad. In collaboration with interior designer Denisa Strmisková and the owner of the property, she converted an entire floor of the extensive historic Podkova building into welcoming and cosmopolitan accommodation. The positive feedback from contemporary nomads and more demanding clients from Czechia and abroad was complemented by the British magazine Guardian, which named Long Story Short one of the ten best hostels in the world in 2019.

In connection with the War of the Habsburg Succession, Maria Theresa decided to rebuild the existing military fortress into a strong fortification supplemented by a system of bastions around the entire city. One of them – the Hospital Bastion – laid the foundations for the building in which you are currently located. At the beginning of the 19th century, a major reconstruction of the fortress took place, around which advanced forts were built at that time, forming a ring-shaped fortification several kilometers in front of the city walls themselves. At that time, the Hospital Bastion was no longer the first line of fortification, so a military bakery was built into it between 1810 and 1814.

At the end of the 19th century, the walls surrounding the city began to be gradually demolished so that they would not hinder further development. The city requested the abolition of the fortress many times, and petitions were written. At that time, the fortress was already like a shell that was suffocating the city. No construction was allowed outside the walls, and everything inside was subject to the command of the fortress commander. However, the existence of the fortress also had its bright side. Thanks to the fortress, monuments that we would not see today have been preserved.

But bread was still needed even after the fortress was abolished, so baking continued in the "horseshoe" area. The ovens were only extinguished by the floods of 1997. After the floods, students moved into the building. University dormitories with a capacity of 74 beds were established here.

Long Story Short – A modern hostel in a historic fortress

In 2017, after the renovation of the building, the brand new Long Story Short hostel opened its doors, bringing stylish accommodation in a pleasant environment to Olomouc, combining history and contemporary lifestyle. The name "Long Story Short" refers not only to the rich history of the place and the layout of the building with one long continuous corridor, but also to the short-term accommodation it primarily offers.

Interior & design

The hostel currently offers accommodation in several private and shared rooms, with a total capacity of 56 beds. The entire concept of the hostel accommodation was created from scratch – including all the equipment and artistic design. The main idea was to emphasize the historical genius loci and enrich it with contemporary design through sensitive modifications.

Most of the furnishings were custom-made. Beds, mirrors, lamps, shelves, and bathroom fixtures were custom-designed for the rooms in collaboration with local manufacturers, such as Master & Master and RAV Slezák. Designer Daniela Strmisková elegantly harmonized all of this with the old modernist design of the last century, which she selected in collaboration with Miroslav Bednář from the Prague store Retroobjects. She complemented the interior with contemporary elegant details, including Berker bakelite switches and Spanish Marset lighting fixtures. Bulb and Ewerel also supplied lighting for the interior.

The minimalist navigation system, which is based on the hostel's complex visual style, was created by Czech graphic designer Jan Košátko. Some areas of the hostel are also decorated with original works of art by Czech artist David Minařík.

Café Bar – Breakfast (almost!) in bed

Café Bar is our stylish café, which offers breakfast every day from 7:00 a.m. for our guests and passing customers. You can choose from a buffet breakfast, which offers such delicacies as our homemade pastries, honest jams, cheeses, cold cuts, artisanal spreads, and much more. In addition to the all-you-can-eat buffet, we also offer a breakfast menu and our pastries and baked goods. We are open every day throughout the year, with outdoor seating available during the summer months. In summer, the terrace is a place for dancing, music, and barbecues.

The Long Story Continues – Eatery & Bakery

In 2020, the Long Story Short concept expanded to include the Eatery & Bakery restaurant. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the building and, with its thoughtful and minimalist design, is the perfect venue not only for beautiful weddings, but also for parties and celebrations of all kinds. The entire gastronomic concept at Long Story Short is led by Petr Heneš together with chef Karel Kasík.

The food at Eatery & Bakery is a culinary mosaic. Although we source most of our ingredients from farms and suppliers in the Moravian region, our kitchen is undeniably "world fusion," so you can look forward to a mix of all kinds of flavors from around the world. In addition to the regular sale of our baked goods, Eatery also offers daily lunches, creative dinners in the style of shared plates, and "chef's table" experience evenings – a five-course tasting menu selected by the head chef.