Taking advantage of Jin Jiang’s big promo once again, I managed to tick off two more European countries – and first stop: Riga, Latvia. For reasons I still don’t quite understand, Radisson has seven hotels in Riga, far more than all the other chains combined. Naturally, choosing the right one took some serious consideration.
After weighing up the location, price and hardware, I narrowed it down to two Radisson Blu properties: the Latvija and the Elizabete, which are just a short walk apart. The Elizabete had better reviews and the photos looked lovely, but in the end I went with the Latvija, mainly due to price and the presence of a pool.
The hotel isn’t in the Old Town, but Riga is small, so just a 10-minute walk and you’re there. At over 20 stories high, the building really stands out. For a hotel in Riga, this kind of height is pretty much unique.
Right as you walk in, you’ve got the restaurant and bar to either side, which makes the lobby feel spacious. It gave me a bit of that retro, state-run hotel vibe though.
The day before arrival, the app had already shown my room number, but still listed it as a Standard Room, which made me nervous. At check-in, the front desk told me I’d been upgraded to a Superior Room – not exactly generous, but apparently the hotel was “full” and they couldn’t offer anything higher – I could still see better rooms available in Radisson’s app.
My room was on the 18th floor, just over 20 square meters and everything visible at a glance:
It was pretty clear the room had some age to it. If I had to guess, the only real difference between Superior and Standard was probably a bathrobe or two. That said, the best part of the room was definitely the view:
It was almost painting-worthy and just needed a frame.
I saw some reviews on TripAdvisor complaining about noise insulation, and yep, they were spot on. I was already near the top of the building and could still faintly hear music from somewhere below at night, and can’t imagine what the lower floors are like. If you’re staying here, definitely ask for a higher floor.
The welcome amenity was merely a few tiny pastries.
There’s a separate panoramic elevator that takes you up to the rooftop bar, which has an even better view.
Both Radisson VIPs and Jin Jiang Platinum members get complimentary breakfast here, which is served buffet-style.
I’d hoped that being in Eastern Europe, Riga would offer something a bit different, but alas, we’re still stuck in the English breakfast universe. I grabbed a few bites and called it a day. The quality was average, though one unique offering was the mini cream puffs.
A lot of negative reviews online focus on the spa costing extra. Either you book a room with spa access, or you pay €25 per person, per day. Radisson VIPs get a one-time free entry. Naturally, I went to check it out:
Gym:
The pool is of a decent size, but the lighting was quite dim:
Jacuzzi:
Two sauna cabins:
One feels like home heating in winter, whereas the other is like walking into a cauldron.
Steam room:
Overall, the spa facilities were solid. I actually appreciated that they put a price barrier in place, which helped keep the crowd manageable. During my one-hour visit, there were always just around a dozen people. Any more and it would’ve been unpleasant. Still, I wouldn’t personally pay €25 to get in.
In short: it’s an aging hotel that leans a bit stingy, but the views and spa are definite highlights. After two nights, I moved over to the Hilton Garden Inn in the Old Town – quick thoughts below.
First off, the location is perfect: it’s right next to the Blackheads House in the heart of the Old Town (which maybe explains the funky look), and just two minutes on foot from the stop for Bus 22 to the airport.
Service was lovely. I was allowed to check in at 12:30pm and given a 2pm late checkout. They even offered a complimentary glass of bubbly and some ice cream.
The room was brand new and super bright, a much more refreshing feel than the Radisson.
An interesting feature was the skylight-style window. Although I wasn’t on the top floor, one entire wall was angled like a loft, possibly for better lighting. Usually I find these annoying in hotels, but the room was large enough that it actually felt unique. I imagine it might get quite hot in summer though.
I forgot to take photos of the breakfast, but I found it better than Radisson’s, mainly because there were more options, including a DIY waffle station.
That said, as much as I liked the place, the mattress was way too firm! I didn’t think much of it at first, but woke up with half my body numb 😛 Setting aside the bed (since mattress preference is so personal), I’d say the Hilton Garden Inn was a very solid stay overall.
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