A22 Hotel, Riga, Latvia

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I believe wholeheartedly that we should not let life pass us by; instead, we should seize the moments when we feel most alive. I feel the most alive when I travel, explore new places, and experience new things. Riga is known for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture, so it seemed like a perfect place to spend a weekend exploring the city. This was my first-ever solo trip, so it was also important for me to feel safe and Riga was very peaceful in October.




A22 Hotel

Choosing a hotel was not really difficult this time, because there was one clear favourite that stood out from the rest in terms of design and character. I always fall in love with spaces that tell stories. In addition, the elegant Art Nouveau-inspired décor and attention to detail appealed to me in this hotel. The chosen five-star A22 Hotel has a lot to be proud of. It is located in the quiet center of Riga known for its leafy parks and Art Nouveau architecture. The building served as the US Embassy in the 1930s and was visited by John F. Kennedy himself. In addition to its historical appeal, it has been chosen as the leading boutique hotel in Latvia in 2022. 

From the outside, the building looks grand but dark since the new-built extension is combined with the century-old part using the black color. But inside the building is bathing in natural light and decorated with subtle tones and a lot of wood, which makes the space feel warm and welcoming. The designers of CPB design aimed to create a sanctuary of calm in the center of Riga. So I was interested to see if this hotel and its design could bring me calm.





When I stepped into the hotel I didn't feel exactly calmed by the interior but inspired and in awe of the beautiful work that the designers did in honoring the past and bringing it up to date. I was equally impressed by the warm welcome of the receptionist. He was kind enough to introduce me to the hotel's public areas. The reception area or foyer is a rather small and long space but there are three lounging areas. The hotel also includes a restaurant named John after JFK and a bar called Jackie. The gym and sauna are located downstairs. The hotel is compact and very well-maintained. The customer service was very attentive throughout my stay. Not all staff members spoke English, which is common in Latvia, but we always managed.

My Superior Room

Of the 20 rooms and suites in the hotel, I had booked a Superior room and the receptionist was able to accommodate me into the room of my choosing. The room matched well with the images on their web pages. The room had two windows facing the park, beautiful parquet floors, design furnishings, and plush velvet textiles. The color scheme of blue and brown felt especially suitable for my Autumn visit and I loved seeing the golden leaves from the windows. So I was very grateful for the park view!





The stylish bathroom was hidden behind a wall of mirrors, which made the good-sized room feel even bigger. Every room in this hotel has a very large TV, a state-of-the-art sound system, and easily adjustable air-conditioning. There were also tea and coffee-making facilities as well as a cocktail-making set! The only thing I had to request for the room was an extra chair for the side table as I wanted to work on the computer a bit. After this addition, I felt that the room fulfilled all my needs and wishes.



Gourmet Restaurant John

The restaurant John serves breakfast as well as à la carte dinner. During my visit, the restaurant was fully booked for dinners but on Saturday morning I got to experience their à la carte breakfast. It was a welcome change from the normal buffet to have breakfast more formally. I am sure everybody can collect their usual breakfast also from the menu, even though a buffet would offer a wider selection of different dishes. I selected a croissant with tea, then an omelet with tomatoes and bacon, and finished it with the cake of the day and coffee. I really loved it so I decided to order dinner from the room service. I picked minestrone vegetable soup and a honey cake. It was super delicious! On Sunday morning they had also a small buffet with a different selection of bread and fruit in addition to à la carte.






    Excellent Amenities & Services

The quests can reserve private time for the sauna. That was a nice surprise for me! Both the sauna and the gym were small, but I thought that these were a great addition to the hotel. Moreover, they offer a wide range of different services in addition to the room service such as shuttle service and concierge services. The concierge can organize any activities according to the customers' wishes, so everybody can tailor their visit to suit that particular moment. The one thing that this hotel is missing is the pool. But on this trip that didn't matter to me. I really enjoyed the authenticity of the Finnish sauna and the luxurious showers.



In Conclusion

For me, this visit truly proved, how important it is to take time for yourself and spend sometimes time alone. That's where the calm begins at least for me. This hotel was the perfect choice for my weekend off and its location in the Quiet Center most appropriate. I was not longing for anything else but my books, peaceful walks in the park, and some fine dining. There are many high-quality restaurants and bakeries in the neighborhood so one doesn't have to venture very far from the hotel unless one desires to. The old town was approximately 15 minutes on foot – an easy distance I would say. But if you are longing for active nightlife instead of calm then this hotel might not be to your liking. For me, it delivered its promise of a calm sanctuary in the city and I would gladly return to this place. 


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