Latvia
Accommodation in Latvia
Hotels in Latvia
Hotels in Latvia every year receive more and more visitors. Tourism in Latvia is booming. Hotels in Riga and Jurmala, two main tourist centers, are today represented in all segments, from such luxury brands as Ramada to guesthouse in former dormitories. Among the promising directions, where gradually come world's major hotel companies is historical Kurzeme region in Western Latvia with such cities as Liepaja, Ventspils, Tukums and Talsi.
Riga, Latvia
Photo: Alesia Belaya
Hotels in Latvia largely preserved or restored the bourgeois gloss, which was inherent in the hotel industry of Latvia before losing independence in 1939. Moreover, already during the Soviet period in recreation in Latvia was quite quality. In Jurmala, first in the Soviet Union were opened bowling and a variety show. Today hotels in Jurmala are presented by hotels, which are mainly focused on health and spa tourism.
Recreation on the Baltic Sea in Latvia is still popular among Russians and Belarusians. Moreover, in recent years, with Latvia's accession to the Schengen area, the country receives increased number of tourists from Poland, Scandinavia and Germany. Staff of modern Latvian hotels is fluent in Russian.
Many Latvian hotels still bear the imprint of the Soviet era. This concerns first of all 3* hotels, located on the Baltic coast of Latvia. At the same time more and more cumbersome Soviet hotels, which were presented by 3-star hotels in Latvia were purchased and converted by major international hotel operators. In addition, in Latvia became increasingly popular small family hotels for 20-30 places - Latvian analog of bed and breakfast hotels. Such hotels in Latvia offer their services in the increasingly popular segment of rural tourism.
Hotels in Riga today represent a sample of service quality and comfort for the whole Latvia. The largest number of high-class hotels is located in the Old Town of the Latvian capital.
In Latvia is adopted European system of star hotel classification. However, often fuzzy boundaries between classes of hotels in Latvia have certain indicators. Thus, the luxury 5* in most cases offer a wide range of spa services, whereas roadside service, such as motels and camping grounds, are not higher than 3-star. In addition, Latvian Hotel Association not so long ago established its own quality mark, which enables member hotels of the association to position its services. The sign «Dross, kvalitativs un draudzigs klientam» (literally: client-friendly) will allow the guests to be sure that the hotel services with such sign for 100% correspond to the declared level.
