Metropole Hotel - Riga, Latvia     

The location is very very good. It is beside trains and buses and at the edge of the old town.Got a room at the back of the hotel after reading previous reviews. No view but no noise either.Single rooms are small and there is no shower just a wet room so be careful. Bed was so comfortable.Breakfast is ok with a reasonable selection. Check in staff are friendly but rest of the staff are not. I don't think i saw any of them smile. There is a free internet in the business center and a small gym and sauna. Restaurant was very quiet while I was there. They allow smoking in the bar including cigars which is terrible.

The 4 star Hotel Metropole has a fantastic location in the edge of old town near plenty of sights and shopping. It is also very handy for transport, because it is only a short walk to trains, buses and trams. The location however has its downsides as well, because on the street side the rooms have traffic noise and on the courtyard side music can be disturbing. I don’t know where the music came from, it was not extremely loud, but it was a little annoying. My room was spotlessly clean. It had nice furnishing and was perfectly adequate size for a single room. The bed was even a bit bigger than expected. There was an ironing board, a hair dryer and plenty of Riga guide material to read. I think the minibar was also reasonably priced. But...there were some problems. The room was incredibly cold. The heating was on, but it didn’t help, because the air-conditioning was icy and I couldn’t switch it off in my room. And shower pressure was practically non-existent, which made it very difficult to wash long hair. Breakfast was good and filling. There was everything from bacon and eggs to porridge and cereals and fresh fruits. The croissants, baked in the premises, were delicious. Service was friendly, some of the reception staff nicer than others, but overall it was good. The business centre on the 6th floor was really small and internet connection wasn’t always working properly. But it was nice, however, to be able to check e-mails since I didn’t have a laptop. When booking, I contacted the hotel directly and got a good rate for my 5 night stay. I would stay here again, but then again, I think it would not be my first choice for a return visit.