Monday 14 March 2016

Girly weekend in Riga: Opera Hotel and Spa

We just returned from a fabulous girly getaway in Riga and my, how much fun we had! For our base we chose Opera Hotel and Spa, which is a hotel I'd admired already during our last spring break in Riga.

The location on the fringes of Old City is excellent : both Central Market and train stations are practically across the street.




The gorgeous building that houses the hotel is a fine example or Riga's renowned Art Deco architecture and won us immediately over with its majestic presence.

Inside the award-winning hotel has been thoroughly renovated and the atmosphere is stylish, yet fresh and very contemporary.







Corridors are downright Scandinavian in their colouring.





We had a Standard room, which ticked just about all the boxes. Despite the first floor location it was quiet and peaceful and those soft beds provided the best sleep I'd had in ages.

Each room is adorned with photographs depicting the charm of Riga in the days gone by. 




Our room didn't have a bath tub, but seeing how we'd booked ourselves into the spa anyway, this time the the disappointment wasn't quite as soul crushing. As there was no bath, there were no robes and slippers either, which was the dress code I was planning in following all weekend on my way in and out of the spa, but a quick call to the reception took care of that in mere minutes.

Service in the hotel was great in every way and the lovely staff at the reception made sure we were taken care of, organizing us to be chauffeured from the airport and to Jurmala and back. 

The only moans we had had to do with a couple of minor details in the bathroom. 




There was something wrong with the drains, though we didn't seem to be the only ones suffering from that in Riga: it was also something our Irish friends who were holidaying in Riga at the same time complained about.

There was no wall or curtain separating the shower from the rest of the bathroom, which meant that every corner of the bathroom got its share of the showers - including the toilet paper rack which, for some reason, had been placed down by the floor.




The breakfast, served in the light and airy restaurant was very traditional and catered to every need. Yes, even the herring-obsessed me!







People in Riga have a thing for brunches, and Opera's Sunday brunch is very popular among the locals. Not only is it extensive (from sushi to burgers, from pizza to Vitello Tonnasto...) it's also very affordable (12€/ person)








Unlike at breakfast, the selection is only listed in Latvian, so the exact content remained a bit of a mystery to me. The selection echoes the Eastern European traditions, so you might be in for some seriously local treats. Anyone for some meat jelly...?




* In collaboration with Opera Hotel and Spa


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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?



      


SHARING IS CARING!

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