Because the room category that we booked at our hotel in
Riga included complimentary one-way airport transfers, a driver was waiting for
us after we departed baggage claim. In about 15 minutes, he ferried us from the
airport to our hotel in Old Town, the Grand Palace (a member of Leading Hotels
of the World and Schlossle Hotels [we stayed at their St. Petersbourg Hotel in
Tallinn later in our trip]).
The hotel enjoys a great location just a 2-minute walk from
Cathedral Square, where the Riga Cathedral (also called the Dome Church) is
located. Built in the early thirteenth century, the Cathedral is the largest
medieval church in the Baltic states, recognized for its pipe organ and rooster
weathervane. The city’s famous Three Brothers (three houses that represents
various periods in the development of house construction) is a 1-minute walk
away, and the House of the Black Heads (a gorgeous, ornate guild building for
unmarried merchants, shipowners, and foreigners) and St. Peter’s Church (a
Lutheran church with a tower/steeple that allows 360-degree panoramic views)
are 7 minutes by foot. Numerous shops and restaurants are within easy walking
distance of the Grand Palace Hotel. In addition, a convenience store/market
called RIMI Express was a 3-minute walk away. (We visited it each day to
purchase drinks (both alcoholic and non-) and snacks for our room.
Because we visited Riga at the end of the peak travel
season, the Grand Palace’s outdoor sidewalk cafe was no longer operational
(although its tables, chairs, and flowers/greenery had not yet been
dismantled). In order to reach the lobby of the hotel, we had to climb a few
steps, which could be a bit difficult for older guests or those toting large
luggage. Once inside on the main floor (located sort of a half-floor above the
street level), the elegant Pils Bar and Pils Restaurant are in separate rooms
located to one side, with the front desk and concierge in a room on the other
side. Behind the lobby room is a business corner as well as the stunning glass
atrium ceilinged Orangerie Restaurant, where we enjoyed a complimentary buffet
breakfast each morning. The breakfast at the Grand Palace was our favorite of
our entire trip, with various hot and cold selections, including a lovely
assortment of cheeses, caviar, and champagne, as well as some cooked-to-order
dishes like omelets. We loved the Orangerie room, the food, the staff, and the
intimate setting. (We had more expansive buffets at other hotels later in the
trip, but the smaller size of the room and the lack of a crowd made this one
stand out.) Other Grand Palace Hotel amenities include free Wi-Fi, fitness
center, sauna, and steam room.
After we checked in, we used the elevator to travel to the
fourth floor; then, because our room was located in an annex building and the
fourth floor of the main building didn’t quite match up in elevation with the
fourth floor of the annex, we took a different elevator to travel a sort of
half-floor. Our Junior Suite was spacious (about 400 square feet), with two
dormer-style windows (that could be opened and one of which provided an
excellent view of the ochre-colored steeple of the nearby St. Mary Magdalene
Roman Catholic Church), air-conditioning, a seating area (with sofa, lounge
chair, and coffee table), twin beds (which had been pushed together to form a
king) with a bedside table on each side, desk/chair, television, large closet
(which held a coffee service, minibar, and safe), and an antique-style bathroom
with pedestal sink, toilet, and combination bathtub/shower (with robes,
slippers, and excellent aromatherapy toiletries). Nightly turndown is provided.
Room furnishings were modern and the textiles were luxurious.
