Krustpils sits quietly on the right bank of the Daugava, looking straight across the water at its twin town, Jēkabpils. It's a small municipality, more countryside than city, and the kind of place where the loudest thing most days is the river. The one landmark everyone mentions first is Krustpils Castle, a red-brick medieval pile right on the riverbank that's now home to a regional history museum, a restored courtyard and a fountain garden worth a wander before or after check-in. Inside, one corridor projects the river itself onto the floor as you walk, which is a nice touch for a building this old.

Whatever kind of stay you're after, a quiet riverside guesthouse, a proper hotel with a pool, or a countryside base for exploring the parishes around it, you'll find it within an easy walk or short drive of that castle. Most of the actual room choice sits just across the bridge in Jēkabpils, but that's normal here. The two banks function as one place to stay.

Where to stay in Krustpils

• Around Krustpils Castle: the quietest patch, right on the riverbank. Good if you want the museum and the garden a two-minute walk from your door and don't mind driving or catching the bus into town for dinner.
• Old Town Jēkabpils, across the bridge: the liveliest option, with the old market square, cafes and artisan shops within walking distance. Best pick if you want to eat out without planning around it.
• The Daugava riverbank strip: a handful of guesthouses and small hotels sit right on the water on the Jēkabpils side, several with their own patch of riverbank for fishing or just watching the barges go by.
• Out in the parishes: Vīpe, Kūkas and Mežāre are proper countryside, with farmstays and rural guesthouses rather than hotels. Worth it if you've got a car and want mornings that start with mist over the fields instead of traffic.

How much is Krustpils accommodation?

Expect to pay around AU$85 a night on average across the area, with plenty of room to spend less if you're not fussed about extras.

• Budget guesthouses: from around AU$55 a night. Simple rooms, shared or basic kitchens, usually family-run.
• Mid-range hotels: from around AU$70 a night. Private bathroom, breakfast included, a car park out front.
• Riverside apartments: from around AU$80 a night. Self-catering, more space, often a view of the Daugava thrown in.
• Spa hotels: from around AU$110 a night. Pool, sauna and treatment rooms on site, the closest thing the area has to a splash-out stay.

Top-rated hotels in Krustpils

• Daugavkrasti Hotel: a timber-floored riverside hotel with its own stretch of bank, so you can literally cast a fishing line from the garden before breakfast.
• Hotel Luiize: smack in the middle of Old Town Jēkabpils, close enough to the river that you can hear it from the car park.
• Citrus SPA Hotel: the area's one proper spa stay, with a heated pool, sauna and a kids' pool if you're travelling with the family.
• RUMI Hotel with Self Check-In: handy if you're rolling in on a late train, with a self check-in that skips the front-desk queue entirely.
• OzolApart 2: apartment-style rooms with their own kitchen, a solid pick if you're staying more than a night or two and want to cook your own brekkie.

Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Krustpils

• Book the riverside places early in summer. There aren't many rooms right on the Daugava, and they go first once the warmer months hit.
• Staying out in the parishes? Confirm there's a kitchen or nearby shop before you book. Rural guesthouses can be a fair drive from the nearest supermarket.
• If you don't have a car, base yourself in Old Town Jēkabpils. Everything else here is a short walk from that side of the bridge, and buses to the wider region leave from there too.
• Riga is roughly a two-hour drive away, so this works well as a one or two-night stop rather than a full week's base.
• Ask about breakfast before you book. Some of the smaller guesthouses charge for it separately, while the hotels tend to fold it into the room rate.
• Pick a room on the Jēkabpils side if you want to walk to the old market square, Krustpils Castle and a proper coffee all in one afternoon without needing the car.

Once you've sorted a room, the river does most of the entertaining. There's a walking track along the Daugava, boat trips and kayaking if you want to get out on the water, and an open-air museum nearby with old wooden buildings moved in from around the region. It's an easy add-on to a stay rather than a reason to travel here on its own, but worth building an afternoon around.

Heading further along the Daugava or planning the rest of a Latvia trip? Check out hotels across Latvia for more options on either side of the river.