Riga packs a lot of architecture into a small footprint. A few minutes' walk gets you from the medieval spires and cobbled lanes of the Old Town to streets lined with swirling Art Nouveau facades, ornate ironwork and carved faces peering down from doorways above, one of the largest collections of the style anywhere in Europe. The city sits right on the Daugava River, and the beach town of Jūrmala is only about half an hour away by train.

Riga has stays to suit most kinds of trips, from cosy guesthouses tucked behind Old Town's cobblestones to sleek spa hotels overlooking the river. Here's where to base yourself, what a night actually costs, and a handful of hotels worth booking.

Where to stay in Riga

• Old Town (Vecrīga) - the tourist heart of the city, with cobbled lanes and the closest base to landmarks like the House of the Blackheads and Riga Cathedral. Good if you want to walk everywhere and don't mind a bit of noise after dark.
• Quiet Centre (Centrs) - Riga's Art Nouveau showcase, especially along Alberta iela. Wide, leafy boulevards and a calmer pace, still an easy walk from Old Town.
• Riverside (Daugava embankment) - modern hotels with spa facilities and views back across the water to the Old Town skyline. A good pick if you want more space and quiet nights.
• Central Market district - right by the train station and Riga's cavernous market halls, handy if you're arriving by rail or want to be close to the food scene.
• Mežaparks - a green, residential pocket a short tram ride from downtown, with parkland, a lake, and a much slower pace than the centre.

How much is Riga accommodation?

A night in Riga averages around AU$110, though the range runs wide depending on how central and polished you want to be.

• Hostels & budget stays - from AU$35 per night. Dorm beds and simple private rooms, mostly a short walk outside Old Town's core.
• Budget hotels & guesthouses - from AU$60 per night. Small Old Town guesthouses and reliable chain budgets, usually with breakfast as an add-on.
• Mid-range hotels & apartments - from AU$100 per night. Comfortable three- and four-star rooms and serviced apartments, most with breakfast included.
• Boutique hotels - from AU$160 per night. Design-led properties in restored Old Town or Art Nouveau buildings, often with a bit of personality in the decor.
• Luxury & spa hotels - from AU$280 per night. Five-star rooms with full spa facilities and river or rooftop views over the city.

Top-rated hotels in Riga

• Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga - a five-star address on the edge of Old Town, with a rooftop terrace looking out over the city's spires.
• Pullman Riga Old Town - set in a building dating back to 1789, mixing the original architecture with modern rooms and four-poster beds.
• Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa - one of the tallest buildings in the city, with a full spa and panoramic views over the Art Nouveau rooftops below.
• Rixwell Elefant Hotel - a small, playful boutique hotel tucked into an Old Town courtyard, with an elephant motif running through the decor.
• Wellton Riverside SPA Hotel - a mid-range spa hotel right on the Daugava, good if you want water views without the five-star price tag.

Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Riga

• Ask for a courtyard-facing room in Old Town, or check for double glazing. The cobbled streets carry noise from bars and buskers well into the night.
• Prices climb in summer, from June to August, when Jūrmala's beach season is in full swing. Shoulder months like May and September get you milder crowds and similar weather for less.
• Riga Airport is only around 8km from downtown, so staying central doesn't add much to the taxi or bus ride in.
• Filter for "sauna" or "spa" in your search if you want to try Latvia's steam bath culture without leaving the hotel.
• Old Town is compact enough to skip a rental car altogether. Most sights are within a 15 to 20 minute walk of anywhere inside it.

Round out the trip with a day out in Jūrmala's beach town or the countryside around Sigulda, and check Traveloka's flight and activities listings to build the rest of the itinerary.