Riga, LatviaCity Centre
Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga
Neoclassical opera landmark
City Centre Riga, Latvia
Renovated
2017
Price
$$$
Rated for
Luxe Wellness SocialOutside the door
The house
KempinskiNeoclassical opera landmark
The hotel stands opposite the National Opera, serving as a formal meeting place where locals still dress up for an evening out.
“The Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga is a great choice to explore this lesser-known city.”
What it’s good at
Notable
French artworks and polished marble bathrooms anchor suites overlooking Old Town and the Opera.
Notable
The subterranean spa holds a sixteen-metre indoor pool and Latvian birch-whisk sauna rituals.
Notable
Stage22 rooftop bar draws late-night cocktail crowds overlooking the National Opera House.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in AFAR.
Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga has been part of the city’s fabric since 1878, when it debuted as Riga’s first hotel with electric lights and a telephone.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
The canal park and Freedom Monument sit right outside, with Old Town's cobbled alleys just steps away.
The rooms
Wall murals and contemporary woodwork decorate the rooms, while deep marble bathrooms anchor the suites.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Travertine columns line the 16-meter indoor pool, where white loungers sit beneath recessed ceiling lighting.
The spa
Six treatment rooms host traditional Latvian pirts rituals with steamed birch whisks and Baltic amber body scrubs.
Thermal suite and gym
Bio saunas sit beside heated mosaic benches and experience showers. Across the hall, the gym holds LifeFitness cardio machines.
Stage22 Bar & Restaurant
Retractable glass doors open onto a rooftop terrace, where Japanese-influenced dishes and cocktails face the illuminated Opera House.
At the table
Amber Restaurant serves European dishes beneath fluted columns on the ground floor. Nearby, the lounge pours spirits among red velvet armchairs.
How it began
Founded in 1878 as Hotel Rome, the site was rebuilt in the 1950s as Hotel Riga before reopening with Kempinski in 2017.
Riga
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.