Elegant 2bd apartment next to Old Town Riga

Look, I’ve stayed in plenty of Airbnbs across Europe, and this place on Merķeļa iela honestly surprised me in the best way. When I first walked up to the building – it’s one of those classic Riga facades that looks a bit stern from the street – I wasn’t sure what to expect. But apartment 12 turned out to be this perfectly renovated space that somehow nails that balance between having character and actually being comfortable to live in for a few days.

The two bedrooms are genuinely spacious, not those cramped European “bedrooms” where you’re practically sleeping in a closet. I mean, you can actually open your suitcase without rearranging all the furniture first. The kitchen’s got everything you need if you want to grab groceries from the Rimi down the street – which, by the way, is probably a five-minute walk and way cheaper than eating out every meal. What really got me though was how quiet it stays at night, even though you’re basically in the heart of everything. The windows are proper double-glazed, so you don’t get that constant tram noise that can drive you crazy in some parts of the city center.

Here’s the thing about the location that the listing doesn’t really capture – you’re actually positioned perfectly between two different sides of Riga’s personality. Walk one direction and you’re in Old Town within ten minutes, dodging tour groups and street performers around Town Hall Square. But head the other way and you’re in this more residential area where locals are just going about their business, grabbing coffee at spots that don’t have English menus yet. The nearest tram stop is literally around the corner, so getting to places like the Central Market or even out to the beaches doesn’t require any planning. Honestly, I ended up walking most places because everything felt so accessible, but it’s nice knowing you’ve got options. The building itself has that old-world elevator situation – you know, the kind where you have to close two doors and it makes interesting sounds – but it works fine and adds to the charm, I guess. Check-in was smooth enough, though I’d recommend coordinating your arrival time since it’s not like a hotel where someone’s always at the front desk. Small thing, but worth mentioning.