Fantastic Studio apartment in the heart of Riga

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about this little gem on Merkela Street? The fact that it actually delivers on that “heart of Riga” promise without the tourist trap feel. I mean, you’re literally a five-minute walk from the Old Town’s cobblestones, but you’re tucked away enough that you won’t hear drunk backpackers stumbling home at 3 AM. That’s honestly rare in this part of the city.

The studio itself is what I’d call intelligently designed – nothing fancy, but whoever set this up clearly thought about how people actually live in small spaces. The kitchen area has everything you need without feeling cramped (I made coffee and scrambled eggs without bumping into the furniture, which is saying something). The bed’s comfortable enough that I slept through my first night despite the excitement of being in a new city, and there’s actually decent storage space for your stuff. What really impressed me was the natural light – those windows face the right direction, so you get that soft morning glow without the harsh afternoon sun beating down on you later.

Here’s the thing about the location that most descriptions won’t tell you: you’re close enough to walk to Doma laukums in under ten minutes, but you’re also right near some of the best local spots that tourists usually miss. There’s this fantastic little café around the corner that does proper Latvian pastries, and the grocery store on the next block over has everything you need without the inflated prices you’ll find closer to the cathedral. Parking can be a bit tricky if you’re driving – street parking fills up during the day, but honestly, you won’t need a car much from here anyway. The tram connections are solid, and most of what you’ll want to see is walkable. I actually found myself exploring different routes back to the apartment each day just because the surrounding streets have this great mix of Art Nouveau buildings and local life happening. The 9.4 rating makes perfect sense once you’ve stayed here – it’s not trying to be a luxury experience, but it nails the fundamentals while giving you that authentic “living in Riga” vibe that’s hard to find in hotels.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $58. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Fantastic apartment, very cossy – Diana from Kenya – 6 July 2025 (8/10)

  The bed was extremely comfortable. Felt like home
  
  What could be improved: Could add an iron box and board

• Great quiet apartment – Ahmad from Malaysia – 29 April 2025 (10/10)

  Great apartment. A small studio, but the space was designed very thoughtfully. We had everything we could think of to make it a great stay. Complete kitchen with all the basic cooking stuffs you need (salt, sugar, pepper, oil, tea, coffee, etc). The kitchen even has a water filter even though the tap water in Riga is safe for drinking. The work desk setup is comfortable. The water pressure in the shower is great. You'd get hot water immediately. Bed is also comfortable. The apartment was very quiet when we stayed there. Location is also fantastic, theres a mall within 5 minutes walk that has Lido, supermarket, gyms etc. Its walking distance to go to the old town, the central bus and train station (we actually just walked to the bus station to leave the city). The wifi was fast and stable. Would love to stay again in the future if back in town.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing, it was a very pleasant stay.

• Exceptional – Mahyar from Netherlands – 11 February 2025 (10/10)

  Good location and perfect studio👍🏼

• It’s a 10+ , AMAZING APARTMENT – Edmondo from Italy – 12 January 2025 (10/10)

  Everything, everytime I am in Riga I will choose this apartment!! So warm and the position is so perfect!
  
  What could be improved: I loved everything

• Exceptional – Deirdre from Netherlands – 22 August 2024 (10/10)

  Great location, small but everything you need, quiet. A comfortable hide away! Good price/quality.

• Comfortable and perfectly located flat – Rishabh from United Kingdom – 8 July 2024 (10/10)

  Perfect location, very easy to get to the main sites and also right next to food sources and cafes. Good space with a well equipped kitchen and storage facilities, and a nice bathroom. Host is very responsive and helpful (and friendly!). Bonus: great WiFi + a standing desk – ideal for a working holiday
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Ideal for short solo stay – Katherine from United States – 25 May 2024 (10/10)

  Pretty clean, quiet, and well located to anywhere you probably want to go in Riga, by foot or public transportation. The host replied quickly to my messages. It's great for one or maybe two people. It was really nice to have the streaming services on the TV and the washing machine too.
  
  What could be improved: Like other reviewers have said, I think this apartment could be improved by adding a small microwave.

• Petit studio apartment in the heart of Riga – Nicoleewatts from New Zealand – 3 January 2024 (9/10)

  Great little studio apartment in the heart of Riga. Compact but had a kitchenette and bathroom with washing machine. The bed was really comfortable and there was plenty of storage space to unpack into. Host was great at communicating.
  
  What could be improved: Kitchenette needs more supplies. The frying was only large enough to fry an egg and the pot a cup of water – this is not practical for preparing meals at all. There weren't any utensils to use – we had to purchase our own spatula to use in with the frying pan!
  
  Washing machine was great but there was a load of (presumably) dirty towels in there when we arrived. There was also not really any space for drying the clothes. The drying rack would be better if it was one that could fit into the shower space (and out of the way) so it doesn't have to sit right next to the bed when we were sleeping.

• Exceptional – Jūratė from Lithuania – 12 June 2023 (10/10)

  The photos correspond to reality. Very comfortable bed.
  
  What could be improved: No microwave and iron.

• extraordinary – Anonymous from Estonia – 8 June 2025 (9/10)

  It was nice and cozy
  
  What could be improved: everything was perfect

SURROUNDINGS

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