Sunny Apartment

You know what? I was honestly surprised by Sunny Apartment when I first walked up to the building on Dzeņu iela. The street itself is pretty quiet – one of those residential spots in Rīga where you actually hear birds in the morning instead of constant traffic. It’s tucked into this neighborhood that feels authentically Latvian, not touristy at all, which I mean… that’s exactly what I was hoping for.

The apartment itself lives up to its name – seriously, the light in this place is incredible. The windows face just right so you get that golden morning sun without it being blazing hot by afternoon. The owner clearly put thought into the little details too. There’s this cozy reading nook by the main window where I ended up spending way too much time with my coffee, watching the locals head to work. The kitchen is actually functional (you’d be amazed how many rentals have kitchens that look pretty but are useless), and they’ve stocked it with proper dishes and even some local tea blends. The Wi-Fi is solid – I had video calls without any issues, which honestly saved my trip since I had to handle some work stuff.

What really won me over though was the location. You’re about a 15-minute walk from the Old Town, but here’s the thing – you’re also right near where actual Rīga residents live and shop. There’s this little bakery around the corner that opens at 7 AM, and the woman who runs it makes these incredible rye pastries that aren’t on any tourist lists. The tram stop is maybe three minutes away, so getting around is super easy, but the street itself stays quiet even on weekends. Parking was way easier than I expected too – there’s usually space right on the street, and it’s free after 6 PM. The building has that solid Eastern European construction, so you don’t hear your neighbors through the walls like in some of those newer places. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward – the owner met me right on time and actually gave me a hand-drawn map of her favorite local spots, which ended up being more useful than anything I found online. The only minor thing is that the shower water pressure could be stronger, but honestly, after walking around cobblestone streets all day, I wasn’t complaining about a gentle rinse. For a 3-star place, it punches way above its weight – that 9.3 rating makes complete sense once you stay here.