Stayed in peak season, and paid about 80 lats for a junior suite. Seemed expensive for what we got but latvian hotels seem generally expensive - an odd contrast with the cheap food and drink. The hotel claims to be refurbished but our room was tired, with shabby furnishings and uncomfortable beds. Also very hot (although the heatwave we experienced is atypical) - creating a dilemma as to whether to stifle, or open windows to a noisy outside. All in all hotel had the atmosphere of a Soviet spa - which we found interesting for one night but other guests wouldnt.

Dont be put off going to Jurmala though - it's absolutely delightful. Nice beach, sea at a reasonable temperature in July, and a splendid mile long pedestrian main street lined with enticing and cheap (by UK standards) cafes and restaurants, and with a very pleasant atmosphere. The environs are also fascinating - hundreds of villas from the tsarist days, deep in pine woods, and in many cases decaying. We hired bikes... more