Editor Pick
Arena
This place is right in the heart of the Old City...you look out your window and you experience, untouched, buildings going back hundreds of years.
This 45 bed hotel is occupied by clowns in the winter,yes, you heard right, clowns. The place is owned by a circus and opens up rooms during the summer.
This place has small rooms, a community shower, which was dirty, and a dreary atmosphere in the hallways. The lady manager keeps the front door locked so you need to ring the bell to re-enter the place.
The good news is that this place is dirt CHEAP. The room cost me $5 a night...yes, $5...in the heart of the historical district. If you don''t mind the above shortcomings and money is tight, this is a gem. You are within five minutes of just about everything.
I felt very safe there as well. Although it was crowded, there were no hassles, and the place was very quiet, unlike hotels near the train station.
From journal The Diversity of Riga