ParkCosyLux Free parking

Bed was comfy. Kitchen was okay. Bathroom good.

Cold. Air conditioning for extra money. Security deposit. Garden was messy.

Everything you need for cooking, free Wi-Fi, silent yard, contactless check-in. The studio itself is nice and has everything you need (except for hot water), but none of that matters if the host is going to insult and humiliate you. I am giving a low rating solely due to the rude behavior of the host, and I am adding this accommodation to my blacklist. As for the apartment itself, the main issue was with the hot water. It’s heated by a gas boiler, and likely due to problems with the unit, the hot water in the shower was very unstable, mostly running cold. The boiler is also extremely loud, and when someone uses the shower while others are sleeping, the noise fills the entire apartment, sounding like a powerful pump or hairdryer. The apartment lacks any fire safety measures: there are no smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, or fire extinguishers, despite being listed in the description as available.

However, all of this pales in comparison to how the host communicates. A deposit is required for this accommodation, which I was unaware of (the information is buried at the bottom of the listing, making it difficult to spot on a phone). Although the host did send an email requesting a €100 transfer to his company’s account, the email also contained a warning from Booking.com advising caution about suspicious emails asking for money transfers. This made me wonder: if a deposit is indeed required, why can’t I pay it upon arrival, after we inspect the apartment, using a credit card? In all my years using Booking, this was the first time I encountered such a request. I reached out to the host via messenger to express my concerns. The host responded by saying that we would not be allowed to check in until he saw the €100 in his account. This seemed suspicious to me, so I called him to clarify. Let me be clear, I was polite and respectful throughout our conversation. Instead of calming my worries and explaining the need for the deposit, the host began to insult me, make sarcastic remarks, and even threatened to leave us without accommodation and take the amount we had already paid. This was the first time I’ve encountered such rudeness after many years of using Booking, especially in Latvia, where hosts have always been kind and welcoming. In my opinion, someone working in the hospitality industry should be polite and know how to communicate with guests. Once again, I want to emphasize that I wasn’t rude at any point, I simply asked for an explanation about the deposit system because I had never dealt with such a setup before. But instead of explaining anything, the host lashed out, accusing me of being stupid, not knowing how to read, and questioning why I had even booked his apartment in the first place. This was by far the worst booking experience I’ve ever had, and it ruined our entire stay in Riga.

Comfortable rooms

Security deposit and communication with the host

Strategic location in Riga. A quite street, but very close to the tram stop (and you can get to the center very quickly (3 stops). The apartment was clean, had all necessary equipment and very functional and comfortable furniture.

The surroundings of the bulding are not very nice.

Distance from the city centre. Free parking. Streaming services.

200€ deposit outside of booking.com, transfered to some company's account in Latvian bank. When you use hot water - instant water heater (gas) turns on in the living room/kitchen area, the sound is like hair dryer at max speed - very annoying. Bed in the bedroom is hard as a rock (and I like hard beds)... Air conditioner is extra 10€ per night.

Clean

the yard and outdoor area is spooky

clean rooms, accessible internet

lack of sidewalks in the yard