Review: AC Hotel Riga

For the second stop on our road trip through the Baltic states, we spent two nights in Riga, the capital city of Latvia. I was traveling with a group that primarily prefers Marriott Bonvoy brands, so our options were limited. As it turns out, AC Hotel Riga is the only Marriott property in the entire country.

Though I usually avoid the AC Hotel brand due to the lack of complimentary breakfast and upgrade probabilities, the AC Hotel Riga was a pleasant enough stay, largely because of its convenient location in the city center.

Here’s everything you can expect during a stay at AC Hotel Riga.

Booking & Check-in

Riga is by no means the most popular tourist destination in Europe, but this is often one of the advantages of traveling to some of the less trendy destinations. As a result, we found that both the nightly cash rates and redemption rates at AC Hotel Riga were very reasonable. It also helped that we were traveling through Europe before the peak summer travel months.

You can expect nightly cash rates to hover between €90 and €110 per night. Redemptions at AC Hotel Riga tend to average around 12,500 Bonvoy points per night. While I consider either of these options to be completely acceptable for a hotel such as this, I chose to pay the nightly cash rate of €88 per night for a standard room.

If you frequently stay at Marriott hotels, consider opening a co-branded credit card like the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card. This card offers 5 Marriott Bonvoy points for every dollar spent at Marriott properties, making it an excellent choice for paying for your stays. Furthermore, by just holding this card you will earn a 35,000-point Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award each card anniversary year.

American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card

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American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy card earns Bonvoy points and offers cardholders benefits including an annual free night and 15 qualifying nights towards elite status.

Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.

BONUS
50,000 Marriott Bonvoy

MINSPEND
$1,500

NET VALUE
$330+

ANNUAL FEE
$120

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
–

However, if you travel internationally quite often, you’ll need to keep in mind that the Canadian-issued American Express Bonvoy cards incur a 2.5% foreign transaction fee. 

Related: Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards for Canadians

For those who have access to US-issued credit cards, a co-branded Marriott Bonvoy card from American Express (US) or Chase would be a better option, as the US-issued Marriott Bonvoy cards do not levy a foreign transaction fee. I use my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (US) while traveling to avoid any foreign transaction fees and earn additional Bonvoy points on Marriott stays.

American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (US)

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American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (US)

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card (US) offers cardholders complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, an annual $300 restaurant credit, an annual free night, 25 elite qualifying night credits annually, and Priority Pass Select membership.

Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card (US) review for more details.

BONUS
95,000 Marriott Bonvoy

MINSPEND
$6,000

NET VALUE
$205+

ANNUAL FEE
$650

FOREX FEES
No

EXPIRY
–

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AC Hotel Riga is a recently renovated property, so the lobby was in-line with what you would expect from the brand’s focus on a minimal contemporary design. The AC Hotel brand falls into Marriott’s midscale category, meaning you won’t find valet, doormen, or concierge services here.

Upon arrival, the lobby was a flurry of activity, as we were informed during check-in that the hotel was completely sold out. I wasn’t expecting much in terms of an upgrade to begin with, and this news all but dashed any remaining hopes. Nevertheless, we didn’t have to wait long to be checked in. After taking care of a few formalities, such as selecting my Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite welcome amenity of a daily €10 food & beverage credit, we were all set.

Location

AC Hotel Riga is located in the Art Nouveau district in Riga city center. The hotel is ideally situated within walking distance of Old Town Riga and numerous restaurants, cafes, museums, and city parks. 

Riga International Airport (RIX) is about a 20-minute drive outside of Riga city center and is easily accessible via public transit, rideshare, or taxi.

Some of the city’s notable attractions within walking distance include the House of the Black Heads and the Freedom Monument.

Riga has an extensive public transportation network, including buses, trams, and trolleys. The nearest transit stop is just a 4-minute walk from the hotel.

Parking

We had a rental car with us during this trip and made use of the daily parking offered by the hotel, which cost €15 per day. 

Hourly off-site parking is also available on the streets surrounding the hotel.

Room – Comfort Guest Room, 2 Twin

The original structure that is now the AC Hotel Riga dates back to the late 1960s. Over the years, it has operated under various hotel brands. In 2019, it underwent an extensive renovation and was rebranded as an AC Hotel. A result of the building’s age means that the rooms are very small; however, all the rooms are modern and attempt to make the best of the limited space.

Immediately upon entering the room, you’ll find the door to the bathroom and an open closet space featuring several shelves, drawers, and the in-room safe.

The bathroom is small but functional. As a mid-tier brand, AC Hotels provide only basic bath products and toiletries, such as shampoo and conditioner.

Depending on the room you booked, you’ll find either a twin bed or king bed setup, which occupies the majority of the main living space. In reality, both rooms feature the same bed setup. All rooms come with two twin beds, and the rooms designated as king rooms simply have the twin beds pushed together.

A result of the recent renovation is the modern bedside connectivity and central lighting control. Each side of the bed includes a power outlet, two USB-A charging ports, and various lighting controls.

Opposite the bed is a large wall-mounted flatscreen TV.

On the far side of the room, beneath the window, there is a small desk area with a chair and a luggage bench. On the desk is a Lavazza-branded coffee maker and a kettle, along with a few mugs and to-go cups. A selection of coffee pods and teas are provided.

A handwritten note welcoming us to the hotel and a bag of soft toffees were placed on the desk prior to our arrival. Underneath the desk is the in-room refrigerator which was stocked with an assortment of bottled water, soda, beer, and wine.

The view from the room overlooked many of the restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and bars on the street below. The hotel is located on one of the main thoroughfares in the city center, which means there can be quite a bit of noise from traffic and nearby bars. However, the windows did a good job of effectively blocking out most of the street noise.

Overall, the rooms at AC Hotel Riga are basic but comfortable enough for a short stay, provided you set your expectations modestly. The only significant issue we had with our rooms was the very poor performance of the air conditioning.

In the two rooms we had between our party, both had almost non-functional air conditioning. We inquired about changing rooms, but were told it wasn’t possible because the hotel was fully booked.

Restaurants

AC Riga Lounge – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Breakfast

Confusingly, AC Hotels have lounges, but these aren’t the typical executive lounge for elite members you’ll find at many Marriott-branded properties. AC Hotel Lounges are a shared space for all guests to work or relax during the day, which transitions into a bar in the evening. Additionally, breakfast is served in the AC Hotel Lounge each morning.

The AC Hotel brand doesn’t provide complimentary breakfast to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite and above members, but instead offers a daily €10 food & beverage credit. This credit may be applied to any eligible spending at the AC Hotel Lounge or room service.

The morning buffet breakfast offers a generous selection of both hot and cold items. Priced at €15, it provides excellent value, especially if you select the daily food & beverage credit as your welcome amenity, which reduces the net cost of the buffet breakfast to just €5.

After checking in, we were invited to find a seat and help ourselves to the buffet. There’s no table service for breakfast.

The buffet featured the usual European breakfast staples, including fresh fruit, meats, cheeses, salad items, and regional specialties like pickled fish.

Each morning, a large assortment of baked goods, breads, and pastries were available. This selection included items such as donuts, cakes, croissants, and Danishes, among others.

Warm items included Latvian cottage cheese pancakes, bacon, eggs, oatmeal, and more.

All manner of hot and cold drinks were on hand, including coffee, tea, and a variety of juices.

While breakfast at AC Hotel Riga isn’t the most extensive or luxurious, the food was fresh and tasted great. The buffet breakfast here is another perfect example of how even a mid-tier Marriott brand in Europe will far exceed almost anything offered at a North American property.

Facilities

Fitness Center

The fitness center, located on the top floor of the building, is a well-equipped space that offers stunning city views through its floor-to-ceiling windows.

The gym is equipped with all the standard amenities you’d expect in a hotel fitness center. It features various cardio machines, a cable machine, several benches, and free weights.

Although limited in size, the gym provides enough equipment for an acceptable workout. However, we found the gym to be quite busy each morning, and the limited floor space makes it difficult to comfortably accommodate more than a few people at a time.

Conclusion

Accommodation options from the big three hotel brands in Latvia are somewhat limited. However, thanks to the massive reach of the Marriott portfolio, you can usually find a Marriott property wherever you go, and the AC Hotel Riga mostly lived up to expectations. The hotel is conveniently located near many local tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, and cafes.

The rooms fall squarely into average territory, but at least they’re clean and modern. I anticipated a no-frills experience during my stay, and that’s exactly what transpired. The rooms were simple yet comfortable, and the service was limited but friendly—just as expected.

Sometimes, all you need is a basic, comfortable, and affordable place to stay, and the AC Hotel Riga offers just that.