Avalon Hotel & Conferences in Riga

We visited the beautiful city of Riga and stayed at this hotel from July 1st to 3rd, based on a friend’s recommendation. The location is great, and the interior looks pleasant at first glance. While the room itself was clearly not new — worn furniture, squeaky closet doors — it was clean and orderly, which was all we needed since we only came back to sleep around 11 PM and left early each morning.

For context, we are two middle-aged women traveling light, with hand luggage, coming to Riga to enjoy art galleries, museums, and Michelin-rated restaurants — not to host wild parties. We had a lovely stay, until we got home and received an unexpected charge: €150 for “damaged walls.” No prior warning. No detailed explanation. Just a cold invoice.

When we asked for clarification, the hotel sent a video recorded by housekeeping, showing some wall scuff marks above the TV and in other areas — which we saw for the first time in that footage. In dim evening light, it’s easy to overlook minor wear and tear, especially if you’re not scrutinizing walls after a long day.

Let this be a warning: unless you want to pay for pre-existing damage, document the entire room upon check-in — loose wallpaper, scratched furniture, cracked tiles, even stained towels. Take photos. Or bring a notary, just in case.

If we had actually caused damage — held a wild party, danced on the furniture — we would’ve taken responsibility without complaint. But this baseless accusation and the way it was handled felt like a slap in the face. Honestly, it ruined an otherwise enjoyable trip.

We’re only thankful they didn’t charge us for the broken closet doors too.

A disappointing and humiliating experience. Sadly, we cannot recommend this hotel.