I had read the other Tripadvisor reviews and went ahead with my reservation. The hotel IS 35 minutes away from old Riga but there is a bus stop nearby where you can get a bus - the number 3. You pay the driver L0.50, then insert your ticket into what is basically a time stamp machine (watch others do it to see) and you can travel all the way to the bus terminus, passing old Riga tourist spots aong the way. All buses and tram cars cost the same and it's unlimited travel per journey - get off and your ticket is used up.
I arrived late at night and the guy behind the reception desk was less than friendly. This was something I learned was common enough around the city. It's not that they are rude for the most part, it's just that they aren't courteous and friendly.
The room (#63) was fine. A large basic room, a writing desk, a sofa, closet space, TV (only english channels were BBC prime, CNN and BBC news) a big-enough bathroom/shower. What was missing was a kettle and coffee/tea.
Breakfast is continental style and is pretty good. I stopped in for that every morning. You can get a lunch later in the day. I tried that once and after the reception I got from the girl behind counter who was guarding the empty room, I left - never to return.
On the last day, I asked at reception to avail of the shuttle service to the airport that I had read about in one of the tourist guides. Turns out that entails calling a taxi for you! Said okay and waited. Taxi arrives and takes me to the airport then the guy asks me for L20! I argued with him that it was too expensive. The trip from the airport cost me about L8. He kept referring to his meter and that his taxi was a company taxi. I thought the other guy might have been illegal, gave in and paid. Supid mistake! The guide price is L10. I've done a bt of research and if the taxi is white (sounds strange I know) you'll probably get ripped off. Red taxis are best. Better still don't order a taxi from the hotel or if you do ask for a red taxi or there is another taxi company called "Smile" taxis.

If you're thinking of hiring a car, I would suggest you observe the driving skills of the locals first and base your decision on that. I thought China was bad!

Had a very good time in Riga. Lots of good places to see. On the final day I even got to fire off a .22 laser rifle and a .38 pistol in an undeground firing range.

I would recommend this hotel for a short break. Although it is a 30 minute walk to the old town from it, the walk is interesting and you see the real Riga - communters, packed buses, etc. The room was large and comfortable and the breakfast OK. It is easily accessible from the airport by the 22a bus then the No. 3 trolley bus.

They advised us as soon as wearrived they are sick of the scottish, english and welsh making noise and making a fool of themselves and then they listed all the things we could be fined for (making a noise, coming in late). We lasted one night, and if it wasn't for the fact our flight was a night time arrival we wouldn't have stayed the first night. Nice enough looking hotel if you have a thing for discipline!

Why are hotels so expensive in Riga, a city where the average person earns 300 euros per month? A city with high inflation where one finds guards in the grocery store because the locals are having a tough time affording the food inside and sometimes resort to stealing it?

I would like to tell you that you can do better than the Avitar, but for the price - we paid 70 euros per night for a twin in low season - you probably can't. What made this hotel acceptable was the fact that the room was actually a small apartment with a separate living room and a tiny kitchenette. It was this extra space that made the Avitar enjoyable. Without it the hotel would have been a bust.

The hotel's website is deceptive in that the map gives you the impression you are just a couple of blocks from the beautiful old town, which is where you want to spend your time if you are a tourist. In fact, the beginning of the old town is a 35 minute walk at a brisk pace. I enjoy walking and the weather was nice while I was in Riga but let's face it, most tourists would not accept this sort of distance from the old town. There are two other options to get to the old town and they are taxi or bus. Fortunately the hotel is located on one of Riga's main drags - Valdemar - and there are a number of bus routes stopping very close to the hotel.

The immediate area is residential with virtually no restaurants or services except for a small corner food shop on the next block and a convenient strip mall on the opposite side of Valdemar with a Super Netto grocery store and liquor store. The neighborhood feeling is very Sovietsky which is fascinating but perhaps a bit depressing.

All in all, I liked this small hotel in spite of its inconvenient location and cool Sovietsky reception. It was very clean and I found its 'Ikea' furnishings somehow comforting. The breakfast buffet, included in the room price, was basic and tasty. But those demanding proximity to the old town will not go for this place. Again, the large living area made this hotel acceptable, even likable. Having a separate living room and kitchenette was lovely.

Not far from the hotel is the former KGB headquarters where many were tortured and murdered during the Soviet occupation. Outside is a small monument where relatives of the deceased leave bouquets. While it's horribly sad, it's very touching and a reminder of the horrors this beautiful country has endured; a testament to the amazing strength and spirit of the Latvian people .