Karlamuiza Country Hotel

We wanted to go to the Gaujas National Park because of the castles around Sigulda and Cesis and lucked out founding this place to stay over night in. It is a lovely bed and breakfast style hotel set in Gauja National Park. The grounds have an apple orchard, a couple of ponds and a good short hike nearby that takes about 20 minutes one way. We booked the Christian room and it was nice and cozy. The beds were very comfy and we liked the number of pillows we got. There is a mini fridge, tea station and a small sitting area with a table in front of the TV. We came in and had a good sleep at this quiet property. The shower needed some help as the door slides were not properly mounted when we arrived and the wheels were off their tracks for both slides - I remounted on my own but the property may want to look into a repair or replacement. The shower was still pretty good and got nice and hot. My wife loved this place and said if we had more time she would have loved to have brought her paint or read a book. The property is very picturesque with some ponds, nice trees and there was a storm nesting on the property when we went. All the rooms are upstairs and there is a big couch in front of the window that overlooks the property and the dining room area is quite spacious too. If you plan on going for a hike here bring some good shoes. The trail can be quite muddy after a rain but it is in decent condition. The hotel has a map and can make suggestions for hikes in the area. The national park is full of good hikes too and the hotel itself is near Sigulda which has some good moderate hikes near the Gutman Caves and castles in the area. The hotel also has some bikes and kayaks on property. We felt the breakfast was good and we believed that most of the items provided were local like the farm fresh eggs and the apple juice. You have to put in your breakfast order the night before and if you book with supper it seems you have to call ahead to make your choices. The hotel is in the countryside so there isn't much around but nature. Cesis is a 10 minute drive away and Sigulda is about 30 minutes away. There are some awesome restaurants in Sigulda and the Cesis Castle was an absolute must. The towns also have lots of stores open until 10 pm if you want to pick up some snacks before going in.

It was amazing overall, especially our room and the sauna. The sauna is a must when you're there, a truly magical experience and we got lucky in terms of having a snow. The staff went an extra mile and gave us everything we needed. Highly recommended.

I am a bit surprised that this is only a three-star hotel because I feel much better here than in a large, luxurious chain hotel. The old manor buildings, the wonderful surrounding nature, and the homely atmosphere create a feeling as if you've come to visit old friends. It makes you forget that it's the 21st century and that you just escaped a noisy city. I have stayed here more than once and will definitely come back again.