GRAND PALACE HOTEL, RIGA

A stately mansion set amidst cobblestone streets and illuminated by crystal chandeliers, the Grand Palace Hotel offers a sumptuous stay in Latvia’s cultural capital. Originally built in 1877 as the Central Bank of Latvia, the building was converted into a boutique hotel some 20 years ago, and still feels wonderfully opulent with its huge front doors, Ottoman-style rugs and gold-painted fittings. Rooms and suites are generously sized and elegantly appointed with old framed prints and dark wooden furnishings. The perfect retreat in between sightseeing.

Stay here on your tailor-made holiday and you’ll find the city’s many museums and galleries on your doorstep, as well as all of its beautiful Art Nouveau buildings. Walking tours can be arranged by the concierge, as well as golf reservations, opera tickets and yachting on the Daugava River. For dining, the hotel boasts the lavish French-inspired Restaurant Orangerie – complete with large gilt mirrors, dark purple drapes and sparkling chandeliers – as well as the cosy Pils Bar where innovative dishes are crafted from the finest Baltic ingredients. The hotel also has an open-air summer terrace where you can watch the world go by.