Upon our late night arrival in Riga, the cab driver turned down a darkened alley and dropped us in front of this seemingly abandoned building. We didn't know where we were going and as we started up the stairs, each floor got progressively worse with garbage on the stairs and crumbling walls. We made the decision to try to find a hotel in a foreign city after midnight but on our way out we noticed a small sign on a door where Pam’s head is peeking out in the first photo.

Open that door and you enter a freshly painted paradise, a brightly lit hostel with a friendly young lady speaking English (well sort of) and willing to help. Warm beds and a welcome relief. We stayed at the lovely Elizabeth's Youth Hostel while in Riga. Yes there is some sarcasm there but it really wasn't too bad. I wouldn't recommend it to couples or people who have never done a hostel before but if you're on a budget, it's clean, safe, very well located and above all, cheap.

http://www.youthhostel.lv/index.html