You can’t beat Kristiana’s flat’s location. It is bang in the middle of the Old Town and makes for a great base to explore the cobbled streets of the Latvian capital. And even though it is so central it is very quiet as it is located on a side street. She is a good host in that she is very quick to respond and did not make a big deal out of us being an hour late (my mistake due to the time difference).
The place is generally clean. However, as is so often the case in life, the devil is in the details. The bed had fresh linens, but there was a strong smell of dampness coming from the mattress and pillows. The mattress and pillows need replacement. The extra blankets smelled unwashed, making the sleeping experience uninviting.
The toilet was seemingly clean, but had a smell of urine coming from the bathroom mats around the toilet bowl. The toilet brush is in dire need of replacement.
There is no brush to wash the dishes with in the kitchen. All of these small things combined do give the impression of lovelessness and neglect. Now you could argue that the price of this place is hard to beat and you have to put up with this, but a hostel offers almost the same amenities plus cleanliness for the same price. As such, the place needs a bit of attention and care, which would turn it into a great place to stay.