Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2007 - (Page 10) ART NOUVEAU architecture is a popular draw for visitors to Riga (right). Photo by Lindsay Lambert HOTEL BERGS‘ décor is modern and clean, in black, white and gray (Apartment shown, below). neighborhood streets lined with emerald lawns and picket fences. In Parnu, lunch at Ammende Villa Hotel & Restaurant (www. ammende.ee) is a must. There, we dined on red beet carpaccio; grilled tuna steak with veggie salsa and mild orange mustard jus; and hot chocolate ganache with vanilla ice cream and cherry compote. Best of all? We enjoyed the fabulous feast in the peaceful Blue Room, reserved just for us, with Rockwell-like scenes of the neighborhood in view. From Parnu, a few hours’ drive down the Latvian coast brought us to our next destination, the country’s capital, Riga. There, we checked into a spacious Studio Suite at the ultra-modern Hotel Bergs (www.hotelbergs.com). Though we felt downright spoiled in our suite, which featured a kitchenette, a sitting area and views of the street from twin sets of French doors (we loved the spacious work desk), request a Loft or Penthouse for VIPs. Both comprise two floors; the Penthouse boasts a black-and-white checkerboard-pat- terned terrace. Hint: Apartments are larger than Studios but are contained to one level, making them an advisable choice for older clients or those who’d prefer not to navigate stairs. Architecture buffs, in par- ticular, will enjoy Riga’s largerthan-life arsenal of Art Nouveau structures, from the beautifully painted spiral stairwell in the apartment house at Alberta iela 12 to apartments and storefronts in the heart of town. Exploring Latvia’s tumultuous past goes without saying; advise clients not to miss a trip to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (www.occupationmuseum.lv), where tours are led by university students who are passionate and knowledgeable about the subject. The most thrilling part of our stay in Riga, however, was a private organ concert in the Dome Cathedral (www.doms.lv). Shopping tip: Suggest clients pick up a piece of amber jewelry; the gem bears heavy symbolic importance in Latvian culture and history. We scoped out the selection at S&A (Aldaru 2/4, Smilsu 8; 371-232-9002), steps away from which we stumbled upon Sakraj Atlaidi! (Smilsu 8), an old-fashioned corner candy shop whose bins, cases and countertops are piled high with 10 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | November 2007 http://www.ammende.ee http://www.ammende.ee http://www.doms.lv http://www.hotelbergs.com
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