Rija Old Town hotel

Breakfast was simple, but perfectly adequate for a three-star hotel. The Old Town location is the big plus: tucked at the quiet end of a side street, and the hotel itself combines two different buildings. Inside, though, the design doesn't feel like it belongs in that setting. The minimalist Scandinavian look, with metal-and-wood furniture that feels factory-made, isn't comfortable or cozy. The bathroom was the worst part. There was so little room that the shower curtain stuck to me and was almost useless, leaving the whole bathroom soaked.

The front desk is open around the clock, and breakfast was very good. My room was on the small side, but it had a little fridge and a TV. The hotel is in Tallinn's Old Town, about an 11-minute walk from both Balti train station and sea port terminal2.

The hotel was in a peaceful spot just inside the city walls, and the breakfast and service were good. We were disappointed by the parking information, though. We booked through Booking.com specifically looking for a hotel with parking, but were told on arrival that it meant public parking outside the Old Town walls. It took us a while to find, and driving there felt like a long detour because of all the one-way streets. I can't tell whether the hotel or Booking.com got that information wrong.

I paid 77€ for a room, which seemed reasonable for the location, but couldn't bring myself to stay in it and found another place next door for half the price. The room was in the basement, with a window up at ceiling level that couldn't be opened or shut without a ladder or something. The air felt heavy and musty, so I had no chance of sleeping well. The listing photos and the actual room were so far apart that it felt like a tourist scam to me.