Brīvdienu māja Empagi

I had two lovely nights at Empagi and would happily come back. Even with a few things that got in the way, I can't rate it below five stars. It's an isolated place for a quiet weekend alone or as a couple, set well back from the nearly empty streets of Lādezers. The guest house sits about 400m into private land, so you could spend days without seeing anyone. The setting and facilities are a real draw: there's a lake view from the indoor hot tub, a fireplace that warms a small private sauna, and another hot tub outside right beside the lake. The house itself is fairly small, with the kitchen sharing one room with the living and sleeping area. The main problem was the hot water. It sometimes turned cold, which can spoil the hot tub or sauna, and I suspect the boiler struggles with all the water they need. The kitchen is also tiny and basic, with just a small induction hob that barely fits two pans, and no oven or dishwasher. More involved cooking would be difficult, and washing up is a chore. I managed fine with the hob for my dinner, but it's worth planning around. Getting there takes some patience. The last 400m on an unpaved road was fine, but the so-called highway between Ragana and Limbaži is in very poor shape, and you'll have around 20km of it to drive. A few practical things to know: pets aren't allowed. Heating either the outdoor tub or the sauna takes three to four hours, especially if you want dry Finnish-style heat in the sauna. It's expensive, with a minimum price of 250 EUR for two nights without extras, though I thought it was worth the high-ish cost. It's also booked up most of the year, so reserve months ahead, and a convenient date can still be hard or impossible to find.