Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija

Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija is a large urban hotel in central Riga, Latvia, located in the Vidzeme Suburb near Brīvības Boulevard and the city's Esplanāde area. The property occupies a prominent high-rise building that was conceived during the Soviet period as a major international-tourism hotel and was originally known simply as Hotel Latvija. It remains one of Riga's best-known hotel buildings and is among the tallest structures in Latvia. The project emerged from planning discussions in the 1960s. Architect I. Strautmanis initially presented a proposal in 1962 for a ten-storey Intourist hotel on the site, but the concept was subsequently enlarged and revised. The final tower was developed as a much taller building, reflecting the Soviet authorities' desire for a prominent hotel intended to accommodate organized domestic and foreign tourist groups. Construction began in 1967, with foundation concreting starting in December of that year. The building reached its structural completion in 1976 and was formally placed into operation on 29 December 1978. During the Soviet era, Hotel Latvija was a category-B property under the USSR State Committee for Foreign Tourism. It had approximately 680 rooms, conference facilities, a restaurant complex, retail kiosks, a post office, currency-exchange services and other amenities associated with an international hotel serving tour groups. The building also had a KGB telephone-tapping node on its upper floors, a detail associated with the property's role within the Soviet state tourism and communications environment. The tower's design was produced by a team including Artūrs Reinfelds, Aija Grīna and Valters Maike, with structural and engineering work by Henrijs Lācis and Edmunds Valeinis. The original complex incorporated a lobby, café, restaurant, shop and exhibition hall. Its interior was developed by a group of artists led by Ojārs Ābols, while the façade included the kinetic artwork “Sakta,” designed by Artūrs Riņķis. The building's construction involved a substantial reinforced-concrete foundation supported by 220 piles. A major modernization followed the hotel's post-Soviet transition. The property underwent a broad renovation beginning in 2000, with the first phase completed in May 2001 after approximately ten months of work. The hotel was then renamed Reval Hotel Latvija. A second phase, carried out between 2004 and 2006, expanded the complex with a six-storey hotel block containing 200 additional rooms, a glass shopping arcade and a multifunctional conference hall with capacity for about 1,000 people. The expansion increased the overall complex to approximately 24,000 square metres and raised the building's described floor count from 24 to 27. The property adopted the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija name in 2011. Under the Radisson Blu banner, it serves the upscale business, conference, leisure and city-break markets. Its offer is centered on guest accommodation, food and beverage services, meeting and event facilities, and the advantages of a large centrally located hotel in Latvia's capital. The building is approximately 95 metres tall and is recognized as a major element of Riga's urban skyline.

The origins of Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija lie in a Soviet-era plan to create a major hotel in central Riga. In 1962, architect I. Strautmanis proposed a ten-storey Intourist hotel near the intersection of Brīvības and Elizabetes streets, on a site associated with earlier urban buildings and restaurants. The proposal was later enlarged, eventually becoming a high-rise hotel of approximately 23 floors in the main design concept. The decision to build a large tower generated opposition from some architects and residents because older buildings in the surrounding block were demolished, although one historic building at Baznīcas Street 4 was retained. Construction began in mid-1967. On 11 December 1967, the first concrete was delivered to the site, and foundation concreting continued for five days. The foundation used 220 reinforced-concrete piles driven into the ground and a substantial monolithic concrete slab. The tower reached its topping-out stage in late 1971, but completion and commissioning took several more years. The building was completed in 1976 and entered service on 29 December 1978. The original property was called Hotel Latvija. It was classified as a category-B hotel by the USSR State Committee for Foreign Tourism and was intended primarily for organized tourist groups from the Soviet Union and abroad. The hotel contained about 680 rooms, a conference hall with simultaneous-interpretation booths, a restaurant complex with seating for hundreds of guests, retail kiosks, a post office, a currency-exchange office and supporting service areas. The upper floors also contained a KGB telephone-monitoring installation, reflecting the surveillance environment surrounding major Soviet tourism facilities. The building was designed by Artūrs Reinfelds, Aija Grīna and Valters Maike, with structural and engineering contributions from Henrijs Lācis and Edmunds Valeinis. Its original architectural composition included a two-storey extension housing the entrance lobby, café, restaurant, shop and exhibition hall. Interior design was coordinated by artists led by Ojārs Ābols. A kinetic façade object named “Sakta,” created by Artūrs Riņķis, became one of the building's notable artistic elements. After Latvia regained independence and the property's business context changed, the hotel underwent a major reconstruction. Although the renovation was discussed as early as 1998, the principal first phase began in 2000 and was completed in approximately ten months, in May 2001. The modernized property was renamed Reval Hotel Latvija. The second phase ran from 2004 to 2006. It included the removal of the old exhibition-hall building and the construction of a new six-storey hotel wing with 200 rooms, a one-storey glass shopping arcade and a multifunctional conference facility with capacity for approximately 1,000 people. The completed complex reached about 24,000 square metres and was described as Latvia's largest hotel. The property later joined the Radisson Blu brand and was renamed Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija in 2011. Its current identity combines the historical visibility of the Hotel Latvija tower with the service proposition of an international upscale hotel brand. The property is positioned for business travelers, organized groups, conferences, events and leisure visitors seeking accommodation in central Riga. The tower is approximately 95 metres high, has 27 floors in its current described configuration and remains a prominent feature of the Latvian capital's skyline.

• 2011

  Radisson Blu rebrand

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel adopted the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija name.

• 2006

  Complex expansion completed

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  The second reconstruction phase added rooms, retail space and a large conference facility.

• 2001

  First reconstruction phase completed

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  The first phase of the major modernization was completed, and the property became Reval Hotel Latvija.

• 1978

  Hotel enters service

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  Hotel Latvija was formally put into operation on 29 December.

• 1976

  Building completed

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  The main high-rise structure was completed.

• 1971

  Tower reaches topping-out stage

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel celebrated its structural topping-out milestone toward the end of 1971.

• 1967

  Construction begins

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  Foundation work for the Hotel Latvija project began in December after construction started during the year.

• 1962

  Initial hotel concept proposed

  [1]Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org

  Architect I. Strautmanis presented an early proposal for a ten-storey Intourist hotel on the central Riga site.

Upscale full-service business, conference and city hotel in central Riga

• Hotel accommodation

  Guest rooms and suites

  The core offering is full-service accommodation in a central Riga high-rise. The property has been expanded and modernized across multiple reconstruction phases, including the addition of a new hotel wing with 200 rooms during the 2004–2006 redevelopment.

• Business hospitality · 2006

  Conference and meeting facilities

  Meeting and event facilities form a major part of the hotel's proposition. The original property included a conference hall with interpretation booths, while the later expansion introduced a multifunctional conference hall with capacity for approximately 1,000 people.

• Food and beverage · 1978

  Restaurant and beverage services

  Food and beverage operations have been part of the property since its Soviet-era opening, when the complex included a large restaurant operation. In its current hotel format, restaurant, bar and banquet services support both resident guests and meetings or events.

• Hospitality events · 2006

  Events and banquets

  The enlarged hotel complex is designed to host conferences, organized groups, business functions and other large gatherings. Its central location and expanded event infrastructure complement the accommodation business.

• 2011

  Adoption of the Radisson Blu identityStrategy

  Background

  Following its period as Reval Hotel Latvija, the property was aligned with the Radisson Blu international hotel brand.

  Action taken

  The hotel was rebranded Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija.

  Aftermath

  The property continued operating as an upscale international hotel in central Riga.

  Source

• 2004

  Expansion of the hotel complexStrategy

  Background

  The second reconstruction phase was intended to increase room inventory and provide modern retail and large-event infrastructure.

  Action taken

  The project added a six-storey hotel block with 200 rooms, a glass shopping arcade and a multifunctional conference hall with capacity for approximately 1,000 people.

  Aftermath

  By the end of the phase in 2006, the complex had expanded to approximately 24,000 square metres and was described as Latvia's largest hotel.

  Source

• 2000

  Launch of comprehensive reconstructionStrategy

  Background

  The post-Soviet hotel required modernization and repositioning for a contemporary international hospitality market.

  Action taken

  A first reconstruction phase focused on the high-rise building and was completed in approximately ten months, in May 2001.

  Aftermath

  The property was renamed Reval Hotel Latvija and subsequently underwent a second expansion phase.

  Estimated first-phase reconstruction cost. USD 25 million estimated cost (2000–2001)

  Source

1. 1Radisson Blu Hotel Latvijaen.wikipedia.org