Kempinski has signed a management contract for a second hotel in Riga, Latvia, one of the European Union's newest member states.

The Kempinski Hotel in Riga will be situated at the cultural and commercial heart of Latvia's capital city. Originally built in 1878 in an eclectic architectural style with elements from the Italian renaissance, the hotel was the first hotel in Riga to feature electric lights, elevators and telephones.

The original building was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt during the 1950s. Because of its historical significance, the hotel has been listed as an architectural monument by Riga's authorities. Now, the hotel's interiors will be entirely renovated to recall its former life as the hotel of choice for Latvian artists and intelligentsia in Riga.

Located opposite the Opera House, overlooking the Freedom Monument and the mediaeval Old Town, the hotel is one of the best addresses in the city. From the hotel, it is just a short walk to many of the city's museums, churches and main shopping districts. The Parliament and government buildings are close by, as is the Riga Congress Centre. The hotel is just 20 minutes' drive from Riga International Airport, with good connections to much of Europe through such airline companies as Lufthansa, Aeroflot, British Airways, SAS, Finnair and Austrian Airways as well as Latvian Air Baltic, which offers direct flights to most of Western Europe and Russia.

The hotel is currently expected to open in 2007 with 250 luxurious rooms and suites. A variety of restaurants and bars, including a summer terrace with views over the city's skyline, will serve both European cuisine and traditional Latvian specialities and the hotel's leisure possibilities will be complemented by a casino and nightclub.

An extensive spa and wellness area is also planned, with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, solarium and a number of private treatment rooms. Further facilities will include a Ballroom and several smaller meeting and conference rooms, ideal for cocktail receptions to business conferences and board meetings.

The Kempinski Hotel in Riga is the second property that Kempinski will manage in Latvia, joining the Kempinski Kemeri Palace Jurmala, which was formerly a wellness destination favoured by royalty and high society seeking the curative and restorative powers of the Kemeri Sacred Springs.