Hotell Räpina — Hotel in Räpina vald

As a regular visitor to Latvia I periodically pay visits to the other two Baltic states. In late August we decided to give Tallinn a miss and head to Estonia's second city Tartu and then move on to the Lake Peipsi and Russian border area. We arrived in Rapina with dusk fast approaching and having made no plans for an overnight stop we opted to stay in the Hotel Rapina. The cost for our double was pretty reasonable at less than 60 euro and the room comfortable enough. The decor seemed a bit dated but I guess that is in line with the old style theme of the hotel. There is oak aplenty in the hotel and my partner fell in love with the oak staircase. The few staff we had contact with were very helpful and spoke reasonable english. ||||Rapina is a small but attractive town dominated by a large church and a lake either side of the main road. According to leaflets in the hotel there is also a manor house and a museum although apart from an evening stroll we didn't explore much. We had breakfast, which was reasonable, and then checked out. We would definitely visit the Hotel Rapina again if in the area. ||||Rapina is close to Lake Peipsi a vast expanse of water through which the Estonian Russian border passes. The shortest distance across Lake Peipsi is at Mehikoorma (about 10km north of Rapina) where Russia is only a mile across the lake. The lake is so vast that looking north you will see no land only the horizon on the water. Driving south towards the corner of Estonia and the land border with Russia there is an oddity where a small piece of Russia protrudes into Estonia. The road continues on through and back out of Russia after a kilometre or so. Only the ploughed strip of no mans land either side of the road and a small sign prohibiting walking past it show that you have crossed...

We stayed here overnight on a tour of the Baltic in July 2014. Our routes and waypoints are unplanned and on arriving in Rapina in the early evening saw what looked like a very nice hotel so we decided to see if we could check in. The lady at reception was very friendly and although I attempted Estonian she thankfully spoke English. The room was inexpensive, and when we got up there it was tastefully decorated with rather lavish oak furniture. Our stay was very comfortable and quiet and breakfast in the morning was good. We didn't make use of the restaurant but instead picked up a few things to picnic on in our room from the Maxima shop up the road. We learnt in the morning that the building was originally the farm of the owners grandfather, and was refurbished a few years ago to become a hotel - we felt the refurb was tastefully done to a high quality and the building was as welcoming on the inside as it was on the out. The hotel itself is definitely recommended, but unfortunately Rapina - whilst a quaint border town - does not have very much to keep you entertained for any length of time. The other guests we chatted with were Estonians visiting relatives in the area, and that made a lot of sense. It did however allow us to take a cheeky peek at the Russian border, which is only about 20kms away (and at the time we visited was unmanned!) so for us as UK travellers who have never made it to Russia and are unlikely to by road, it was worth it...

Nice and cozy. Kinda 30-x style, wood and wooden panels. Just recently refurbished. Usually not marked in the majority modern navigation systems. Small bar with good kitchen. Excellent overnight stay for long car journeys Moscow-Tallinn, free car parking. Reasonable prices, while rooms could be a bit smaller then you would expect. Personnel is very friendly while sometimes there might be someone with limited Russian and English... But they still would try to understand and help you! Fresh and clean beds.||If you have some free time especially in summer time check the nearest park with lovely pound and maison: quite and stylish. There is a nice bakery with delicious cakes and various breads. For me it's the best place for short stay in Southern Estonia. You might consider it as the base if you wish to make some bike...