Ziedlejas

We’re truly honoured to be featured by The Guardian among 20 of the best cabins, campsites and hotels in Europe’s mountains, lakes and forests – it’s a real joy to see Ziedlejas and our pirts rituals being noticed and appreciated around the world.

"Deep in a pine forest near the Gauja national park, Ziedlejas is dedicated to the Latvian tradition of pirts – steamy wood-fired bathhouses heated to about 65C. There are three here: the glass pirts beside the swimming pond, the smoke pirts under the grey fir trees and the wool pirts with walls made from sheep’s wool (which releases skin-soothing lanolin). Sessions last around four hours, guided by a pirts master (pirtnieks), who takes guests through the ritual, which includes “whisking” (tapping and brushing) bodies with bundled sticks, herbal scrubs, massage and alternating hot and cold water. The glass cabin bedrooms are just as restorative, looking out across wildflower meadows by day and up to star-filled skies after dark."

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Esam patiesi pagodināti būt The Guardian rakstā par 20 labākajām naktsmītnēm Eiropas kalnu, ezeru un mežu ielokā – ir patiess prieks redzēt, ka Ziedlejas stāsts un mūsu pirts rituāli tiek pamanīti un novērtēti pasaulē.

20 of the best cabins, campsites and hotels in Europe’s mountains, lakes and forests From a 500-year-old inn in the Italian Dolomites to a log cabin in Finland’s lake district, these boltholes offer a tranquil getaway

By day, the glass cabins serve as tranquil tea houses; by night, they transform into intimate bedrooms immersed in the landscape. Floor-to-ceiling glazing frames uninterrupted views across wildflower meadows, where the occasional herd of cows wanders into sight, while after dark the glass roof turns the night sky into the room’s ceiling. There is little to distract from the rhythm of nature: birdsong in the morning, the scent of meadow flowers, and the stillness of the countryside after sunset.

The Latvian pirts is a slow, immersive ritual that blends heat, steam, wild plants and human touch into an experience that feels as much spiritual as physical. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, it was once central to healing and everyday life, long before modern medicine.

A wood-fired stove heats the stones, releasing fragrant steam infused with locally foraged herbs, while the ritual unfolds through gentle whisking with leafy branches, herbal scrubs, massage and alternating hot and cold water.

Today, pirts remains deeply woven into Latvian culture – a place not only for relaxation, but also for reflection, renewal and marking the changing seasons and life’s important moments.

Our traditional smoke pirts is fully booked for most of this summer, with only a few dates still available.

July: July 27 & 28
August: August 11, August 23–28, & August 31

If you’ve been dreaming of an authentic smoke pirts experience, now is the perfect time to book. Immerse yourself in soothing warmth, peaceful silence, and deep relaxation before the last remaining dates are gone.

Book your ritual here: ziedlejas.lv/lv/booking/pirts