Jason-and-the-Argonauts is good traveller mythology about a guy - Jason - and his mates - Argonauts - on an adventure, called a quest. Read the animated story here: www.mythweb.com

Argonaut Hostel is so called because its purpose is to accommodate guests on their own quest in life.

Argonaut Hostel was established by Dean whom is an Australian born to a Latvian father. Dean reconnected to Latvia in 2001 even though he could only speak one Latvian word when he first arrived. Now he can speak two Latvian words. Dean has undertaken many of life's journeys that include serving 7 1/2 years is the Australian Army and living 3 years in China. Now he would like to support other people in their life journey and provide adventures to enable people to see another side of themselves.

"Life's journey pressures people, and this pressure too often causes them to set up comfort zones which limits their life. You see it all around you with people stuck in their mindset and unwilling to value a different perspective. Too many people on this planet are either selfish or too scared to contribute something back to society and this I see is a result of successful comfort zoning."

It is the purpose of Argonaut Hostel to celebrate the adventurous and supply adventurous quests like you have never seen before. Bobsled one day, get thrown in a Soviet Prison then next day and then go shooting in the afternoon. Of course we will assist you experience the more gentler adventures for those young Argonauts that have not yet Parachuted, Bungee Jumped, Kayaked, or gone Ballooning etc.

The success of the Argonaut Adventures is proven by the fact that Argonaut has been copied by other hostels and this is the biggest compliment Dean can receive. 'I opened the first hostel in Riga and now there are over 20 offering the same free stuff we offer that is not freely available in many other cities'. Now I have opened the first hostel in Liepaja to further the benefit for travellers www.liepajahostel.com The genuine nature of Argonaut Hostel is demonstrated through Dean representing Australia as a Bobsled Pilot, Argonaut Hostel being the only hostel in the world with adventures like Shotguns & Vodka and the Soviet Prison reality tour. We do apologise that tours are not available every day of the week due to human constraints.

Your stay at Argonaut will provide you with a great location in an impressive city where there is a lot to see and do. Argonaut Hostel is private owned where every cent makes a difference so that staff can be paid fair salaries and profits can be reinvested in to services that make your stay more enjoyable. Your staying at Argonaut Hostel enables Dean to continue to work in as many places as possible to assist the economic advancement of Latvia. These places include the Latvian Investment Development Agency, The Latvian Tourism Development Agency, Riga City Council and as Director of the Business Development Lab at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. Many projects that Dean works on involve student teams such as: Justification of establishment of a Contemporary Art Exhibition Centre in Riga; Establishment of a studio for children to learn dancing, singing, and acting in partnership with Marija Naumova whom won Eurovision for Latvia; expansion of a practical education centre in Tukums region for underprivileged children and business and investment plans for corporates in Latvia.

Through Dean's efforts, Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia that has won the Worlds Most Innovative University award for 2004 has been to Latvia twice to assist the development of economically challenged regions. Dean has also put together a technologically innovative solution for tourism development that has been EU funded for installation in a remote region of Latvia to improve their economic situation.

Dean established the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Latvia www.austcham.lv and is now the Director of it and free of charge assists people do business with Latvia. If you would like to stay at Argonaut's second Riga hostel in the city centre then please book at www.baronshostel.com

So thank you for staying at Argonaut as you indirectly help this work to continue.

Please let us know if we need to do something better.