Africa Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

RISING PHOENIX MAGIC BEACH RESORT: LET'S GET HIGH - IN GHANA

by DAO

If you are looking for an alternative hotel experience in Ghana, you have found it. The Rising Phoenix is a bar and entertainment venue with themed rooms behind it overlooking the ocean. Because the surf is so loud (and peaceful) - you don't here the bar. In fact if you want to sit in one of the chairs in the segregated room area - its a great experience at a cheap price. You can get an en-suite room (I stayed in "Venus") for 46 Cedis (19 €, $24). In addition the hotel has its own generator, back-up water, good bar, central location and plenty to do.

If you want alternative - you will find plenty of Rastafarians. In fact I was greeted by marijuana smoke the first time I went inside the complex. These folks not only keep trying to sell you stuff (souvenirs, tours), they live here. They have a vegetarian restaurant, large event venue, spa treatments and plenty of alcohol.

They have 11 rooms all named after planets or asteroids. I stayed in Venus the first time. The second visit I was in 'makemake' which had a shared bathroom and not much else. I would have happily paid the 11 Cedi difference if an en-suite room had been available. Book ahead!

They have a deposit system on their website and that works well. They are also good about answering emails.

If you want different - stay here.

* Overlooks the ocean
* You can't hear the bar - because of the ocean
* Its different
* Agree which room and book ahead

LA PALMARIE: THE BEST GARDENS IN OUAGADOUGOU

by DAO

Before I tell you about the gardens, I need to say this place is overpriced for local standards. Its nice - don't get me wrong. I came across this nice hotel just walking around. The second I went past the massive steel security gates I realised I was in a tropical garden. I kept hitting my head on low hanging mangoes! Lizards scurried around and I watched the gardeners tend to the small, but lush surrounds. I tried to book for one night, but was told to choose another - so they do fill up. They only have 23 rooms (2 are suites).

When I did get in I was worried because my room was closest to the nice poolside bar. I need not have worried. There is actually a privacy wall between and I never heard the bar as they keep the music very low. With only 23 rooms I always had the pool area to myself. In fact I always had the hotel to myself. For that and a good night's sleep I am thankful.

My room had a small fridge which I stocked with my own cheaper drinks. I had a good bed, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, good shower, separate toilet, good closet, umbrella, mosquito net, desk, bug spray (cool!), I could come and go as I pleased and it was absolutely quiet.

The hotel has free internet, wi-fi and actually a reasonable exchange rate for Euros (only).

I only had the (buffet) breakfast by the pool and it was very good.

They do have a nice looking restaurant and business services as well as laundry.

In terms of location it is very walkable to the main road - all of it.

By the way they were filming a music video here when I visited to make a reservation.

I found it expensive, but a good time. If you have just one night in Ouagadougou - this is probably the best place or Hotel Les Palmiers.

For the record I paid 50,000 CFA (76€, $99)

* Wonderful gardens
* Silence
* Good nights sleep
* Separate bathroom and toilets
* You can stock your own very cold fridge
* Great location
* Free internet

HÔTEL LES PALMIERS: JUST ABOUT RIGHT IN OUAGADOUGOU

by DAO

I stayed at 4 hotels in Ouagadougou. If this was a review by Goldilocks, I would say this hotel is just right. You can get a nice room for 32,000 XOF (48€, $64) for 2 people with air-conditioning, a green garden, big cold beers at the poolside bar. They also offer 2 restaurants, a conference facility and 24 hour security (except when they took me by scooter at 3am to the airport.

Les Palmiers is completely quiet, a short walk (60 meters) to the main market, close to the airport and comfortable. The gardens are ok. Maybe they need a better gardener, but you can sit outside an soak of the sun, beer and/or food. You can also use your wi-fi underneath a thatched roof and still enjoy the weather.

The pool area is a bit basic at first sight and could do with a few new cushions. otherwise it does the job and the bar is right beside it and in the middle of the gardens.

My room was good. It had a TV I never switched on, Air-conditioning and a standing fan - a very good combination actually. Ok bathroom, desk, some nice art on the walls and a solid steel door. My bed was - just right! I managed a good night's sleep in absolute silence except for my air-conditioning humming quietly. The combination of environmental controls allowed me to dry clothes quickly and keep my bathroom cool. For some reason the bathroom wall was red hot, I believe due to the sun hitting the outside and retaining the heat.

For the money in Ouagadougou I would recommend Les Palmiers.

I would also recommend that you reserve in advance. They only have 14 rooms and could only give me a room for 1 night. If you email, get a response! They are not the best at replying.

* Quiet location and gardens
* 2 restaurants (mixed reviews)
* Close walk to main market and other restaurants, shopping, banking
* Wi-fi and Internet-connected computer
* Conference room
* Good rooms (no mini-bar)
* Reasonable pool
* Bar in the middle of pool, gardens and hotel
* In room satellite TV and TV lounge (with ac)

RESIDENCE GALIAM: A GOOD PLACE IN BURKINA FASO

by DAO

I found myself here after trying to get into the Cases d'hôtes Guesthouse. I enjoyed my stay, cold beers in the garden and nice swims in the swimming pool. The staff are friendly, security is excellent and its quiet. Its a very long walk into town, but a cheap taxi ride. The hotel is set in a nice local, working, neighborhood. Several small shops, bars and restaurants are nearby. They have 16 rooms and vary between a small room with a fan and shared bathroom to a large en-suite room with air-conditioning. The best room is available for 25 000 CFA (38.50€, $50). My room was 8500 CFA (13€, $17), had a fan, mosquito net, large refrigerator and a reasonable bed.

They offer rooms on a bed & breakfast basis, but also make meals you can enjoy poolside. Their small bar is well stocked and nothing is a problem.

If you want a little bit of luxury on a budget, stay here. You also get a chance to see lot of local life. I was treated very well and was always welcomed during my walks around the neighborhood.

This is a nice, quiet place to stay.

* Reasonably priced
* Swimming pool
* Poolside bar and meals
* Quiet
* Secure
* Good fridge in each room

ONE LOVE: CAMPING FOR A GOOD CAUSE - KIGALI, RWANDA

by DAO

One Love Club is the only place you can camp in Kigali. They have showers and toilets - but you must have your own tent. They also offer basic rooms with en-suit bathrooms, balconies and some cooking facilities. One Love Club is set in some very nice gardens and they have a bar and Rwandan/European restaurant as well. You stay supports an NGO called the Mulindi Japan One Love Project helping disabled people in Rwanda. So it’s for a good cause. They offer 24-hour security, car parking and you can even stay for a month at a time.

(The big signs outside say One Love Heritage Gallery & Library)

You can make donations on their website!

EVERY PENNY YOU SPEND WITH THEM GOES TO CHARITY! YOU CAN:
* Eat in the restaurant
* Camp or stay in the guesthouse
* Book a tour (including Gorilla Trekking) or rent a car
* Book flight in the region/worldwide
* Book other hotels
* Donate at the facility
* Donate on line
* Buy souvenirs

NEW HAVEN HOTEL: CHEAP AND GOOD - ACCRA, GHANA

by DAO

I booked the New Haven via email and stayed here my first 3 nights in Accra. It’s a reasonable cheap hotel. I had a room with a ceiling fan and paid 24 Cedi (10€, $13). My first night they had lots of booking so they put me in an older air-conditioned room for the same price. The newer rooms are pleasant. Clean, modern, nice beds and good bathrooms. The only problem is the do not give you a top sheet. I used a blanket from the airplane, but just ask.

They have a little courtyard, good bar (cold beer!), sports on a TV, restaurant and the staff are pleasant. It’s also very quiet. There is a big revival church across the street that makes a lot of noise. I thought it was a bar, but they shut down by 8pm. Otherwise it’s located beside a major bank depot, with lots of security, and its quiet.

They have good screens on every window and even the doors leading to the rooms. Keeps the bugs out.

The location is on the major ring road. I walked to town and it took about 15-20 minutes to get to the start of the center. There are restaurants, fantastic internet center, good currency exchange and bars close-by.

You can get here for 8 Cedis by taxi from the airport – no more.

For the price, this was a great place to land at on my first visit. I highly recommend it for the budget traveller.

When there was an issue with water supply for about 2 hours – the hotel had plenty placed in my room without even asking. Impressive.

The bathrooms were reasonable and my showers were as hot or cold as I wished. The bar was good and I enjoyed a few beers outside. I never ate in the restaurant but it gets good reviews. Breakfast is toast and tea/coffee, but what do you expect for this price?

Good little hotel.

* Cheap
* Clean
* On the ring road
* Pleasant courtyard

I WISH I HAD STAYED: HOTEL NAOLEON LAGUNE - LOMÉ, TOGO

by DAO

It’s a long story. I made a reservation with this hotel, then forgot and didn’t stay here. I wish I had! This is a nice hotel and a reasonable price – if you book with them directly. I have their website link below. The hotel is across the bridge and lagoon from the main part of Cotonou. It has an excellent location about 30 feet above the waters edge. There is a nice pedestrian path along the waters edge and the hotel is in a very quiet area. He bar and swimming pool area are very nice and you can sit outside and have a nice drink or a full meal at one of the covered tables. I found the staff fun, lively and very helpful. I really wish I had stayed here.

I reached the hotel for about 300CFA from just about anywhere in Cotonou, including the border.

Considering all you get, this hotel is a real bargain. They have 21 air-conditioned rooms starting at 23,000CFA (35€, $46). Rooms include satellite TV, telephone, free wifi, and a safe. The hotel also has its own generator so no need to worry about power cuts.

The hotel has a nice restaurant and their signature disk is crocodile. They have 2 nice bars, the Blue Lagoon near the pool and Napobeach by the waterside.

With only 21 rooms, you may want to reserve early.

* Scenic and quiet location
* Wonderful staff
* Nice pool, restaurant, bar area
* Nice area to walk around

BEVERLEY HILLS HOTEL - ACCRA, GHANA: FROM BAD TO WORSE - DON'T STAY HERE

by DAO

There is an excellent tip here (Flynboxes tries to warn you!) about this completely bad hotel. I had forgotten that I had not only read, but rated this review. You now have 2 great reasons to avoid this pest hole of a hotel. It is listed in the LP guidebook as being a good option and owned by a lively former journalist. They really need to delete this place from future reprints. The owner is polite, but he is an old man who sits watching TV outside. I am guessing that the lazy rodents running the place are his grandchildren.
One of them was quick to make a 'discount' and make a reservation. When I arrived a week later another tried to put me in the most expensive room and argue the price. The 3rd, a slovenly girl, was very busy on her phone watching TV on the couch. It took a while for her to bring some water to my room. Water? Yes.

THE HOTEL HAS NO RUNNING WATER

They did in the past, but not for a long while. The evidence of this was obvious. When I finally did get water - they put more water in my toilet tank than they gave me to wash. And even that water was dirty. My favorite thing was the huge dead cockroach in my bathroom being eaten by smaller bugs. I left it that way during the night as I figured it would keep the insects occupied and away from my dirty bed. Although it was comfortable. the pillows were unusable - at least I packed my own!

The weird thing is that they have a nice courtyard and it looks like it would be a nice place for a drink or a meal. Please read the linked review above. No its not!

I could not wait to get away from this place and go to another hotel for a shower. This hotel was reasonable once, but now its just unacceptable.

* No water
* Bad staff
* Dirty
* Noisy main road
* Forgotten reservations

HÔTEL LE GALION - COTONOU, TOGO: NOT SAFE OR CLEAN

by DAO

I found this place to be a bit concerning. When you first find the place you realise it is in a good area of Cotonou. Entering the courtyard you see a lot of French guys whacking away on their laptops making the most of the free wi-fi. Nice enough bar inside and a reasonable restaurant according to reviews. I was shown my room in the adjacent courtyard and entrance. That’s when I started to realise things were not quite right. The room was well worn, sheets stained, bed not so great and the air-conditioning had a nasty high-pitched amazingly loud whine. The bathroom had a boarded up bath, bizarre shower in terms of spurts of hot water) and a toilet. Not much else. I quickly realised that ANYONE could look over the main courtyard and see displays of wealth – expensive laptops. So anyone walking by can see 1-6 months wages on every table and they can spy on the main courtyard without being seen. They could then walk into my area of the hotel, shut the high gate behind them and not be able to be seen or heard by staff should they wish to break into your room. Of course there is no safe in your room. Yes, it’s cheap by European standards – but about average here.

Supposedly it’s Swiss owned. You would think they would have SOME security arrangements. I had to put a security door bar underneath the door (pictured). When I cam back to the room the live band was playing next door. Someone could have kicked the door down in my annex and no one would have heard a thing.

I have rarely been concerned about security in an African hotel. I have had 2-4 people watching my room, guards with guns and even CCTV in cheap hotels. I have even had a guard who slept behind the one entrance door. Intruders would have had to walk on him after battering a steel door to get in. And that was a $6 a night hotel (in Ethiopia)! I have stayed in some ‘interesting’ and even dangerous places in the world – even in the USA. This was just a stupid arrangement and poor quality accommodation.

No, anyone could walk in off the street and lock the high gate behind them.

Stupid!

So, bad room, bed, air-conditioning and security. Pay an extra 4500 CFA (6€, $35) and you could stay at the L'Hôtel Equateur! click here for review

For years I have packed some flexible steel loop locks and a security door bar. This is only the second time I have used the door bar because I was worried about having my room invaded while I was in it. I have stayed in over 2000 hotels in over 130 countries.....an this was a 'safe' area of the city.

U
* Anyone can walk into the hotel from the street. Anyone.
* Dirty

CHEZ CLARISSE - COTONOU, BENIN: THE QUIETEST AND MOST SECURE IN AFRICA

by DAO

: "THE QUIETEST AND MOST SECURE IN AFRICA

This is actually a well know restaurant with a swimming pool and 6 nice rooms behind it. It has no website and I had the wrong email address. I was lucky to get in, but am glad I did! This place is literally surrounded by the American Embassy and its guards. You have to pass through them to get to either side of this small lane. That means no loud music, traffic or trouble. I had the best stay here. My room was great, my air-conditioning and fan were awesome, my bathroom huge and I had the pool to myself. For the price it was paradise. I paid 27,000 CFA (41€, $54) for this oasis of serenity. I was fortunate enough to be able to check in early and go out and explore Cotonou. Using motorcycle taxis, everything is around 50 US cents away. You can walk to the port easily.

For the price, comfort, security and quiet - this is one of the best hotels in Africa.

They only have 6 rooms so I suggest you telephone and make the reservation.

They has a highly rated restaurant at the entrance to the complex. I am afraid I didn't eat here, but it looked very nice.

* Best security in Africa
* Quiet
* Great rooms and beds
* Swimming pool
* Highly rated restaurant
* Bar
* A good nights sleep
* Locking closets
* Massive tiled bathrooms

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Africa Hotels

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Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

RISING PHOENIX MAGIC BEACH RESORT: LET'S GET HIGH - IN GHANA

LA PALMARIE: THE BEST GARDENS IN OUAGADOUGOU

HÔTEL LES PALMIERS: JUST ABOUT RIGHT IN OUAGADOUGOU

RESIDENCE GALIAM: A GOOD PLACE IN BURKINA FASO

ONE LOVE: CAMPING FOR A GOOD CAUSE - KIGALI, RWANDA

NEW HAVEN HOTEL: CHEAP AND GOOD - ACCRA, GHANA

I WISH I HAD STAYED: HOTEL NAOLEON LAGUNE - LOMÉ, TOGO

BEVERLEY HILLS HOTEL - ACCRA, GHANA: FROM BAD TO WORSE - DON'T STAY HERE

HÔTEL LE GALION - COTONOU, TOGO: NOT SAFE OR CLEAN

CHEZ CLARISSE - COTONOU, BENIN: THE QUIETEST AND MOST SECURE IN AFRICA

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