El Farouk Hotel is a new hotel completed in 2004. It has an international class, however it keeps a vacation touch. I enjoyed a weekend there to blow out my stress.
Restaurant is good but I did not keep an unforgetable souvenir of it.
During the raining season, the smel of the dejections carried by the River is coming to the terrasse.
have stayed at Kempinski Hotels throughout the world, but this hotel is far below normal Kempinski standards.
the rooms smelt of cigarette smoke, the service in the resturants was very poor and we were asked to leave the hotel when a trade delegation arrived. we had planned our trip and made reservations 6 months in advance and had to pick up and relocate to the Sofitel without warning.
very displeased with the hotel. in the future, will stay at the Sofitel in Bamako. enjoyed the Sofitel in every regard. nicer grounds, better staff and nicer rooms.
Very clean friendly and efficient. Internet was down all day the Saturday I arrived but was up 'n running Sunday morning. Ethernet connection in room is fast (they supply the cable) and internet is free. Takes staff mere minutes to clean the rooms, in fact all staff here are friendly and fast. Nothing stolen, bags not tampered with (after leaving strategic James Bond style telltale traps on luggage in my room) Food is exhorbitantly expensive and the American breakfast is sub standard. The chicken/beef or cheese and ham sandwhiches as well as the lamb tagine (with olive and lemon sauce) were all really tasty and fresh... but the prices erm, yup a little steep. Beautiful pool, nice views of the Niger river, aircon worked a treat in the 38C sweltering heat, room safe is too small to hold a laptop so had to bury it in my luggage, but no problems there.
Most staff have a great command of the English language, which is more than I can say for my terrible French, I felt quite comfortable here and will come back.