I just concluded a 3-week stay at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, and overall I had a decent stay, but it could have been better.
POSITIVE: The Ladies in Red are exceptional and the main reason that I enjoyed my stay. Akosua is truly a gem and is the main one that I interacted with. She constantly checked in with me and was always available to assist me. Akosua made sure that I had everything that I needed and had an enjoyable stay in Ghana, even providing me with recommendations. Tabitha also assisted me when I experienced mildew in my room, and was able to quickly move me to a different room and provide me with executive lounge access for the inconvenience. She also continued to check on me throughout my stay.
Grace was a pleasure to see every morning in the restaurant. She was always so sweet and went out of her way to be helpful, even if I wasn't sitting in her section. She always had a smile on her face.
Seid and Emmanuel in the restaurant were also very helpful. I ended up missing the NYE dinner, so they went out of their way to provide me the same amenities during my next dinner reservation on another night during the week. This service was unexpected, but definitely appreciated.
David was the best bartender. He really knows how to make great drinks. I told him once that I do not like sweet drinks, and he made sure to tailor the rest of my drinks to my liking throughout the rest of my stay. He was also very personable and fun to talk to.
Francisca was my main housekeeper during the day and she was exceptional. She cleaned and organized my room with care and ensured that everything was to my liking. Whenever she had a day off, I noticed. The other housekeeps just did not do as great of a job. The evening turndown service was very inconsistent.
NEGATIVE: Communication with the reservation team is horrendous and almost led to me cancelling my entire stay. Prior to my arrival, emails would go unanswered for days. I felt like I had to beg them to take my money. A toll-free number would make things easier. I was upgraded to a better room upon check-in, but I had to ask for it. The young man checking me in also was not very friendly. Thankfully, Scott was able to step in and get me sorted.
The hotel is very beautiful, but there are areas that are showing wear and can use some updating. The hallways have stains all over the carpet. The rooms are dated and can use some refreshing. Some of the bathrooms also have mold in them, which I experienced twice.
The bar is large, but only has about 6 bar stools. There is no service bar, so the servers continued to squeeze in between customers and yell over their shoulders and reach over them in order to place and retrieve orders from the bartender. This happened many times and it made me uncomfortable and feel like I was in their way, so I should just hurry up and leave.
The pool bar does not seem able to hold capacity at all, and the lack of umbrellas led to a lot of drama. The service was terrible. It took 30 - 60 minutes to receive food/drinks and they kept forgetting things. White people received prompt service, however. The website promoted a champagne and Cocotini cart, but not once did I ever see one. Perhaps if the staff did walk around the pool offering drinks, that would make things more efficient.
On New Year's Day, guests were kicked out of the restaurant while they were still eating breakfast, so the staff could get ready for the New Year’s Day brunch. We were then told we could go downstairs and continue eating in a conference room if we wanted. This was a major slap in the face. The restaurant/hotel seemed to be prioritizing customers who paid 900 cedis for a one-time meal, over actual hotel guests who are spending $300-400 (usd) a night to stay there.
Lastly, I saw many people in suits (whom I assume to be managers) walking around, but, not once did I see them checking in with guests. It gave the impression that they simply didn't care.
I do not think this is a 5-star hotel, but it could be if some...
Read moreAs a frequent traveler to Ghana, I've had the pleasure of staying at Kempinski Hotel in Accra on numerous occasions.
However, after my recent visit, I regret to say that I won't be making the same mistake again.Upon arrival, I had prearranged for a shuttle from the airport, a service I've utilized before without issue. Unfortunately, this time was vastly different. Despite waiting patiently by the entrance where the hotel's logo sign stood prominently, I found myself stranded for over 45 minutes with no sign of the shuttle. The situation escalated to the point where I was harassed by quasi taxi drivers, prompting intervention from Ghanaian customs officers who escorted me back to the terminal for safety.
In my attempts to seek assistance, I made three phone calls to the hotel. The first two attempts ended abruptly, with one disconnecting and the other leading me to listen to classical music indefinitely. It was only on my third try that I managed to reach someone who eventually contacted the shuttle driver. By the time the shuttle arrived, my patience was exhausted, and my confidence in the hotel significantly diminished. To add insult to injury, upon sending an email from the airport, I was informed by the hotel operator that the email address provided in my reservation was incorrect. This oversight only compounded my frustration.After enduring a sleepless night filled with uncertainty, I made the decision to check out prematurely and seek accommodations elsewhere. I found solace in One Oxford Hotel, where I not only received superior comfort but also experienced a more vibrant location at half the price. The overall infrastructure and service at One Oxford far surpassed what I had encountered at Kempinski.Before departing, I brought my grievances to the attention of the guest concierge at Kempinski.
To my disbelief, my concerns were met with skepticism, prompting me to provide evidence of the communication mishap. It was disheartening to have to prove that I had indeed reached out and received no response for over 24 hours. While such an experience might be tolerable for a leisure traveler, my visit was business-oriented, with important meetings scheduled. Instead of focusing on preparation, I found myself preoccupied with concerns about transportation reliability.
In conclusion, my recent stay at Kempinski Hotel Accra was marred by inefficiency, poor communication, and a lack of accountability. For those seeking a seamless and reliable hospitality experience in Accra, I would advise exploring alternative options such as One...
Read moreA beautiful hotel, with great amenities, restaurants, bars , pool, spa and fitness center. Room accommodations—clean but dated, with cracking , peeling, noisy floors (So glad I was on the highest floor) Rooms service : Easy to order, guest service was amazing! Nice and appreciative staff on and off the phone. Lounges/bars are cozy and service is top notch. Security at the elevators and throughout the property is kind and friendly. TECH: WiFi was horrible I got kicked off all the time, had to sign re-sign in everytime. A colleague asked about it and they gave her a code from the front desk. The code changed the signal significantly. Still got kicked off but was faster and more stable. Construction next door IS INSANE! So loud and noisy. I avoided the pool because it was so bad. Out of 30+ of employees I encountered two that do not embody the level of service this hotel provides otherwise.
Charity and George. (Both front desk) They do not embody the upscale, high level of service environment of this hotel. Upon checking in, George incredibly impatient. I had to use an AMEX to pay for my room—he kept tapping my card, rolling his eyes, an overall body language of annoyance. George asked for another card I could use. I could not - it was a company card.
Charity assisted me at the front desk with some room charges and other items. When I walked up she had already seemed annoyed. I explained what I needed to do but had a really hard time, looking at me and understanding what I was trying to tell her. My watch sent me an alert that I had a charge on my AMEX (I looked at it) she immediately scoffed- I’m almost done. While we were chatting she constantly acknowledged co-workers with a smile and then would look back- straight faced. I had a feeling Charity was a manager? She should NOT be customer facing. Maybe she can manage people but overall the skills you need in an upscale establishment- she lacks.
I would stay here again- if I could get a code for wifi, ear plugs for sleeping (until the building next door is done) and I would avoid dealing with...
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