Hôtel Ngor Diarama — Hotel in Dakar

The room was decorated with safari animal prints on the curtains and bedspread which was pretty. The room was also spacious with a shower and basin as well as a sofa, armchairs and fridge on one level and stairs leading to a bedroom, closet, luggage rack and toilet on the upper level. I had never seen a duplex hotel room before. The hotel is directly on a beach so you have nice views from the hotel room windows even from the shower window. Part of the beach is private but most of it is public with people surfing and riding on speedboats as well as swimming. There are two swimming pools. Breakfast of pastries, fruit, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, beef ham, jam, coffee, tea and cereal as well as yogurt is included with the price of the room. They have a nice menu at the Cocotier restaurant near the pools - turbo fish muniere, seafood salad as well as grilled chicken with vegetables were all good. They have free wifi in the room and what is great is you don't even need a password to access it, my phone and laptop were automatically connected when I turned them on in the room. The hotel staff especially at the reception are friendly and they remember your name. There are safe deposit boxes but not in the room so you have to ask for them downstairs. On the beach side is Ngor village. You can also take a boat for 1000 CFA (less than $2) to see the other side of the village on Ngor Island if you ask Ibra or other guys on the beach. I heard the boat ride is free if you are going to a restaurant on the island and the Italian restaurant has its own boat. That island has restaurants that serve good seafood like grilled crawfish and salad and artistic houses, gates and doors - I even saw a school that was built to look like ship with lifeboats! The only down point is the plumbing in the hotel room - Either the water in the shower was too cold or boiling hot and the toilet never flushed properly since it didn't have enough water power. If they would fix the plumbing problem I would...

I stayed there for a meeting. It is a very grandiose structure, with a somewhat mysterious architecture: all rooms are on one side of the hotel; there is a hallway with windows on the other, even though both sides look out to the water. Rooms are clean and spacious and come in (at least) two configurations: a flat one, that is bedroom, toilet, and bathroom are all on one level; and a loft-style one, with stairs inside the room to get to the bed and toilet/bath on the lower level. Rooms have balconies with a view to the N’Gor island and the busy beach below, which is lovely. Hot water is somewhat unreliable, although it was almost unnecessary when I was there due to hot weather. Bathroom toiletries are minimal – a small soap and small shampoo bottle. No hairdryer, lotion, shower curtain etc. No water bottles, so buy and bring your own for brushing teeth. In my room, for a wall outlet to work, I had to have the light switched on. There is air conditioning, though it is not very effective unless left on for the whole day. The rooms are exposed to the sunset – could be beautiful, but it is also hot. Beds have mosquito nets. The hotel has a bit of an old colonial outdated feel, but for a few days was all right. Drinks at the poolside bar were expensive and one of our party got badly bitten by some bugs there, so bring the bug spray. Food in the restaurant passable but no more than that. Hotel offers money exchange, but at a worse rate than the exchange points in town. One can walk along the beach to the point where boats depart for the N’Gor island (an interesting trip), but otherwise this hotel is a taxi-ride away from anything else. The worst part for me was a very unpredictable internet access and speed. It kept going in and out. Cleanliness and the fantastic view were two major assets; for a little more comfort and more local feel, and closeness to the city other places may be a better bet, but I...

Located on the absolute beach, ALL the rooms have a sea-facing balcony and a view of the sea from every window! Room was spacious -- a suite concept with matching African prints for counterpane and sofa. Very cosy and homely. Still, one gets the impression of a once-glorious place that time has forgotten, or where time stands still. Built in the previous tradition of beauty in architecture over utilising virtually every single inch and nook and cranny, the 'width' of the hotel is one hotel room wide, which is what makes for fantastic panoramic views of the sea from every window with the hotel's beachfront location. It's a quaint blend of modernity and tradition hotel-wise. A fridge in the room was great (modern) but to go to the loo on one level, then descend to the lower level to wash one's hands was very odd, to say the least. I'd thought there was no hot water and took cold showers until a friend advised to run the water for say 30 minutes to get hot water. Hugely wasteful! Plumbing badly needs a fix. No anti-slip surface or rubber mats for the tub or bathroom floor. That is an accident waiting to happen. Once you ascend and go past the long flight of marble steps and though the entrance (modern), right from the reception, it's like stepping into a time-warp: one gets the impression of an ancient abandoned place, hollow and empty. Food is OK. Wouldn't call it great though. Internet connection was very poor, which was a big drag. Staff are very courteous, helpful...