ibis Dakar 0 gwiazdka

Initially, Ibis Dakar didn’t quite meet my expectations upon arrival. The hotel appeared clean yet showed signs of wear, particularly evident in the worn carpets begging for renovation. However, as our stay unfolded, my opinion shifted. One standout was undoubtedly the breakfast spread, offering a tempting array of French pastries, cheeses, fruits, made-to-order omelets, juices, granolas, yogurts, and more. Don’t miss out on this; it’s served at the sister property, Novotel. Although we didn’t utilize it, the pool area looked inviting. Rooms, though small and basic, boasted pool views. The hotel’s location is another highlight, conveniently close to all attractions. Moreover, the staff proved exceptionally helpful, enhancing our overall experience. We departed feeling rather pleased about our stay.

I spent two nights at this centrally located hotel in Dakar. The staff are very friendly and helpful especially as I had to catch a taxi to the airport at 4 am. The pool is great and the atmosphere during the African Cup of Nations was exciting. The breakfast buffet is nice and varied with lots of good food. I liked being in a safe, enclosed area and would definitely recommend the IBIS hotel for a stay.

A few days prior to my stay, I sent an email enquiring about airport transfers as my flight would arrive in the middle of the night. No reply. On my day of arrival, after having organized the transfer myself, I called the hotel to let them know I will be coming very late, and they did pick up the phone and spoke English. (And they finally replied to my email after I had checked in and stayed one night, only to let me know they do not organize transfers and referred me to Hertz...) The receptionists speak English and seem reasonably friendly. Check-in was quick, check-out not so. The room was very bare bones, cramped and ascetic, with a rather strong, musty smell hanging around. The floor was made of hard plastic and was filthy, don't wear white socks! There was no luggage rack, probably because there simply is no room for one. There was, however, a desk and chair, a safe and a bed that's great for one person but would be incredibly narrow for two. The pillows were worn out and lumpy. For a hotel built in 2011, I would expect power outlets by the bed, but that was not the case here. No fridge. A/C worked well enough for December, but won't probably be too helpful in summer. Wifi was free and unlimited, but spotty and slow. Don't plan on teleconferencing here. A 0.5 L water bottle was provided and replenished daily. The bathroom came with no bars of soap or shampoo. There was a wall-mounted liquid soap container on the wall, similar to the ones you can find in public toilets. It said, "hair, body and face wash". I guess you could wash your dog, clothes and car with it, too. There was a bath mat and two bath towels, no hand towels provided. Water in the handheld shower was warm and pressure was okay. The carpets in the hallways were in desparate need of deep cleaning. Buffet breakfast was served in the lobby from 6:30 to 10 and cost a reasonable 8000 CFA. It was your usual affair: nothing to get excited about, but it will give you a good start of the day. Some hot and cold items, juices, yoghurt. The fresh fruit was nice and the croissants excellent. The same compound has a Novotel hotel right next door, and their informal restaurant on the ground floor serves lunch and dinner. There is a buffet (dinner 17 000 CFA) as well as à la carte, including the famous chicken yassa. The pool is shared by the Novotel and the Ibis. While their homepage claims it is heated, this was not the case, and in December, nights are cool so the water was a bit cold, but bearable. It was open from 9 am to 7 pm. The pool attendant was a grumpy old man who wanted your room number but didn't understand English, not even numbers. Pool towels were left to dry in the sun and then reused without washing, which is absolutely disgusting. I suspected it at first and then got proof by seeing the attendant simply place used towels to dry on furniture on the pool deck, folding them nicely afterwards. And then checked my towel to see that it was both filthy and smelly. Wow. The hotel is about ten minutes on foot from Place de l'Independance, and the expensive French supermarket Casino is about five minutes away. I would warmly recommend restaurant La Pampa opposite the supermarket. Don't be too bothered by your new "friends" who hang out at the entrance of the hotel. If you ignore them, they will give up after a few "why you hate Senegal" shouts. Annoying, yes, but dangerous, no. Ibis is of course no luxury chain, so in that respect it is fine to offer two-star rooms with few amenities, but I would still expect the place to be clean and staff to have some understanding of basic hygiene. Prices should also reflect quality, but I paid 104 EUR/night, excluding breakfast, and that was a good rate compared to what they usually charge, so I did not feel I got good value for money. Perhaps Accor believes that the convenience of being an international chain hotel gives them the excuse to overcharge? I am sure I will be better off at a local three star hotel next time.

I spent four nights at this hotel during a business trip to Dakar. Advantages: 1- the hotel is close to downtown and is also close to the several good restaurants and cafés. 2- The staff is friendly and helpful. The buffet breakfast is of good quality and enough variety. 3- Nice swimming pool and outdoor restaurant that can be accessed at the Novotel hotel located in the same compound. 4- Good security. Disadvantages: 1- Rooms are very small and too basic where they do not even provide a kettle and tea bags. 2- There is no gym.

Clean with modern decor… Decent food and very friendly staff… Good wifi and worth the value compared to other hotels in Dakar! I really did enjoy the pool and outside areas. The drinks were very well-made also. It is the better of the hotels in comparison to its next-door neighbor Ibis.