Best Hotels in Dakar 2025
Dakar is a proper West African capital with a proper hotel scene. Unlike the Gambian coast, you will not find cheap all-inclusives here — Dakar hotels skew either towards international business travellers or high-design boutiques aimed at the French and American market. That said, value is genuinely available if you know which neighbourhoods to target.
The city has three distinct accommodation zones, each with a different character:
- The Plateau — the historic downtown, government ministries, seafront. Grand old hotels, business hotels, and easy access to the main sights.
- Almadies / Les Mamelles — the upscale western tip of the Cap-Vert peninsula, where the best restaurants and beaches are. A ten-minute taxi from the airport.
- Yoff / Airport corridor — functional, unglamorous, genuinely useful for late arrivals or early departures.
The Plateau
Hôtel Terrou-Bi ★★★★★
The landmark hotel. Perched on a rocky promontory above the Atlantic at Corniche Ouest, Terrou-Bi has been Dakar's flagship five-star since 2004. It feels like a small palace — marble lobbies, sweeping sea views from almost every room, an outdoor pool cantilevered over the rocks.
- Rooms: From CFA 120,000 (~£160) per night. Sea-view rooms are worth every extra franc.
- Food: The Terrou-Bi restaurant is one of the most prestigious in the city — consistently ranked in Dakar's top ten. Strong wine list, excellent thiéboudienne (rice and fish) on Fridays.
- Casino: The hotel has Dakar's largest casino, which brings a mixed late-night crowd.
- Best for: Special occasions, diplomatic visitors, anyone who wants to be on the Corniche with a sea view and full service.
King Fahd Palace Hôtel ★★★★★
Scale over intimacy. The largest hotel in Senegal at 368 rooms, originally built to host the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit. It is enormous — ballrooms, multiple pools, a shopping arcade, a private beach club. Service can feel impersonal at this scale.
- Rooms: From CFA 100,000 (~£135). Renovated rooms in the tower wings are significantly nicer than older sections.
- Beach: The hotel has a private beach club on Plage des Almadies, accessible by shuttle.
- Best for: Large conferences, package tours, travellers who want maximum facilities.
- Note: The location on Route de la Corniche-Ouest puts you mid-way between the Plateau centre and Almadies — convenient for neither unless you plan to taxi everywhere.
Pullman Dakar Teranga ★★★★★
Business-hotel efficiency. The Pullman is the corporate workhorse of Dakar's five-star tier — a 183-room tower in the Plateau's business district with reliable Wi-Fi, a decent pool, and meeting rooms that actually function. Less atmospheric than Terrou-Bi but more consistent in execution.
- Rooms: From CFA 95,000 (~£128). Ask for a high floor for city and sea views.
- Food: French-influenced brasserie menu with Senegalese dishes. Room service until midnight.
- Best for: Business travellers, anyone who needs a reliable base for meetings or onward connections.
Radisson Blu Dakar ★★★★
Good value for the tier. The Radisson sits on the Plateau and is generally 15–20% cheaper than the Pullman for a comparable room. Rooms were renovated in 2022. The rooftop bar has views of the Médina and the bay.
- Rooms: From CFA 70,000 (~£94).
- Best for: Travellers who want four-star quality without five-star prices, groups.
Almadies and Les Mamelles
Dior Hôtel Boutique ★★★★
The design-traveller choice. A 24-room boutique hotel on a quiet street in the Almadies residential area. Hand-painted Senegalese textiles, bespoke furniture from local artisans, a courtyard garden with a small plunge pool. Nothing feels off-the-shelf.
- Rooms: From CFA 65,000 (~£87). Only 24 rooms — book well ahead in high season (November–March).
- Food: Breakfast only. The kitchen produces good avocado toast and fresh-baked bread — an unlikely speciality. Almadies has excellent restaurants within walking distance.
- Best for: Design-conscious travellers, couples, journalists and creatives visiting for the Dak'Art Biennale.
La Maison Boutique Hôtel ★★★★
French colonial done right. A restored 1930s villa in Almadies with 18 rooms, a shaded garden, and the quietest pool in the city. The owner is a Senegalese architect who designed the renovation himself — the attention to detail shows.
- Rooms: From CFA 55,000 (~£74).
- Best for: Long-stay travellers, anyone wanting a calm base away from downtown traffic.
Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Les Almadies ★★★★★
Beach with full service. A separate property from the downtown Radisson, the Almadies resort sits directly on Plage des Almadies with a private beach, two pools, a dive school, and a spa. More of a proper resort hotel than anything on the Plateau.
- Rooms: From CFA 110,000 (~£148). Ocean-front suites worth the upgrade.
- Best for: Sun-and-sea visitors to Dakar, anyone spending more than two nights who wants beach access.
Novotel Almadies ★★★★
Reliable midrange. A solid Accor property with a large pool facing the Almadies beach. Less character than the boutiques but consistently reliable service and a predictable room standard.
- Rooms: From CFA 60,000 (~£81).
- Best for: First-time visitors to Senegal who want brand-name reliability, families.
Airport Area (Yoff / Diamniadio)
Dakar's Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) opened in 2017 and sits 47 km southeast of the city centre — much further than the old Yoff airport. Journey time to the Plateau is 40–70 minutes depending on traffic.
Airport Hotel Diamniadio ★★★★
Purpose-built for the airport. The closest full-service hotel to DSS, 3 km from the terminal with a free shuttle. Functional rather than charming — large rooms, reliable air conditioning, a pool, a restaurant open 24 hours. Exactly what it needs to be.
- Rooms: From CFA 50,000 (~£67).
- Best for: Early morning flights, late arrivals, transit passengers.
Radisson Blu Airport Dakar (Diamniadio) ★★★★★
The best airport option. A full five-star 8 km from DSS, primarily aimed at business travellers transiting through Dakar or visiting the new Diamniadio administrative hub. The pool, gym, and spa are well-maintained.
- Rooms: From CFA 90,000 (~£121).
- Best for: Business travellers, anyone arriving late who doesn't want to tackle the 50-minute drive to the city.
Neighbourhood Guide at a Glance
| Zone | Journey to Centre | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Plateau | 0 min | Sightseeing, business, first visit |
| Almadies | 15 min by taxi | Beach, restaurants, design hotels |
| Airport / Diamniadio | 50 min | Transits, early flights |
Booking Tips
- CFA vs. EUR: Many Dakar hotels price in EUR or USD on third-party sites. Paying in CFA at the desk is sometimes cheaper — ask.
- High season: November–February and late April (Dak'Art Biennale years). Book six weeks ahead for boutiques.
- Low season: June–September (hot and humid). Rates drop 25–40%. Almadies boutiques are most likely to close or reduce services.
- Gorée day trips: If Gorée Island is on your itinerary, the Plateau hotels are most convenient — you walk to the ferry port in ten minutes.
- Almadies for food: The best restaurant cluster in Dakar (Lagon 1, La Cabane du Pêcheur, and others) is in Almadies. Staying here saves taxi fares if you plan to eat out every night.