Review: Baobab Soleil Hotel Dakar Blaise Airport, Senegal
Intro
Following a rough redeye from Nouakchott to Dakar, I finally had a little over 24 hours to rest in Senegal. Before leaving for Mauritania, I had decided that I would explore some more of the sights when I came back to Dakar, but unfortunately, over-exhausted and sick as a dog, I decided to stay at a hotel near the airport.
The friends I met on the Iron Ore Train had advised me of this half-decent hotel about 15 minutes away from the Dakar airport that they enjoyed. Seeing as my flight landed very early in the morning, I ended up choosing the Baobab Soleil.
Location+Price
The Baobab Soleil is one of the closest hotels to Dakar Blaise International Airport (why no one has opened up an airport hotel is beyond me), yet still a 20 minute drive away. The hotel offers transportation from 10-15000 CFA depending on the time of day, which is a nice addition since that means you don't have to haggle over a taxi price once you land.
The price is also pretty reasonable for a decent hotel. I ended up paying 75 USD per night, but the catch was they wanted it in cash... I'm unsure if card payments are accepted, so be prepared with either Euros or Dollars.
The hotel is surrounded by a gate and walls with security outside. Even at 4 am, the security guard was there to greet me and take me to my room.
Rooms
The rooms at the Baobab Soleil are simple but functional. For some peculiar reason, even though I was the only guest at the hotel, my room happened to feature two queen-sized beds.
It has all the basic needs you need: mosquito netting around the bed, air conditioning, decent wifi, unlimited hot water 😉, and a comfy place to sleep.
There's even a cute little terrace outdoors to enjoy your coffee in the mornings if you want to.
Considering I managed to sleep about 14 hours straight, something must have been right with this room😅.
Amenities
A nice addition to the hotel is that it features a decent swimming pool. While it isn't heated, Senegal tends to be quite warm, and especially during the summer months, it isn't an issue. Lounge chairs were available to use if you happen to fancy a sunbathing afternoon in the West African sun.
If you fancy your luck at beating an opposition in ping pong, they have a table in the restaurant.
Restaurant
Baobab Soleil is run by a Frenchman, who I happened to have plenty of nice conversations with during lunch and dinner. Because it is French-run, the food is simply delicious. For a couple of dollars a beer and 10-15 dollars a steak, I ate like a king during my stay at Baobab.
There is a place to dine outside (good if you are a smoker), as well as a dining section inside (which is non-smoking).
Steak, chips, and beer, what more could a man want in life?
Final Thoughts
If you happen to be in transit for a night in Dakar, the Baobab Soleil Hotel is the place to stay. I had a lovely recuperation stay and was thankful for the good food, class beer, comfy rooms, and a nice swimming pool to cool off. I highly recommend this place if you don't want to make the hour-and-a-half drive into town...
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