Staying At An Airbnb In Dakar, Senegal
Intro
During my one-night stay in Dakar, Senegal, I opted to stay at an Airbnb to minimize costs. Hotels in and around Dakar are relatively expensive, while Airbnbs are much cheaper. Am I happy I did this? Yes. Would I do it again? Perhaps not. It was quite the experience.
However, for 42$ for the night, there is no reason to complain.
Check-In
As I was taking off from Abidjan to Dakar, I received a WhatsApp message from the host indicating how to check-in. Originally, I had planned to check in by 5 pm, but due to my delay on the flight, she sent me videos and pictures of what to do.
Additionally, she informed me that the building was undergoing construction, but only after I booked😅.
Finding The Airbnb
This is where my life got confusing. After landing onboard the Cote d'Ivoire A320 from Abidjan, I headed off to a cafe to watch the Champions League final. By the time that was done, it was dark, and I was on the verge of tipsy (thanks to all the free beers)😅. This meant I was wandering the streets of Dakar with my luggage (just a backpack), looking for this building that was under construction.
Keep in mind that I am deathly afraid of snakes.
On the way to the address my host sent me, I found a couple of kids playing football. As a football player, I dropped my bags and played for a bit before deciding I needed to find this place.
Well, I found it!
Now, the next hassle came: which room was I in? It took me another 20 minutes to find the room that I was staying at in this complex.
Originally, I thought I had booked an apartment, but as it turns out, I booked a room in an apartment...
Finally, I had located my room for the evening. Thanks to the instructions that the host sent, I was able (not easily) to get inside.
The Airbnb
A common room was the standout aspect of the shared "condo", as it featured the ability for customers to come together to cook, dine, clean, or relax. Props to this Airbnb for having a full kitchen that customers can use.
With my very little French and being the only person that was caucasian there, I decided to head to my room to freshen up and get ready to go out for dinner.
The room was basic in itself but functional/. Unfortunately, the Air Conditioning wasn't working during my visit, which meant a very hot night (at least I think). However, I did manage to get some sleep, which was the most important part.
With a very long day originating in Nigeria, I figured a shower would be nice. The shower was shared with another couple, but I never had to wait. Perhaps this was due to the 0 hot water that was provided.
Cold showers it was!
Lastly, the next morning, the host was adamant that I was out at 12 pm (the standard checkout time). This is a telltale sign for me if the staff really care about their customers or if it is purely business. Considering there was no AC or hot water, which was shown on the Airbnb app, it would have been nice if I could have left at 1 pm.
Final Thoughts
Staying at an Airbnb in Dakar was certainly an experience. Living with 6 other people, having no air conditioning and no hot water, it wasn't the best experience. However, I did manage to get some sleep, and the price was right. If you can, I would splurge on slightly nicer private accommodation in Dakar.
Comments