Skyna Hotel Luanda

The good points were the decent-sized room, comfortable bed, well-priced laundry, friendly evening receptionist, and a bar with a nice atmosphere. That's about all I can say in its favour. The place is very dated. The fridge never worked, even after I asked four times for a replacement. The food nearly gave me food poisoning because the chicken was undercooked. Faulty lamps flickered constantly, and with only one main light the room was extremely dark at night. For three weeks I mostly had brown water in the shower, alternating between cold, then hitting cold, then hot. The TV, from the 2000s, didn't work either. Two stars at best.

The views across the bay are wonderful, and the location works well for people doing business in the city. It's an older hotel, but still well maintained and equipped, with friendly, efficient staff. The rooms and bathrooms are spacious, and everything was very clean. Food was about what you'd expect at similar hotels. It isn't as glitzy as the Palmeiras, and there's no pool, though the gym is good.

At 180 dollars a night, I expected better facilities. The rooms are okay, and housekeeping staff are friendly, but breakfast was below standard, including the buffet, the dining area, and the staff there. There was very little I could eat. Cheese and cold cuts were laid on the same platters, overlapping, with the same utensils. If they can't show basic respect for non-carnivore guests, it makes you wonder what goes on behind the kitchen door. There was no yoghurt or muesli, and the fruit selection was very limited.

A decent hotel for a business trip. The staff were friendly, the food was okay, and prices were about average for Luanda. A bottle of wine costs around 20 euros.