Union Amical Des Corses Dakar

Breakfast looking straight out at Gorée is hard to forget, and the infinity pool is beautiful too. For me, L’Union Amicale Corse feels like home in Dakar, a place where I feel safe and like I belong. Jean-Michel and his memorable crew make it feel like family, with relaxed good food, weekend barbecues, and karaoke on Fridays. It’s in Plateau, the embassy district, behind the Presidential Palace and a few minutes from the Belgian Embassy. The view is one of Dakar’s best, with Gorée Island right in front. The rooms are excellent, service is impeccable, and most of the staff have been there since opening. When I visit, I always have a drink with Jean-Michel and stay the night. I have a great time every time, and honestly, I can’t think of a safer place to stay in Dakar.

The rooms are simple, but clean, and the staff are friendly. The window mosquito screens need fixing, though we didn’t have any mosquitoes in December. The breakfast could be laid out more invitingly. It’s a peaceful spot with a lovely ocean view, an inviting, spacious-looking pool, and an ideal location just a few minutes’ walk from the city center.

The ocean view is the best thing here. The hotel is far enough from Dakar’s busy center to feel removed, but you can still walk into town. You can reach the water by steps, though there’s no beach to stroll along. A sign directs you to a nearby beach, but it turns out to be inaccessible, and the sign saying "la plage n'est pas une poubelle" has been ignored. The food was a mixed point: lunch and dinner at the restaurant were quite good, especially the local fish, while breakfast was very basic. You can order omelettes, and there’s an espresso machine. The people were nice when I arrived, even inviting me to breakfast while my room was being cleaned. The room was fairly spacious and clean aside from a lot of ants (fourmis), and the bathroom window wouldn’t shut all the way. The air conditioning worked well. I bought a fan locally since the hotel had none, hoping it would help with the noise, and corridor sounds were noticeable too. Sleeping was the real problem. Someone in management seems intent on drowning out the sounds of nature with loud music around the restaurant, and the rooms aren’t soundproof. During my stay, a birthday party for a 13-year-old boy carried on by the pool past midnight with very loud music. Maybe the hotel needs the money from extra events, but guests pay for it with their sleep. I tried a locally bought fan, a sound machine, earplugs, and the air conditioner fan, and still couldn’t block the music. If only they’d turn it off.

The view is quite nice and the atmosphere is good, though some of the waiters can be rude at times.