Le Meridien Dakar, Senegal [Master Thread]
Jan 26, 2007, 12:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: New Haven, CT USA
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Le Meridien Dakar, Senegal [Master Thread]
Has anyone have any good comments about the Le Meriden in Dakar? I was not happy at all with my stay there last week. As an American it was a disgrace that there was no CNN but just Al Zareer and BBC news. Also the check in experiance was horrid and there were no alarm clocks in the rooms. The furniture was old and the beds were uncomfortable.Around midnight the entertainment were "ladies of the evening hanging around the lobby". This was only the second Le Meridian that I have stayed at and the other in Miami was exquisite.
Jan 7, 2008, 10:12 am
#3
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Due to high occupancy rates, there indeed may be no availability. Also some require minimum one week stays. Still not showing availability at Dakar.
I phoned spg platinum concierge for LM Douala and they said they had no published rates despite the fact that the hotel was open and had rooms available. LM Douala never responded to phone or email. When I went there in person, the response was "we are very busy". Found out after that you need to book one week stays, despite the fact that when you are there, you can get individual nights.
I guess when they are that busy, they don't need our business. I went elsewhere . . .
I phoned spg platinum concierge for LM Douala and they said they had no published rates despite the fact that the hotel was open and had rooms available. LM Douala never responded to phone or email. When I went there in person, the response was "we are very busy". Found out after that you need to book one week stays, despite the fact that when you are there, you can get individual nights.
I guess when they are that busy, they don't need our business. I went elsewhere . . .
Jan 7, 2008, 10:21 am
#4
formerly known as 2lovelife
Join Date: Dec 2000
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I know this is an old thread, but complaining that there was no CNN while in Africa is hillarious. 
I have a trip to DKR this year. I'd be interested to know if this hotel is an option.
I have a trip to DKR this year. I'd be interested to know if this hotel is an option.
Jan 19, 2008, 4:12 pm
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2003
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Posts: 318
Le Meriden Dakar (The President)
Does anyone know how the hotel continues to have "working girls" in the lobby and bar? Shouldn't this be against Starwood rules and regulations? I was there last week and the bartender asked which room I was in so he could send a girl up.
Mar 30, 2008, 10:08 pm
#6
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The hotel is now fully bookable on SPG.com, for single nights or whatever.
The write up/photos make it look very nice - though interestingly I could not find photos of the actual rooms.
Anyone stay here recently?
Aug 10, 2009, 8:57 am
#7
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Alright, let's resurrect an old thread...
Just had the unfortunate experience of staying there for 2 nights...
What an incredible pile of cr@p. This hotel is unbelievable...Which is a shame when considering that the public areas/pool are really quite nice.
Here's a list of issues encountered:
1) Free shuttle bus. They had my flight number (so could check if it'd arrived), and had my name on the list, but I had to wait for half an hour for the driver to turn up...which I really do not appreciate at 1am after an intercontinental flight (on a 738 no less!).
Why bother with offering this service and not tell me to take a taxi for 2000CFA instead (it's a 10 minute ride from the airport...and proximity to airport/late arrival/shuttle bus was exactly why I had been staying there in the first place)?
2) Room seriously outdated. Alright, it was a standard room, but still, it's supposed to be a 5* hotel. I'm in the Terrou Bi now, which is a four star and beats the hell out of the President.
3) My rate included LAN internet. On arrival, I plugged in my laptop, nothing happened. Called reception, told "the business centre is now closed". After responding in a rather annoyed tone, I got put through to the Front Desk manager, who gave me a wifi code, which worked fine but stopped functioning the following morning. Called the business centre, got another code, which stopped functioning at midnight, when the business centre was about to close and didn't return my call. Argued AGAIN with the Front Desk manager who gave me yet another code which, you guessed it, only lasted till the following morning.
4) The concierge was unable to find me the telephone number of a radio-taxi firm (I am told there are at least two)!!
5) The seaside restaurant closes at 22:30. And there's nothing else nearby.
6) There's also a time during the day when your eating options are reduced to a choice of one of 3 kinds of pizza or one of 2 kinds of pasta. I asked for a pizza and a smoothie to be brought together. The kitchen took half an hour to prepare the pizza, the bar staff brought it to me and THEN started preparing the smoothie, which took them a good 15 minutes, by which time I was almost through my pizza.
7)
There was an absolute army of them, scattered all around the hotel. It's ridiculous....if they want to offer such a "service" to guests who want it, I have no problem with it. But I'm not really fond of being solicited in a hotel lobby.
Between this and some snotty staff (and clueless concierge) during my previous stay at a LM (BUD), I guess it's fair to say that Starwood won't be seeing me again anytime soon!!!
The fact that we're in Africa doesn't really change things- DKR is not some rural backwater. It certainly feels a lot more developed and civilised than e.g. DEL. The hotel I'm staying in now is at least on a par with anything I've been to in Europe...
What an incredible pile of cr@p. This hotel is unbelievable...Which is a shame when considering that the public areas/pool are really quite nice.
Here's a list of issues encountered:
1) Free shuttle bus. They had my flight number (so could check if it'd arrived), and had my name on the list, but I had to wait for half an hour for the driver to turn up...which I really do not appreciate at 1am after an intercontinental flight (on a 738 no less!).
Why bother with offering this service and not tell me to take a taxi for 2000CFA instead (it's a 10 minute ride from the airport...and proximity to airport/late arrival/shuttle bus was exactly why I had been staying there in the first place)?
2) Room seriously outdated. Alright, it was a standard room, but still, it's supposed to be a 5* hotel. I'm in the Terrou Bi now, which is a four star and beats the hell out of the President.
3) My rate included LAN internet. On arrival, I plugged in my laptop, nothing happened. Called reception, told "the business centre is now closed". After responding in a rather annoyed tone, I got put through to the Front Desk manager, who gave me a wifi code, which worked fine but stopped functioning the following morning. Called the business centre, got another code, which stopped functioning at midnight, when the business centre was about to close and didn't return my call. Argued AGAIN with the Front Desk manager who gave me yet another code which, you guessed it, only lasted till the following morning.
4) The concierge was unable to find me the telephone number of a radio-taxi firm (I am told there are at least two)!!
5) The seaside restaurant closes at 22:30. And there's nothing else nearby.
6) There's also a time during the day when your eating options are reduced to a choice of one of 3 kinds of pizza or one of 2 kinds of pasta. I asked for a pizza and a smoothie to be brought together. The kitchen took half an hour to prepare the pizza, the bar staff brought it to me and THEN started preparing the smoothie, which took them a good 15 minutes, by which time I was almost through my pizza.
7)
Between this and some snotty staff (and clueless concierge) during my previous stay at a LM (BUD), I guess it's fair to say that Starwood won't be seeing me again anytime soon!!!
The fact that we're in Africa doesn't really change things- DKR is not some rural backwater. It certainly feels a lot more developed and civilised than e.g. DEL. The hotel I'm staying in now is at least on a par with anything I've been to in Europe...
Aug 10, 2009, 9:29 am
#8
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Oh, forgot to add
8) The room had two single beds (which was in the rate description, but I didn't have a lot of choice as the rates were really wacky- for example, the cheapest room was garden view with free internet, or you could pay like 20 Euros extra for a seaview room without the internet and no option was given for a seaview room with internet 
), with tiny mattresses (I guess anyone taller than 190cm would find their feet hanging out of the mattress and onto the wooden part of the bed), one of which was rather badly worn (good job I was alone so I could sleep on the other).
9) Bathroom maintainance rather careless- sanitary towel dispenser empty both days of the stay (fortunately I belong to the other gender!) , and the second day they forgot to include conditioner when renewing the amenity tubes. The latter was rectified by calling and getting someone to bring me one, but no apology was forthcoming.
All in all, that must've been the worst 5-star hotel I've stayed in by quite a margin...Please AVOID!
), with tiny mattresses (I guess anyone taller than 190cm would find their feet hanging out of the mattress and onto the wooden part of the bed), one of which was rather badly worn (good job I was alone so I could sleep on the other).9) Bathroom maintainance rather careless- sanitary towel dispenser empty both days of the stay (fortunately I belong to the other gender!) , and the second day they forgot to include conditioner when renewing the amenity tubes. The latter was rectified by calling and getting someone to bring me one, but no apology was forthcoming.
All in all, that must've been the worst 5-star hotel I've stayed in by quite a margin...Please AVOID!
Mar 1, 2010, 2:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plt
Posts: 2,607
To contrast with the negative reviews, I had a strikingly positive stay here twice in the last month.
Excellent platinum recognition, a sick upgrade to a suite with a huge dining room, and a great welcome from the duty manager. I was dreading the stay, but it was shining star in Senegal. A+
Excellent platinum recognition, a sick upgrade to a suite with a huge dining room, and a great welcome from the duty manager. I was dreading the stay, but it was shining star in Senegal. A+
Jul 2, 2011, 2:54 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Posts: 1,791
I stayed in February and had a pretty good experience.
As a Plat I got upgraded to a suite with one of the largest dining rooms I've ever had in a suite. The golf course was also nice.
Check-in and check-out were slow, there were some ladies of the evening in the lobby, the food was slightly overpriced, but those were relatively minor issues.
As a Plat I got upgraded to a suite with one of the largest dining rooms I've ever had in a suite. The golf course was also nice.
Check-in and check-out were slow, there were some ladies of the evening in the lobby, the food was slightly overpriced, but those were relatively minor issues.
Aug 26, 2011, 11:22 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: On the road, 24/7/365
Posts: 3,467
Background: SPG Diamond. Six day stay during Ramadan, which seemed to bring about a more languid pace, particularly toward the end of the daily fast, and caused certain services to fade or disappear.
Advance e-mail contact. I’d contacted the hotel to inquire about Ramadan specials and any changes in service availability. The reply wasn’t terribly helpful. “We do have some specials for Ramadan. S’hour& Iftar Except the room rate.” Information on the availability of the fitness center was helpful (“free to SPG Platinum guests”), but not strictly accurate, as the Ramadan hours were shortened. (The fitness center is separately operated from the hotel and is rather small, cramped, outdated and under-airconditioned/ventilated.) Multiple inquiries about the airport shuttle mentioned on the hotel website weren’t answered.
Dakar airport is a bit of a madhouse, with lots of touts and, unfortunately, the only ATM I saw located in a separate building, about three blocks walk (and a half-million touts) away. I got my cash, broke a too-big CFA bill and carefully chose a cab out of the sea of cabs available. Mine had the steering wheel mounted upside down.
Ten minutes of terror, and I was at the Le Meridien gates. The guards hoisted the security barrier and my 30-hour journey was over.
First impressions: An expansive property with acres of land. On the “grand” side. Convention center of some sort adjacent. Lobby rotunda. Felt like Dakar, without overdoing the “local” thing.
Front desk check-in attempt thwarted, and I was sent to the SPG room. (I would see this room several more times. More later.) My key packet was waiting, and check-in was slick. . Two young ladies working the SPG desk in shifts were wonderful. Default amenity was points. Local gift (sometimes interesting) was a bit beyond my capacity to care for and carry – a teapot of some sort. SPG Room staff knew of current promotions and seemed “hip” to the fundamentals of the program.
My room. Double-take. Triple take. I’ve had a four-door car, but never before a four-door hotel room. I’m guessing this room was pushing 1000 square feet, with a large living room and “formal” dining room for eight. I’ve got a balcony and a bath and a half. This waas the first “rain” showerhead that I actually liked, with adequate water pressure, not just gravity-feed.
High-speed internet access was. And I only had to get connected once, and the connection lasted the duration of my stay.
The tubes of stuff – shampoos, lotions - on the bathroom counter, “Cinq Mondes” brand, looked fine, but I didn’t use them. The soap worked, as far as I know.
“Blackout” drapes were fantastic during a huge thunderstorm. Not a wink of lightning could I detect. And the hotel’s back-up power system worked well during this and numerous other power lapses during my stay.
Location and transport: There are a few restaurants of varying levels, most fish and seafood-oriented down the road (away from the airport road) as well as a couple more hotels. And back on the airport road, there’s plenty of commerce for most needs, including a Casino Supermarche. (Recommended.) But downtown Dakar is about a 2.5 hour walk, each way. A cab will cost you CFA5000. (CFA 4000 gets you back to the airport.) Cabs sit at the end of the hotel driveway virtually all day. While you’ve got to negotiate your fare, no one ever played any games. (“No, you agreed to 50,000, not 5,000…”) The hotel also has a shuttle downtown and to the airport. The downtown shuttle was running something like 9:00AM, 11:00AM and 1:00PM during my stay. Goes to Independence Plaza.
Restaurants: If you want breakfast, get it in your room rate. For me, it added about US$10. Standalone, breakfast was over US$30. And breakfast is standard to a bit above, buffet style. Service ranged from hyper attentive to “where’d they go?”, but was usually fine. I usually had to self-serve the coffee from burners at the corners of the room.
Bummers: The travel agent – situated in, but not operated by the hotel – was just, plain unpleasant. I walked out mid-transaction and headed for another agent downtown, at considerable, but worthwhile, effort.
Overall, a good experience with helpful, knowlegeable staff, and good SPG treatment.
Advance e-mail contact. I’d contacted the hotel to inquire about Ramadan specials and any changes in service availability. The reply wasn’t terribly helpful. “We do have some specials for Ramadan. S’hour& Iftar Except the room rate.” Information on the availability of the fitness center was helpful (“free to SPG Platinum guests”), but not strictly accurate, as the Ramadan hours were shortened. (The fitness center is separately operated from the hotel and is rather small, cramped, outdated and under-airconditioned/ventilated.) Multiple inquiries about the airport shuttle mentioned on the hotel website weren’t answered.
Dakar airport is a bit of a madhouse, with lots of touts and, unfortunately, the only ATM I saw located in a separate building, about three blocks walk (and a half-million touts) away. I got my cash, broke a too-big CFA bill and carefully chose a cab out of the sea of cabs available. Mine had the steering wheel mounted upside down.
Ten minutes of terror, and I was at the Le Meridien gates. The guards hoisted the security barrier and my 30-hour journey was over.
First impressions: An expansive property with acres of land. On the “grand” side. Convention center of some sort adjacent. Lobby rotunda. Felt like Dakar, without overdoing the “local” thing.
Front desk check-in attempt thwarted, and I was sent to the SPG room. (I would see this room several more times. More later.) My key packet was waiting, and check-in was slick. . Two young ladies working the SPG desk in shifts were wonderful. Default amenity was points. Local gift (sometimes interesting) was a bit beyond my capacity to care for and carry – a teapot of some sort. SPG Room staff knew of current promotions and seemed “hip” to the fundamentals of the program.
My room. Double-take. Triple take. I’ve had a four-door car, but never before a four-door hotel room. I’m guessing this room was pushing 1000 square feet, with a large living room and “formal” dining room for eight. I’ve got a balcony and a bath and a half. This waas the first “rain” showerhead that I actually liked, with adequate water pressure, not just gravity-feed.
High-speed internet access was. And I only had to get connected once, and the connection lasted the duration of my stay.
The tubes of stuff – shampoos, lotions - on the bathroom counter, “Cinq Mondes” brand, looked fine, but I didn’t use them. The soap worked, as far as I know.
“Blackout” drapes were fantastic during a huge thunderstorm. Not a wink of lightning could I detect. And the hotel’s back-up power system worked well during this and numerous other power lapses during my stay.
Location and transport: There are a few restaurants of varying levels, most fish and seafood-oriented down the road (away from the airport road) as well as a couple more hotels. And back on the airport road, there’s plenty of commerce for most needs, including a Casino Supermarche. (Recommended.) But downtown Dakar is about a 2.5 hour walk, each way. A cab will cost you CFA5000. (CFA 4000 gets you back to the airport.) Cabs sit at the end of the hotel driveway virtually all day. While you’ve got to negotiate your fare, no one ever played any games. (“No, you agreed to 50,000, not 5,000…”) The hotel also has a shuttle downtown and to the airport. The downtown shuttle was running something like 9:00AM, 11:00AM and 1:00PM during my stay. Goes to Independence Plaza.
Restaurants: If you want breakfast, get it in your room rate. For me, it added about US$10. Standalone, breakfast was over US$30. And breakfast is standard to a bit above, buffet style. Service ranged from hyper attentive to “where’d they go?”, but was usually fine. I usually had to self-serve the coffee from burners at the corners of the room.
Bummers: The travel agent – situated in, but not operated by the hotel – was just, plain unpleasant. I walked out mid-transaction and headed for another agent downtown, at considerable, but worthwhile, effort.
Overall, a good experience with helpful, knowlegeable staff, and good SPG treatment.