Senegal Hotels and Accommodation

The government-controlled expansion of tourism has led to an increasing number of hotels. There are several of international standard and more development is underway. There are a number of ocean-front hotels along a strip called Saly-Portugal on the Petite Côte (the stretch of beaches between Dakar and Joal), which are favoured by European visitors. In the Casamance, some luxury resorts have been built. It is advisable to book accommodation in advance, particularly in Dakar, where there is an increased demand during the tourist season, which lasts from December to May. Hotels in Dakar generally have air conditioning but tend to be expensive.

Note that electricity is often cut off at night in Senegal so it is a good idea to have a torch, although the bigger hotels will often have a generator.

Grading: Hotels are classified from 1 to 4 stars.

Campements are loosely translated as ‘lodges' or ‘inns' and are basically guesthouses in rural areas of Senegal. Note however, that despite the name, they are not a camping ground or a place for tents. Some campements provide cheap, basic accommodation while others have gone upmarket offering similar standards to midrange hotels.

A village will sometimes courteously offer a stranger one of the local huts as living accommodation, but it is necessary for visitors to provide their own bedding.