Ask anyone around town, and the Radisson Blu Conakry is almost always number one when it comes to the city’s best hotel. As part of Radisson’s growing portfolio of hotels, across numerous brands, on the continent, this is one of the region’s top performers. It’s easy to see why. These are our top five reasons to stay there.
The pool
The infinity edge pool faces the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by swaying palm trees. Umbrella-shaded lounge chairs and cabanas ring the plunge with staffers coming around from the pool bar to take orders for drinks, snacks or a menu of impressive meals. Expect things like salads, burgers, sandwiches and even soup plus heartier selections.
The al fresco terrace is also popular with locals and expats that stop in for a bite to eat in the fresh breeze. In addition, the hotel has a solid fitness center and spa offering massage and beauty treatments. The latter also sees a lot of local traffic.
The rooms
These are the most modern and contemporary rooms in Conakry. For starters, all of them face the ocean and the pool, and all have a furnished balcony from which to enjoy the view.
Tiled floors, duvet-wrapped beds, comfy sofas or armchairs and a wide desk with ample power outlets combine to make a comfortable stay. Every room has a fridge, coffee maker, plenty of bottled water and a large closet.
The hotel also has a collection of premium suites like studio apartments and Junior Suites. The largest are the Penthouse and Presidential Suites with lovely living rooms for entertaining and outdoor dining areas.
Bathrooms stock scented toiletries in eco-friendly pump bottles and excellent water pressure in glass showers. Extras like robes, slippers and shoe shine kits were in the closets.
The food
It all starts with an expansive breakfast buffet that includes cooked-to-order egg and sweet dishes, a full selection of pastries and fresh fruit, and lots of local options. You can choose to sit indoors or outside. I liked that they had individual Nespresso machines so people could customize their brews just how they like it.
Later in the day, this turns into the lunch and dinner restaurant with an international menu. I really liked all of the Indian options they had, and I wanted to try some of the local dishes. I wish they had more Guinean options to sample, and the staff was excited that I had asked about some of their national dishes.
The people
My favorite part of my stay was how friendly the staff was. It was great to learn more about Guinean culture from them. The hotel has a large collection of art and statues, most reflecting the local landscape. It was clear that the team at Radisson Blu were proud of the reputation that the property has in town.
Perhaps that is why this hotel is also a popular venue with meeting and convention events as well as social functions. The combination between excellent service and location make it a destination that people want to visit.
The safety factor
When I spoke with other visitors to Conakry as well as locals, the one thing they praised about this hotel was its safety. This is notable from the moment you arrive. While not the only international hotel in town, there is a strong security presence that includes checking every car that arrives. There are also security scanners at the entrance and staff that monitor the beach and hotel perimeter.
The neighborhood around the hotel is growing and is nothing to worry about. In fact, there are business offices, apartment complexes and retail venues all within walking distance. Construction projects on other modern venues are also taking place in the area. This is clearly the area to stay in when visiting Conakry, especially since you can be at the airport in 20 minutes (it can take much longer from the city’s other top-tier hotels).
