Savana

This hotel has probably been a great hotel when they build it. But now a lot of things are broken or closed. For example, only one of the 3 restaurants is still open. And the one that is open, looks more like a canteen then a restaurant. The food they serve is quite ok, but it is always the same: chicken or fish. Since we stayed 14 nights in this hotel, we had enough fish for a whole year I guess. The swimming-pool is nice, clean and big, but often there weren’t enough towels. Which was the same for the rooms. The towels that we got where old and often frayed. The bar at the swimming-pool should be open until 23h but was often already closed at 21h. Often they ran out of certain beverages so we needed to wait until the next day to get it. The staff, though, did everything they could with the few resources they had. Basically, the owner of this hotel urgently need to put some money into it. If you stay for a long time in this hotel, I recommend you take the all-inclusive formula. Otherwise it may turn in to an expansive stay. Although the all-inclusive-formula in this hotel is also not always what you expect.. For example coca cola is included but coca cola light isn’t… The rooms are old but OK. I recommend the duplex rooms if you stay for a long time. Overall, we had a good stay thanks to the staff who I would like to thanks a 1000 times for everything they did. If the staff hadn’t been so great, it would probably turned into a stress holiday.

We spent three nights in this hotel. We very much enjoyed our stay! It was not in the tourist-season and the hotel was almost empty. Staff very, very committed and friendly. Food was good, with the exception of the breakfast, which I did not like at all because it was all sugar. The rooms are a bit run-down, but if you insist with the reception, the necessary repairs (window-mosquito nets with holes) are being done quickly (but not the not-so necessary ones like the burnt light bubs). 2 tennis courts, nice swimming pool. Big disadvantage outside the tourist season: The bar closes quite early (7-8pm) if no customers are expected. In most hotels in Senegal, the beds are not equipped with mosquito nets - unfortunately the Savana is no exception.

Based on a good experience one of its sister hotels in Dakar, we reserved 2 nights in April 2012 at this hotel in Saly Portudal, Senegal. While it was apparently a very nice resort at one time, it really needs some help and upgrades. The setting is beautiful: right on the ocean with a lovely large pool. But the rooms were quite dirty, A/C only partially working, and the staff was indifferent at best. A shame, because with just a little investment and care, this could be a great spot.