Autumn is in full swing and we thought it would be great to escape the cold weather and introduce you to some amazing boutique hotels in a sunnier part of the world: West Africa.
You may be surprised that we are focusing on West Africa, as more popular destinations are the Southern and Eastern parts of the African continent with their Safari parks, beautiful lodges and sandy beaches.
But West Africa with its lush landscape, breathtaking beaches and the continent’s most vibrant and energetic cities is up and coming and provides great opportunities for business, culture or leisure travel.
A decade ago, West Africa was dominated by chain hotels, which catered mainly for business travellers, but now a new breed of stylish boutique hotels, small-scale intimate luxury hotels with lavish decor, great culinary and leisure facilities have opened their doors in many of West Africa’s capitals.
NIGERIA
Let’s get started with Africa’s largest city Lagos. With a population of 21 Million, Lagos is also known as the 'Big Apple' of Africa and is located on the shore of the Atlantic ocean.
Maison Fahrenheit in Victoria Island is not far from the Eko Atlantic project, which is planned to become the new financial epicentre of West Africa by the year 2020.
The hotel was opened in 2014 and includes 26 guest rooms, 4 suites , as well as a bar and restaurants each with their own eclectic personality and uniqueness. Designed by Anselm Tabans, you can sit back in style and enjoy its organic architecture and edgy design, paired with luxe comforts.
I spent some amazing nights on their roof terrace and love the atmosphere and African fusion cuisine.
Bogobiri House in the old part of high-brow Ikoyi is much more than a sixteen room boutique hotel. It offers its visitors a unique opportunity to interface with the creative soul of Africa's most vibrant city.
With its open mic nights and regular art exhibitions, Bogobiri House has become a hub for the promotion and appreciation of art, music and local knowledge whilst not compromising its core values: first class service, security and your utmost comfort.
GHANA
Now let’s move to Accra, the capital of Ghana, which stretches along the Atlantic coast and is with 2.27 Million Ghana’s largest city.
Villa Monticello is one of Ghana’s premier luxury boutique hotels and spas ideally situated in one of the most prestigious areas in Accra.
By combining modern luxury with the richness of traditional Ghanaian culture, the team at Villa Monticello created an exclusive retreat that features 14 individually custom-decorated luxury suites, each designed to feel more like a home than a hotel.
Aknac Hotel is a family-owned business that is located away from the hustle and bustle of Accra’s city centre in the prestigious residential area of East Legon.
Each room is designed with the intention of creating a contemporary yet comfortable space ideal for business or leisure breaks. The majority of the Aknac’s furnishings incorporate bespoke pieces designed by an in-house team of interior designers and created by local craftsmen.
With its chic grey walls, bespoke velvet sofas, shimmering crystal and African artworks, the hotel exudes contemporary Ghana at its finest.
La Villa Boutique Hotel is one of Ghana’s most stylish escapes which is close to the commercial centre of Osu. This lavish boutique hotel has 40 uniquely designed rooms and 2 apartments each carefully planned for the comfort of guests.
The decor combines African influences with hints of Italian style while still remaining its main identity with art work from local artists. With calm tones of chocolate and cream, this hotel is perfect for a relaxing getaway, whether you want to dine by the intimate poolside restaurant or grab a drink at the bar.
IVORY COAST
Now off to Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast and with it’s 4.7 million, one of West African’s most dynamic cities.
Hotel Particulier was also known as the ‘Hotel Garden’, is one of Ivory Coast’s best-kept secrets, located in the centre of Abidjan. This hotel is a great escape from the outside world yet close enough to the heart of the city.
With some rooms offering private gardens and amazing views, this is a perfect place to unwind, each room individually designed to engage comfort and distract you from the outside world. With warm and rich African inspired interiors this hotel is the definition of nature meets African luxury.
SENEGAL
Dakar, the Paris of Africa with its vibrant fashion scene and breathtaking beaches is home to our last hotel, the Rysara Hotel.
Set in the central district of Jambaars, the Rysara Hotel is just 5-minutes away from Dakar’s beaches. The hotel is ideally located to explore the city’s mix of original and modern architecture, guests can have a taste of the luxury harmonious vibe this hotel has to offer.
This is our top 7 boutique hotels in West Africa for now, but as the region is becoming more popular for business and leisure travel, I am sure there will be more amazing hotels opening their doors soon. But for 
now, if you are looking for an escape from the cold, why not try one of the ones above?
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