From the moment you enter the huge lobby entrance, it’s clear the long-awaited Kempinski is a very, very impressive residence. It’s been designed with peace and relaxation in mind, and the building itself manages to be incredibly well hidden away, despite its central location. This is all the more remarkable when you consider this is the biggest hotel in the country, spreading over 35 hectares and playing home to 269 rooms, plus four suites, all of which are at least 50 sqm in size.
The hotel is built around a central courtyard. From the main lobby, walk around to the left for the Gallery Bar – popular on Fridays – for one of their signature cocktails, or continue on to Gallery 1957, a superb space focusing on Ghanaian artists. Above this are the many spacious rooms, the best of their kind in Accra, with African art and design flourishes elevating them well above the standard corporate affair. Many rooms overlook the beautiful infinity pool and Cedar Terrace area, a wonderful place to relax for a day. The spa, although not open at the time of going to press, will have 10 treatment rooms, a hammam, yoga studios and a beauty salon. Also planned is an extensive retail space. The conference and ballroom facilities are – guess what – the biggest in Ghana, and have all the latest audio and visual equipment, as do the board rooms and smaller meeting spaces.
Finally, the Papillon Restaurant serves a buffet and à la carte options.
The Kempinski has always had huge ambitions to become more than a hotel, liking to also see itself as a high-end social centre for Accra. With its airy restaurant, spa, conference facilities, gallery and pool bars, it looks as though it can easily achieve this.