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Hotel President, Yamoussoukro - Things to Do at Hotel President

Things to Do at Hotel President

Complete Guide to Hotel President in Yamoussoukro

About Hotel President

Hotel President erupts from Yamoussoukro's red earth like a 1970s fever dream that never woke up. Félix Houphouët-Boigny commissioned it while turning his birthplace into Ivory Coast's political capital. The hotel crowns a hill above the basilica and presidential lakes. Concrete modernism softens under sweeping balconies. A turquoise pool flashes against the savanna. The lobby feels cool and cavernous after the heat outside. Terrazzo floors echo each footstep. Polished wood and old air conditioning perfume the air. Most guests arrive braced for ruin or pretension. They find neither. The 9-hole golf course, one of the few in West Africa, sprawls below the main block. Diplomats and Abidjan businesspeople still tee off at dawn. Rooms are large, slightly faded, and most deliver panoramic views. The basilica's dome hovers above the trees. The lake catches late light like a mirror. Service moves at the pace of former grandeur. Standards linger. For whatever reason, the hotel has become Yamoussoukro's default base. Diplomats, pilgrims, conference delegates, curious travelers from Abidjan, they all wash up here. Competition is thin. Gravity is strong. You book for one night. You stay for two. A cold Flag beer by the pool. The call to prayer drifts up from town.

What to See & Do

The swimming pool terrace

An enormous turquoise rectangle on a terrace overlooking Yamoussoukro, ringed by loungers and shaded by mature palms. The water stays cool even in March's worst heat. Late afternoons here, when the light turns gold and the basilica dome glows white in the distance, feel like the hotel's best argument for itself.

The 9-hole golf course

One of the few proper golf courses in West Africa, carved into the slopes below the hotel. Fairways are surprisingly green given the climate, kept alive by sprinklers running at dawn. You'll hear the thwack of clubs and the chatter of caddies in French and Baoulé as you walk the perimeter path.

The panoramic restaurant

On the upper floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the basilica. The buffet leans French-colonial, think braised guinea fowl, attiéké with grilled fish, crème caramel that's been on the menu since opening. But the real attraction is watching sunset paint the dome pink while ceiling fans turn slowly overhead.

The lobby and original 1970s interiors

Worth a slow walk-through even if you're not staying. Terrazzo floors, low-slung leather seating, abstract murals in burnt orange and avocado green, and a sunken bar area that feels like a Bond villain's lair. The aesthetic is unapologetically of its era and increasingly hard to find anywhere else.

The hilltop viewpoint

From the hotel grounds you get the cleanest view in Yamoussoukro of the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, the presidential palace compound, and the artificial lakes Houphouët-Boigny had dug to evoke his vision of an African capital. Best at dawn before the haze builds.

Practical Information

Opening Hours

The hotel operates 24 hours for guests. Reception is staffed around the clock. Restaurants run roughly 6:30, 10am for breakfast, 12:30, 2:30pm for lunch, and 7:30, 10pm for dinner. The pool is open from early morning until sunset, and the bar typically serves until midnight or whenever the last guests leave.

Tickets & Pricing

Room rates sit firmly in the splurge category for Ivory Coast, this is the most expensive hotel in Yamoussoukro and likely the most expensive in the country outside Abidjan. Non-guests can use the pool and golf course for a day-pass fee, and the restaurants are open to outside diners. Booking ahead is wise during conference season and around major religious events at the basilica.

Best Time to Visit

November through February is the most comfortable window, dry, slightly cooler, and the haze is manageable. March and April get hot, which makes the pool more appealing but the golf course punishing. The rainy season (May, October) brings dramatic skies and lush surroundings but also humidity that the older AC units struggle with.

Suggested Duration

One night is enough if you're just passing through to see the basilica. Two nights lets you use the pool, play the golf course, and explore Yamoussoukro at a sensible pace. Anything longer and you'll likely find yourself wishing you were back in Abidjan.

Getting There

Yamoussoukro sits about 240km north of Abidjan, roughly a 3, 4 hour drive on the A3 motorway, the best road in Ivory Coast, and a pleasant journey through cocoa country and rolling savanna. UTB and other intercity bus companies run comfortable coaches from Adjamé station in Abidjan to Yamoussoukro for a budget-friendly fare, taking about 4 hours. From the Yamoussoukro gare routière, a taxi to Hotel President is a short ride and cheap. Private car with driver from Abidjan is mid-range and worth it if you're traveling with luggage or as a group. The hotel sits on a hill on the western edge of town, signposted from the main roundabouts.

Things to Do Nearby

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
The reason most people come to Yamoussoukro, the largest church in the world by some measures, modeled on St Peter's in Rome. It's about a 10-minute drive from the hotel and pairs naturally with a stay here. You can see it from your room and visit at dawn before the heat.
Presidential Palace and crocodile lakes
Houphouët-Boigny's official residence sits surrounded by artificial lakes stocked with sacred crocodiles. Public feedings happen most afternoons (timing shifts, ask at reception). It's a strange, slightly unnerving spectacle and one of Yamoussoukro's defining experiences.
Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny
A modernist conference center and museum complex about 15 minutes from the hotel, built in the same era and ambition as Hotel President itself. Worth a wander even when no event is on, the architecture is the attraction.
Saint Augustin Cathedral
Smaller and far older than the basilica, with stained glass and a quiet courtyard. A useful counterpoint to the basilica's overwhelming scale and a pleasant 20-minute detour. Step inside. Feel the hush. Worth it.
Kossou Lake
About an hour's drive northwest, a huge artificial reservoir with fishing villages along its shore. Good for a half-day trip if you have a driver and want to see rural Ivory Coast beyond the capital's monumental ambitions. Bring water. Pack sunscreen.

Tips & Advice

Ask for a room on the upper floors facing the basilica, same price, dramatically better view, and the AC tends to work better higher up. Book early. Views sell out.
The breakfast buffet is included with most rates and is substantial. Skip the overpriced airport pastries on travel days and eat properly here. Load up. Save cash.
Cash in CFA francs is useful for tipping staff, the golf caddies, and taxis into town, the hotel takes cards but smaller transactions go more smoothly with notes. Keep small bills handy.
If you're visiting the basilica, go at opening time and have the hotel arrange a taxi to wait for you. The midday heat on that vast white plaza is no joke. Arrive early. Stay cool.
The pool gets busy with day-trippers on weekends, Sunday afternoons. Weekday mornings are quiet and the lounger of your choice is guaranteed. Bring a book. Enjoy silence.
French goes a long way here; English is spoken at reception but staff appreciate even halting attempts at bonjour and merci, and service tends to warm up noticeably. Try it. They smile.

Tours & Activities at Hotel President

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