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Home » Reviews » Hotel Reviews » Review: Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra
Hotel ReviewsKempinski

Review: Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 19, 2020November 14, 2023 16 Comments

a building with trees and grass

a tree in a pot outside of a building

If you looking for the best hotel in Accra, this is the place. I enjoyed a tremendous stay at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City and would not hesitate to return.

Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra Review

In March 2020 I spent two nights in Accra. My first night I spent the Marriott and my second night at the Kempinski.

a building with a fountain in front of it

Booking + Check-In

My room rate was $240 and included breakfast as well as all taxes and fees. I was coming from Cape Coast and arrived very late in the evening. There was no wait to check-in and I was assigned to a standard room on the fourth floor. This was my first stay at a Kempinski property.

a group of people sitting in a large room

a lobby with a couple of people sitting in chairs and tables

a glass table with flowers on it

a large lobby with chairs and tables

Guest Room

It was a fairly long walk from the lobby to the elevator bank and then back down the hall toward my room.

elevator doors in a building

a hallway with a green sign

an elevator door with a button on the wall

Although it was a hot evening, the air conditioning was blasting in the room, keeping me quite cool (to the point at which I eventually turned it off). The room was spacious, with a seating area including a couch and chairs.

a hallway with a wood floor and a mirror

a room with a bed and couches

a bed with a red and white blanket

a living room with couches and a table

a bed with a lamp and a table

Here’s the room in daylight:

a bedroom with a bed and a television

a room with a television and a couch

a room with a bed and couches

a bed with a headboard and lamps

a bedroom with a bed and a couch

a bedroom with a bed and a wood floor

a desk and chair in a room

The bathroom a water closet with toilet and bidet, rainhead shower, and toiletries from Ferragamo.

a bathroom sink with a mirror above it

a toilet in a bathroom

a toilet in a bathroom

a shower head in a bathroom

a round white object with a blue circle on it

a group of small bottles on a metal shelf

The room also included a plus bathrobe and slippers in the closet and a mini-bar with soft drinks. Bottled water was complimentary.

a close up of a towel

a refrigerator with soda cans and bottles

Dining + Room Service

I was tiredd and not really in the mood to go downstairs to one of the hotel’s many on-site restaurants. Instead, I called room service and asked if dinner from Cedar Garden, the hotel’s Lebanese/Levantine restaurant could be brought up. The menu looked wonderful and I ordered Shakriyeh (slow-cooked lamb with baby onions, coriander, pine nuts, and pita chips in a yogurt sauce with tahini).

a plate of food on a tray

a plate of food on a table

a salad on a plate

a bowl of bread and a towel

This turned out to be my best meal of the trip. Lamb has a strong and distinct taste and this dish was brimming with flavor.

Satisfied, I went to bed.

Other dining options at the hotel include Papillon (all-day dining with Mediterranean influence), Gallery Lounge (afternoon tea in the lobby), Gallery Bar, and a poolside terrace.

a bar with a bar and chairs

a room with a bar and a plant

Breakfast

Breakfast at Papillon was a treat, with a large buffet plus a menu of a la carte items available. Coffee was also tasty (speciality drinks like cappuccinos available) and freshly-pressed juices were available. However, my favorite breakfast items wasn’t even a breakfast item…it was the mini-pizzas directly out of a wood fired oven. A very lovely breakfast with good service.

a wood wall with a sign and a planter on it

a group of people sitting at tables in a restaurant

a group of bowls of food on a table

bowls of cereals on a table

a buffet line of food

a salad bar with different types of food

a counter with food on it

a table with bowls of food

a kitchen with food on plates and a chef in the background

a woman cooking in a kitchen

a group of bottles of juice on a black surface

a group of bowls of food on a counter

a buffet with different types of food

jars of food on a table

a food on a counter

a table with food on it

a counter with food items on it

a menu on a table

a cup of coffee with a spoon and a glass of juice

a glass of yellow liquid on a white plate

a watermelon slices on a plate

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of omelette with vegetables

a plate of food on a table

a restaurant with tables and chairs

As for the artwork…no comment.

a painting of people at a bar

Pool

The hotel features a large outdoor pool with cabanas and chairs.

a patio with a covered patio and a table and chairs

a pool with chairs and umbrellas in front of a building

a pool with chairs and umbrellas in front of a building

a swimming pool with a building in the background

a building with a lawn and bushes

a building with trees and plants

Fitness

I loved the hotel’s large fitness center, which included not just late-model cardio and strength training equipment, but a lot of it.

a reception desk in a room

a large room with exercise equipment

a room with exercise equipment and exercise equipment

a room with exercise machines and exercise equipment

a gym with exercise equipment

a group of treadmills in a room

a shelves with dumbbells and weights

a large room with mirrors and a wood floor

a locker room with brown benches and lockers

Spa + Wellness

Even in scorching hot weather, I enjoy the routine of a sauna and steam bath and this hotel offers both in the male locker room, as well as a nice jacuzzi. The hotel features the largest spa in West Africa.

a hallway with plants in pots

a elevator with a sign and a potted plant

a room with a statue

a hallway with lights on the floor

a hallway with benches and lockers

a bathroom with sinks and mirrors

a bathroom with two lights and bottles of shampoo

a couple of brown bottles on a metal holder

a bathroom with glass doors and towels

a sign on a counter

a rectangular sign on a wall

a row of lockers in a room

a brown sign with white text

a room with a chair and a clock

two chairs in a room

a chair in a room

a hot tub inside a room

a sign on a wall

a sauna with a fire pit

a door in a room

a shower with a shower head

A special thanks to Michael Addo, one of the spa attendants who was extremely attentive while being discreet at the same time. For example, as I stepped out of the sauna he appeared with a bottle of water and fresh towel.

Security

Accra felt very safe to me, but entering the hotel felt like entering a U.S. diplomatic compound. There was a high fence and security guards. The undercarriage and trunk of my Uber was checked for bombs. There was a metal detector check upon entering.

a building with palm trees and a zebra crossing

a building with a parking lot and trees

Perhaps that is best in the uncertain world in which we live in, but the hotel is very fortified.

Service

I mentioned Michael above, but every staff member I encountered was well-trained and polite. Even passing maids in the hall resulted in a warm “good morning” or “good afternoon”.

CONCLUSION

The Marriott was nice, but the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City. I had a lovely one-night stay here and wish it could have been longer. Next time, I will be proceeding directly to this hotel.

How would you review the Kempinski Gold Coast Accra hotel?


This story is part of my An African Adventure As The World Shut Down trip report.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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16 Comments

  1. Justin Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    Thorough as always – thanks Matthew. Excellent coverage for a less commonly featured destination. Hope your holiday is wonderful for you and yours. 2021 will be better : )

  2. S Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    When travel is back on, there are usually great deals to Accra on *A. I think I will pull the trigger one day and definitely would stay here. This hotel looks exceptional.

    Did you feel safe Matthew? One of the reasons I am hesitant to head to places like Accra or Cape Town is safety concerns, but I know Accra and Ghana in general is pretty safe. Thanks.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 19, 2020 at 5:17 pm

      I felt very safe (as least as a tall, white, male) and wait till you read the next couple installments!

  3. Sean M. Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    The hotel is definitely one of the two best in Accra (the Movenpick Ambassador is the only other one at this standard). I haven’t stayed at the Kempinski myself, but I’ve attended and hosted multiple events there. I’m not sure the value for money is worth the premium prices relative to other locations in Accra (for example, basic catering for a media event is almost double the price per head than the Marriott). Also, the location is more convenient for the financial and government districts rather than Osu or Airport City which are the more lively parts of town.

    • Stuart Reply
      December 19, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      After seeing this review I can understand why it’s double the price of the Marriott. Value though in retrospect is more important, right?

      • Sean M. Reply
        December 20, 2020 at 5:15 am

        Value is a subjective thing of course, but of the various international brand hotels I’ve stayed at or hosted/attended events at in Accra, I’ve found the Movenpick to be the best from a quality standpoint, followed by the Kempinski, and then the Marriott, Holiday Inn and Ibis Select in that order. Price wise, the Kempinski and Movenpick swap places and the other three are largely in that order. Don’t get me wrong – the Kempinski is a wonderful property – but I think a lot of their premium charges are linked more to the brand name than actual value additions.

        • Matthew Reply
          December 20, 2020 at 10:42 am

          Looking at the Movenpick, it does look quite comparable inside (though fairly ugly from the outside). Maybe I will try it. I want to check out Accra again if United’s planned service actually begins.

  4. Stuart Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    Leaps and bounds better looking than the Marriott you reviewed there. Very impressive. Would def be my choice now.

  5. Gene Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    @ Matthew — I actually like the painting.

    • Paolo Reply
      December 20, 2020 at 5:08 am

      Yes, so do I; also the bronze outside the spa ( although it’s hard to tell from the photo)

    • Paolo Reply
      December 20, 2020 at 5:19 am

      It’s by a Kenyan artist, Michael Soi.

  6. derek Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 11:08 pm

    $240? Would that be to a Ghanian what an American would think of a $2000 room (not suite) at a hotel in the US?

    When I was a third of the way into the very interesting article, I felt “if I were in Accra, despite Ghana not being a hotbed of terrorism, I would be afraid that the hotel would be a terrorist target”. If there were a hotel in New York that had $2000 rooms and suites for far more, I would be afraid of a terrorist attack. Sad world we are in.

    I wonder if there are local hotels that are not too run down? I have stayed at local hotels in India that appear to be along the standard of Econolodge and a little better, like Comfort Inn.

    • Don Nielsen Reply
      December 20, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      What a load of nonsense, I am on the last leg of my return home from Kumasi and Accra and the only truth told is how bad the traffic is and I can tell you it is worse than that. That hotel is a dump compared to others there and that bomb checking is all BS so you should check too see if you were in another city in Africa instead.

  7. derek Reply
    December 19, 2020 at 11:15 pm

    Matthew is perking my interest in Ghana despite a 2007 review on Trip Advisor:

    Ghana is a big mistake for a holiday destination

    I just visited Accra for 17 days with my wife and her mother. We actually got married there. The taxi drivers are a rip off, I stayed in the Ultimate Hotel on Kasoa Road and got ripped off also. Lots of mosquitoes…the repellent we got did not work at all. My mother in law got bitten a lot as well as my wife. Traffic situation is bad n the drivers are the worst next to Dubai. If you plan on committing suicide, get into one of the local buses. People do not give you change and they hike the prices when you speak.

    • Sean M. Reply
      December 20, 2020 at 5:09 am

      Why on earth would someone staying near Kasoa claim that they visited Accra. It’s not even in the same region. And in 2007, before the George Bush Expressway was built, that would have been a horrendous drive.

      Today, if there is no traffic at Mallam Junction, you can get to Kasoa from the airport in just 30 minutes on the expressway. But it is still very much a distant residential suburb rather than having any sort of attraction in its own right.

      • Michael Reply
        December 20, 2020 at 11:52 am

        Agree. There are some lovely hotels downtown. Very safe, even at night to walk about.

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