Riu Baobab

Accommodation: very similar to all the other Rius I've been to (eg Cape Verde, Sri Lanka, Mexico). Large spacious rooms, bottled water in fridges daily. Food: Good selection, I was impressed with what they can rustle up given the location. It's not as varied or high quality as other stays I've experienced but nonetheless very good. Facilities: Maturing palm trees everywhere make it pleasant to walk around. The beach in front of the hotel was spotless though I didnt venture past that point. The pools are large and clean, the unheated one was most refreshing. The swim up pool bar always gets a bit cloudy but to be expected with drinks near the water. Entertainment: Poor. Local staff did their best but please dont expect west end quality. The compere was also quite overbearing and ideally would balance more French and English. There were lots of fitness classes throughout the day. Music is quite loud between 5-630 and 9-11pm in case you like to nap or go to bed early. Staff: All perfectly polite and pleased if you spoke French but didnt expect it. I believe most come from the local villages so there is a real positive to the hotel being where it is. Surroundings: Senegal is very poor and if you leave the hotel you will see this everywhere. Children in dirty clothing with begging bowls, livestock on the single track street, lots of traffic getting in and out. However, thats part of why I visited West Africa, to see different and appreciate other places. So be warned but dont be afraid to venture out on trips.

Our experience was amazing! The only thing we have to say is that, “ We wish they had room service, different food and snacks during after hours.”

We are at the hotel at the moment. This hotel is spotless thanks to its hard working staff .the food is warm and you won't go hungry. It's well presented and again the restaurant is spotless. The staff are extremely attentive..we enjoyed the entertainment ..and we would return

We returned from Riu Baobab, Senegal last week, two couples having very much enjoyed our stay. This is our review. Tui flight– easy online booking and admin. Our flights were 5hrs 40 mins outbound/ 6’ish inbound and whilst not unpleasant, the plane and service were pretty basic. Tui rep – the coach to the resort was large and comfortable and the resort transfer is about 1hr 15 mins. It was already dusk when we set off but the journey passed quickly as the Tui rep, with 30+ years of living in Africa, shared her in-depth knowledge of Senegal, its people, way of life, trips to see what the country has to offer and information about the hotel. She was outstanding. Money and Tips – trying to use the cashpoints on arrival was time consuming and painful. Of the three we found, two were non-functioning and the other dispensing too little for our needs. Fortunately we had brought Euros with us which we exchanged at the hotel reception for small denomination notes in the local currency to use primarily for tipping. Hotel check-in – The queues were short and quick. Tip – if you have a Riu class membership, use the dedicated counter – the one with the rolled-out carpet in front of it. I had submitted my “wishes” on the membership portal before we travelled and we were touched that the reception and management exceeded our expectation. This is our sixth Riu hotel and we found that the Rui Baobab Senegal has the most personable, welcoming and helpful reception staff of them all . Room – lovely room with a great view of the sunsets, partially obscured by the fine, misty Sarah sand on the horizon for the time we were in Senegal. The room was clean, bed comfortable, rain-shower hot water always, the air conditioner quiet. There is a room safe, plenty of hangers, closet and drawers. Excellent room maid and our fridge guy was from a people elegantly tall, he at 2.2m. Hotel – good with pleasant architecture and African theme furnishings. Grounds – the gardens are beautifully planted and well maintained. We particularly loved the baobab trees, of which there are many dotted around the surrounding countryside. Beach – the Baobab has one of the best resort beaches we have experienced - deep, wide and the sea is swimmable. And peaceful compared to the pool areas. Towel reservation before dawn is unnecessary as there are plenty sunbeds and cabanas for all. The hotel beach is maintained daily, but should you walk outside the hotel area on either side you will encounter not only the usual plastics washed up on the tide, but also startlingly large amounts fabric bundles bound with abandoned fishing nets. Dining – Yassa restaurant is the main buffet restaurant with large seating areas. Food fine, you will always find something to like. The hotel booking app for the Italian, Asian and Grill restaurants was easy to use and we always secured tables. Drinks –I didn’t love the background taste of the coffee, juice or carbonated drinks from the self-dispenser machines. I did, however, try the neat ginger juice from the machine in the area set aside for the evening Grill restaurant. Try it. I dare you. But I ordered daily the delicious, non-alcoholic, hot drink “Wass” from all the hotel bars - pounded lime, orange and mint, ginger juice, sugar and steamed hot water shot through from the coffee machine. Well worth a try. Acceptable wine and we enjoyed the draught beer and whilst the canned beer is very pleasant, it is 5.9%. Entertainment – we liked the shows, particularly those with an African theme and the Michael Jackson one. The dancers were great. Medical – there is a doctor on site. I’ll mention here that a dodgy tum is usual for me on holiday, but not at this hotel. Hand sanitiser is available in every restaurant. Staff – all we encountered are lovely – accommodating, smiley and hard working. The waiter in the Grill area deserves particular mention for his exceptionally thorough cleaning of the tables between re-sets. Language – Wolof, French, probably other European languages too, judging by the number of international guests. Almost all the staff spoke English to a degree and we never struggled to be understood. Before we came I Googled a few simple words and phrases in Wolof, the official language; nothing complicated, just the traditional greeting and response, thank you and a couple of others. It was appreciated, particularly by the lovely ladies in the buffet – Aisatou and others – who heroically and with great patience encouraged me expand my vocab, so for me every day was a school day. Weather – the Harmattan from the Sahara gave up to 38C the first week, and 3 hours max was all we could take on the beach. It dropped to a more comfortable temperature in our second week. A light cardigan was useful for cooler evenings. Trips – great trips available to explore Senegal, and the countryside is unusual and unique to us well-travelled, historic African residents. But not the unethical “walk with lions experience”, and in line with its global core values regarding animal welfare, not offered by Tui. Accolades to this operator for refusing to promote dodgy trips. Dakar airport – all the eight stalls in the two departure lounge toilets had no toilet paper or bins, so take continencies. Another tip – don’t pack an insect spray aerosol Not only was it unnecessary but it caused some kerfuffle for us; we were tannoid in the departure lounge, escorted to the airside underground baggage handling area to open our case and remove it, and then escorted back again through passport control. We may have missed our flight home Had the incoming plane not been a little behind schedule. I guess we should have read the small print... In conclusion, with so much prolonged UK rain we were desperate for a couple of weeks in the sun and it was a revelation to find that not only is Senegal a destination within easy reach of the UK, but it is half the flying time of our usual winter holidays. Senegal may have a fledgling tourist industry but the country has much to offer, the people are lovely, Riu Baobab is a good hotel in a pretty setting and the beach is amazing. This good value holiday ticked every box and more for us. We look forward to booking it again.

Service : From our first contact at the check in the service was outstanding. The staff in the restaurants and the bars were excellent, and the house staff kept our room clean & tidy. Cleanliness: The whole hotel was always kept clean & tidy. Value: We had an all-inclusive package, and it was great value for the money we spent. Location: The location was a bit remote but there are plenty of excursions offered. Sleep Quality: The beds were very comfortable and there was very little noise. Rooms: The room was very well laid out with plenty of space; the cleaning staff kept our room clean and fresh.