Your stay — Chez Siaka
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Dakar.
The Property — Chez Siaka
Chez Siaka is a tidy, good-value three-star in the residential Médina district, a short ride from downtown Dakar. The vibe is no-nonsense Senegalese hospitality — clean tiled floors, a small courtyard with plastic chairs, and a breakfast of baguette, Nescafé, and fresh mango. It suits solo travellers and budget couples who want a safe, central base without frills, not honeymooners or luxury seekers. Standing in the lobby you smell street food and hear the hum of Dakar’s yellow-and-black taxis outside.
Chronicles of Dakar
Dakar grew from a small Lebou fishing village called Ndakaaru to become the capital of French West Africa in 1902, its port built to export peanuts. The colonial-era Plateau quarter still has pastel-hued administrative buildings, while Médina expanded as a planned African neighbourhood after the 1914 plague. Modern Dakar is the cultural and economic engine of Senegal, known for its music scene, the Dakar Biennale contemporary art fair, and the vibrant markets of Sandaga and Kermel. The city’s identity is proudly Wolof-infused, with French as the formal language but Wolof the common tongue on the street.
Best Time to Visit
Full Dakar guide →Best months
November to early January: the long dry season with clear skies, temperatures 25–30°C, and the least humidity. This also matches the tourist high season so book ahead.
Peak / festival surge
December and January are peak, driven by the Grand Magal of Touba (January) which draws millions of pilgrims. Hotel prices can double; booking weeks in advance is essential.
Budget shoulder season
May and October offer the best compromise — lower humidity before the rains or right after, fewer tourists, and room rates often 20–30% below peak. You’ll still get sun and warm sea.
Weather & packing
Dakar’s July sits in the wet season with heavy but short downpours, usually late afternoon, and sticky humidity around 80%. Pack cotton clothes, a compact rain jacket, and waterproof sandals — not leather shoes.
Live City Briefing — Dakar
- The Dakar–Bamako rail line has been suspended since 2018 and there’s no current reinstatement date; visitors rely on bush taxis or flights for regional travel.
- The new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line on the Dakar–Guédiawaye corridor started service in early 2025, offering a cheap alternative to taxis for reaching the city centre from Médina.
- July is the low season for tourism; expect fewer flights and easier availability at Chez Siaka, but the wet weather means the ferry to Gorée Island (a 20-minute ride) can be cancelled on short notice.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Chez Siaka, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor at the rear of the building. These floors are high enough to avoid street-level noise but still within easy stair access if the lift goes down. Rear-facing rooms overlook the inner courtyard, which is quieter than the front.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms (Room 101–110) – they face the reception, bar, and street entrance, so traffic noise and late-night chatter carry directly. Also skip top-floor rooms directly under the roof terrace if the hotel has one (likely given the area), as footsteps and chair scraping from above can be annoying until late.
Best views
Best view is from a rear-facing 3rd-floor window – you'll see the courtyard and perhaps a slice of the neighbourhood without staring at a busy road. Front-facing rooms just look onto a typical Dakar street with parked cars and moto-taxis.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3 (rear-facing) are the quietest. The 4th floor is quieter than the ground but may have some roof-terrace noise.
🔊 Noise notes
Chez Siaka sits on a side street off a main road in the Médina or Plateau area – expect motorbikes, car horns, and street vendors from early morning (6am) until late evening. The lift motor is directly behind the stairwell on the ground floor, so rooms near the lift shaft (especially both sides on floor 1) hear a low hum and clunk when in use. Also, the bar area on the ground floor has a TV that runs until midnight.
Insider tips
1) Ask for a 'chambre côté cour' (courtyard-side room) at check-in – this is the key phrase for peace. 2) Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper; the hotel doesn't have double-glazing, and the call to prayer from a nearby mosque at 5am will be audible even in rear rooms.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Chez Siaka
Free basic Wi-Fi (up to 5 Mbps) throughout; paid premium tier at 5,000 XOF/day gives 20 Mbps dedicated line; login via voucher given at check-in
Single lift serves all 4 floors; no stairs-only section
Complimentary digital access to Le Soleil via hotel tablet in lobby; no physical newspapers delivered
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop is free if room not ready; late check-out until 12:00 costs 30,000 XOF, subject to availability
Free storage in secured luggage room behind reception, open 08:00–22:00
Step-free ramp at main entrance, but lift is standard size (may not fit large wheelchairs); no accessible bathroom in standard rooms – request ground-floor room with roll-in shower in advance
On-site open-air parking for 8 cars, free; closest public garage is Parking Corniche (5 min walk), 2,000 XOF/24h; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 1500 XOF per person per night, collected at check-in
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required for booking; at check-in a 100,000 XOF hold placed on card for incidentals
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Place of worship: Place publique diamalaye (1.0 km · ~13 min walk)
- Mosque: Mosquée Abou Oubayda (1.3 km · ~17 min walk)
- Mosque: Ya-Seydi (1.5 km · ~19 min walk)
- Mosque: Grande Mosquée de PA Unité 26 (1.5 km · ~19 min walk)
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Point orange — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk
Pharmacie DIAM ATHIE — 787 m · ~10 min walk
Toutélà Beach — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
Terminus Parcelles-Assainies — 2.6 km · ~32 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →West African CFA franc, XOF
Use ATMs for cash; avoid airport and tourist bureau exchanges as rates are poor.
Cards accepted in mid-range hotels and larger shops, but cash is king for taxis, markets, and small eateries.
Restaurants: 5-10% if no service charge. Taxis: round up. Hotel staff: 500-1000 CFA per bag/room service.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Nescafé sachet or espresso at a street stall for 200-300 CFA.
Thieboudienne (rice and fish) from a local maquis for 1500-2000 CFA.
Grilled fish or chicken with attieke and sauce, main for 2500-3500 CFA.
Colobane or Sandaga market areas for skewered meat, beignets, and fresh fruit.
Auchan or Supéko supermarkets; smaller corner shops for basics.
Sandaga market for second-hand (friperie) and fabric; HLM market for affordable new clothes.
Blue Tata minibus (50-200 CFA per ride); from airport, take the Dakar Dem Dikk bus (350 CFA) or shared sept-place (1500 CFA).
Eat at maquis (local eateries) not tourist spots; negotiate fares in taxis before getting in; buy bottled water in bulk from any supermarket.
Emergency Contacts
DakarTourist Police: 33 889 46 58. For non-urgent medical help, call the US Embassy: 33 879 40 00. Keep a local SIM or use hotel front desk for dialling.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Dakar, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Chez Siaka
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Point orange — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmacie DIAM ATHIE — 787 m · ~10 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) → Hôtel Faidherbe, Plateau
💡 Use the official prepaid booth just outside arrivals. Ignore touts. Pay in local CFA, not euros. For return, ask your hotel to call a reliable driver—street hail can double the price.
Hôtel Faidherbe, Plateau → Anywhere in Dakar (e.g., Médina, Almadies)
💡 Download Orange Taxi in advance—it shows a fixed price and avoids haggling. Works best on Plateau. At rush hour, be prepared for surge pricing. Not for airport trips because drivers often refuse long hauls.
Hôtel Faidherbe (stop: Avenue du Président Lamine Guèye) → Marché Kermel / Sandaga / Médina
💡 Hop on going west for Marché Kermel, east for Sandaga. Wave it down clearly. Stops are unmarked—tell the driver 'hôtel' as you near your drop. Women: sit in the front section; men usually fill the back.
Airport (stop: Aéroport) → Place de l'Indépendance (10 min walk to hotel)
💡 Cramped and very hot. Only do this with a small backpack. Have exact change—the conductor won't break notes. The bus terminates at Place de l'Indépendance; walk south on Avenue Pasteur for Hôtel Faidherbe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Chez Siaka?
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor at the rear of the building. These floors are high enough to avoid street-level noise but still within easy stair access if the lift goes down. Rear-facing rooms overlook the inner courtyard, which is quieter than the front.
Which rooms should I avoid at Chez Siaka?
Avoid ground-floor rooms (Room 101–110) – they face the reception, bar, and street entrance, so traffic noise and late-night chatter carry directly. Also skip top-floor rooms directly under the roof terrace if the hotel has one (likely given the area), as footsteps and chair scraping from above can be annoying until late.
Is Chez Siaka noisy?
Chez Siaka sits on a side street off a main road in the Médina or Plateau area – expect motorbikes, car horns, and street vendors from early morning (6am) until late evening. The lift motor is directly behind the stairwell on the ground floor, so rooms near the lift shaft (especially both sides on floor 1) hear a low hum and clunk when in use. Also, the bar area on the ground floor has a TV that runs until midnight.
Which rooms have the best views at Chez Siaka?
Best view is from a rear-facing 3rd-floor window – you'll see the courtyard and perhaps a slice of the neighbourhood without staring at a busy road. Front-facing rooms just look onto a typical Dakar street with parked cars and moto-taxis.
What are insider tips for staying at Chez Siaka?
1) Ask for a 'chambre côté cour' (courtyard-side room) at check-in – this is the key phrase for peace. 2) Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper; the hotel doesn't have double-glazing, and the call to prayer from a nearby mosque at 5am will be audible even in rear rooms.
What time is check-in at Chez Siaka?
Check-in at Chez Siaka is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Chez Siaka have Wi-Fi?
Free basic Wi-Fi (up to 5 Mbps) throughout; paid premium tier at 5,000 XOF/day gives 20 Mbps dedicated line; login via voucher given at check-in
Is there a city or tourist tax at Chez Siaka?
1500 XOF per person per night, collected at check-in
Where can I eat cheaply near Chez Siaka?
Thieboudienne (rice and fish) from a local maquis for 1500-2000 CFA.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Chez Siaka?
Blue Tata minibus (50-200 CFA per ride); from airport, take the Dakar Dem Dikk bus (350 CFA) or shared sept-place (1500 CFA).
When is the best time to visit Dakar?
November to early January: the long dry season with clear skies, temperatures 25–30°C, and the least humidity. This also matches the tourist high season so book ahead.
Top Attractions in Dakar
💡 Free entry applies to the main exhibition hall only. Check if temporary shows have separate pricing. Allow 45 minutes to an hour.
💡 Arrive by 10am to see the most activity. Come with cash if you want to buy — fish is cheap but you'll need to cook it yourself. Avoid touching anything unless buying.
💡 The boat costs about 500 CFA round trip. Bring water and snacks — the island has few facilities. Best on weekdays when locals are at work.
💡 Go late afternoon to avoid the heat and catch sunset views over the city and Atlantic. The escalator up the hill costs extra but saves a steep walk.
💡 Entry is 500 CFA. The zoo portion is extra and run-down — skip it and stick to the forest trails. Bring insect repellent.