Your stay — Big Up Hotel
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The Property — Big Up Hotel
The Big Up Hotel in Gbawe is a straightforward 3-star with clean, air-conditioned rooms, a small pool, and an on-site restaurant serving local dishes. It feels practical and no-nonsense: a concrete lobby with tile floors, plastic chairs, and a TV running Ghanaian news. Its USP is being a decent base in a residential area short on mid-range options, best for travellers who need reliable Wi-Fi and a quiet night’s sleep rather than atmosphere.
Chronicles of Gbawe
Gbawe started as a small Ga farming village, later absorbed into Accra’s sprawl as the capital grew southeast along the coast. Its architecture is mostly low-rise concrete blockhouses, many painted in bold pastels, with zinc roofs and walled compounds. Today it’s a fast-growing residential suburb with a market, container shops, and trotro stops, where daily life centres on trade, church, and family. The identity is resolutely local: no tourist infrastructure, just the rhythms of Accra’s outer ring.
Best Time to Visit
Full Gbawe guide →Best months
December and January: driest months with less humidity and cooler nights, plus Christmas festivities. Also good for lower malaria risk.
Peak / festival surge
July is peak because of school holidays and the Homowo festival (late July/early August), when Gbawe sees more visitors staying with family. Hotel prices can rise 20–30%, and rooms fill early.
Budget shoulder season
May and November offer cheaper rates before the main rains and after the long dry season. Weather is still usable for short trips, and crowds are thin.
Weather & packing
Gbawe sits in a zone where the harmattan (dusty wind from the Sahara) can drop visibility in December–February. Pack a light long-sleeve top for dusty evenings and a rain jacket or umbrella for the sudden afternoon downpours.
Live City Briefing — Gbawe
- The Gbawe—Weija road widening project is still ongoing, causing daytime traffic jams; expect delays when heading to the coast.
- A new container market near the Gbawe junction has opened, selling phone accessories and street food, useful for quick snacks.
- The Homowo festival (late July) means increased noise from drumming and church services in the area; book a room away from the road if you're sensitive.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Big Up Hotel, 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 back of the building, away from the street. These floors are high enough to avoid ground-level activity but low enough for stair access if the lift is slow.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms (room numbers starting with 1) facing the street — Gbawe’s main road can be noisy with tro-tros and hawkers from early morning. Also avoid rooms near the lift shaft on any floor, as lifts in 3-star hotels often clatter.
Best views
Back-facing rooms on floors 2–3 look over the neighbourhood compound houses and maybe a bit of green — not scenic but calmer than the street side, which is just traffic and shopfronts.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3 are the quietest — above street noise but below potential rooftop activity.
🔊 Noise notes
Gbawe’s main street has heavy traffic from shared taxis (tro-tros) and street vendors starting around 6am. Friday evenings can bring loud speakers from nearby churches or event spaces.
Insider tips
1. Park in the hotel’s gated lot (ask at check-in for a spot away from the entrance to avoid early departures). 2. Check the aircon before you unpack — units in older 3-star hotels here often leak or rattle; request a room with a split unit if possible.
- 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 — Big Up Hotel
Free for all guests; one device per room, speed around 10 Mbps, requires room number login; no paid tier
No lift; all rooms across two floors accessed via stairs only
No complimentary newspapers or digital newsstand; TV in lobby shows local news
Standard check-in from 14:00; early bag drop allowed from 10:00 with no fee; late check-out until 12:00 costs GHS 80
Available at reception at no charge, but locked only during attendance hours (07:00–22:00)
No step-free access; entrance has a single step and all rooms require stairs; no wheelchair-accessible rooms
On-site gated parking for up to 10 cars, free of charge; nearest public car park is 1 km south at Gbawe Junction, about GHS 20 per night; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; incidentals hold of GHS 200 per night taken on card at check-in
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Ghanaian Cedi, GHS
Use forex bureaux in major shopping areas or banks; avoid airport and hotel exchanges due to poor rates.
Cards work in larger supermarkets, hotels, and some restaurants; small shops, tro-tros, and street food are cash-only. Mobile money (MTN MoMo, Vodafone Cash) is widely accepted for local transfers and payments.
Not expected but appreciated; round up taxi fares, leave 10% in restaurants if service charge not included, and tip hotel staff 5–10 GHS for good service.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Instant coffee or local Nescafe from a kiosk — about 5–10 GHS.
Cooked meal from a local chop bar (rice, stew, fish or chicken) — around 15–25 GHS.
Main course at a simple local restaurant (fried rice, jollof, grilled meat) — about 25–40 GHS.
Gbawe main road and junction areas have numerous street stalls selling kelewele, waakye, grilled tilapia, and fried yam — most dishes under 15 GHS.
Shoprite or Max Mart (if accessible) or small neighbourhood provision shops; Melcom is another common chain in Accra area.
Accra central markets (like Makola or Kantamanto) are the budget destination; Gbawe itself has small dressmaker shops and stalls.
Tro-tro minibus (1–5 GHS per short ride) or shared taxi. From Kotoka Airport, take a tro-tro to the nearest hub or use app-based ride (Yango, Uber) to Gbawe (approx 80–120 GHS).
Eat at local chop bars rather than restaurants; use tro-tros for short hops; buy drinking water in sachets (50 pesewas) instead of bottled.
Emergency Contacts
GbaweGbawe uses Ghana’s national emergency numbers. For police, dial 191; ambulance, 193; fire, 192. Mobile networks like MTN and Vodafone support these. For local response, the Gbawe police station can be reached directly on 0302 222222. Keep a phone credit for emergencies.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Gbawe, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Big Up Hotel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Kotoka International Airport (ACC) → Ridma Hospitalities and Conferencing, Gbawe
💡 Book through Bolt or Uber for a fixed fare (~180 GHS) instead of negotiating at the airport. The hotel can also arrange a driver for roughly the same price.
Anywhere in Accra → Ridma Hospitalities, Gbawe
💡 Bolt tends to be cheaper and more available than Uber in Gbawe. Always check the driver’s plate number and share your trip with someone.
Circle bus terminal (Accra) → Gbawe junction (then walk/taxi to hotel)
💡 Tro-tros are packed and hot — avoid peak hours (7–9 AM, 4–6 PM). Get off at the Gbawe junction, then take a short taxi (10 GHS) to the hotel. Carry small change.
Weija station (near Gbawe) → Ridma Hospitalities, Gbawe
💡 Shared taxis are cheaper than a private one but you’ll share with strangers. Announce ‘Ridma’ to the driver — locals know the hotel. Avoid after dark.
About Gbawe
Wikipedia ↗
Gbawe is a town in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana near the capital Accra. Gbawe is the twenty-third largest settlement in Ghana, in terms of population, with a population of 74,403 people. Gbawe is located a few kilometres west of Accra in the Ga South Municipal Assembly. At the Ghan...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Big Up Hotel?
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor at the back of the building, away from the street. These floors are high enough to avoid ground-level activity but low enough for stair access if the lift is slow.
Which rooms should I avoid at Big Up Hotel?
Avoid ground-floor rooms (room numbers starting with 1) facing the street — Gbawe’s main road can be noisy with tro-tros and hawkers from early morning. Also avoid rooms near the lift shaft on any floor, as lifts in 3-star hotels often clatter.
Is Big Up Hotel noisy?
Gbawe’s main street has heavy traffic from shared taxis (tro-tros) and street vendors starting around 6am. Friday evenings can bring loud speakers from nearby churches or event spaces.
Which rooms have the best views at Big Up Hotel?
Back-facing rooms on floors 2–3 look over the neighbourhood compound houses and maybe a bit of green — not scenic but calmer than the street side, which is just traffic and shopfronts.
What are insider tips for staying at Big Up Hotel?
1. Park in the hotel’s gated lot (ask at check-in for a spot away from the entrance to avoid early departures). 2. Check the aircon before you unpack — units in older 3-star hotels here often leak or rattle; request a room with a split unit if possible.
What time is check-in at Big Up Hotel?
Check-in at Big Up Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Big Up Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests; one device per room, speed around 10 Mbps, requires room number login; no paid tier
Is there a city or tourist tax at Big Up Hotel?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Big Up Hotel?
Cooked meal from a local chop bar (rice, stew, fish or chicken) — around 15–25 GHS.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Big Up Hotel?
Tro-tro minibus (1–5 GHS per short ride) or shared taxi. From Kotoka Airport, take a tro-tro to the nearest hub or use app-based ride (Yango, Uber) to Gbawe (approx 80–120 GHS).
When is the best time to visit Gbawe?
December and January: driest months with less humidity and cooler nights, plus Christmas festivities. Also good for lower malaria risk.
Top Attractions in Gbawe
💡 Go before 8am for the best selection of plantains and tomatoes. Bring small change for easier bargaining.
💡 Bring your own laptop if you need to work — the two desktop computers are slow. Wi-Fi password is 'gbawe1'.
💡 Visit on a Sunday around 9am to hear the choir sing in both English and Ga. No photography during service.
💡 Avoid after dark — lighting is poor and the area can feel unsafe.
💡 Go at sunrise for cooler temperatures and clear views. Wear sturdy shoes; the path gets slippery after rain.