🇬🇭 Tema, Ghana
HGL Guest House
📍 Nii Afutu Tsuru Street, Tema
Your stay — HGL Guest House
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 Tema.
The Property — HGL Guest House
HGL Guest House is a no-fuss three-star in Tema's industrial centre. The lobby is clean, tiled and functional, geared towards business travellers or anyone needing a reliable stopover near the port and motorway. There's no attempt at luxury, but the rooms are air-conditioned and the staff are efficient. It suits someone who values practicality over charm.
Chronicles of Tema
Tema was built from scratch in the 1950s as Ghana's main deep-water port, designed by the British town planner VG de Vries. Its grid-like layout, industrial zone and sprawling residential blocks reflect a post-independence push for modernisation. The Tema Oil Refinery and fishing harbour anchor the local economy, giving the city a permanent working-harbour feel. Culturally, it's less touristed than Accra, with a laid-back, purpose-driven energy and a strong mix of Ga, Ewe and Akan communities.
Best Time to Visit
Full Tema guide →Best months
December and January: dry with sunny days, low humidity, and cooler Harmattan winds. Crowds are manageable outside Christmas week.
Peak / festival surge
July (especially mid-month): the main rainy season peaks, so heavy downpours and flooding common. Hotel prices nudge up slightly due to business travel. The Homowo festival (August/September) in Accra draws regional visitors but less direct impact on Tema.
Budget shoulder season
May and November: tail ends of the rainy seasons, so cheaper rooms and fewer guests. Rains are lighter, the landscape is green, and temperatures are milder.
Weather & packing
Tema is humid year-round but July brings torrential afternoon storms. Pack a compact waterproof jacket and waterproof shoes; do not rely on an umbrella alone.
Live City Briefing — Tema
- The Tema-Accra motorway is undergoing widening works (as of mid-2025), causing delays near the Tema Roundabout — allow an extra 30 mins for airport transfers.
- A new fish market and cold-store facility opened in the Tema Fishing Harbour in early 2025, now the largest in West Africa.
- The local power grid has improved, but brief voltage fluctuations still occur; bring a universal adapter with surge protection.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to HGL Guest House, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request rooms on floors 2-4, with a rear-facing orientation away from Nii Afutu Tsuru Street. These floors are high enough to reduce street-level noise while still being accessible if the lift malfunctions (stairs are manageable).
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the ground floor (risk of street noise and lower security) and any room facing the main street (Nii Afutu Tsuru Street) — expect early morning traffic and truck rumble from the industrial/port area.
Best views
Rear-facing rooms on floors 3-4 overlook the quieter residential courtyard or side streets, offering a glimpse of urban Tema without direct street glare. No noteworthy landmark views.
Quietest floors
Floors 3-4 offer the best quiet conditions: further from street level and the lobby/bar areas, and likely not adjacent to the lift shaft.
🔊 Noise notes
Traffic on Nii Afutu Tsuru Street (a side road but busy with local taxis and motorbikes) from dawn to late evening. Occasional night freight trucks. Minor noise from lobby/bar if room is on ground floor.
Insider tips
1. Confirm lift availability at check-in — if broken, ask for a ground-floor room transfer. 2. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper; street-facing rooms are unavoidable if the hotel is full.
- 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 — HGL Guest House
Free WiFi throughout; speeds adequate for browsing and email, not for streaming. Login requires a room number and surname.
No lift; the property is a two-storey building accessible only by stairs.
No complimentary newspapers or digital newsstand. The building has no notable heritage quirks; it is a modern concrete guesthouse.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop available from 08:00 if room is not ready. Late check-out until 18:00 costs GHS 100, subject to availability.
Free storage at reception for same-day arrivals/departures; overnight storage not offered.
No step-free access; entry has a single step and all rooms are up a flight of stairs. Not suitable for wheelchair users.
Free on-site parking for two cars (first-come, first-served). Nearest public parking is a paid lot on Community 1 Road, about 200 metres away, costing GHS 30 per night. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full payment taken at booking; a GHS 200 refundable damage deposit is collected at check-in by card hold or cash.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: LifeWay Community Baptist Church (589 m · ~7 min walk)
- Church: Winners Chapel International, East Legon (833 m · ~10 min walk)
- Church: Presbyterian Church of Ghana (936 m · ~12 min walk)
- Place of worship: The Word Annointed Church (1.5 km · ~18 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
American House — 829 m · ~10 min walk
Despite Automobile Museum — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk
Yoyo Kids Club — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Ecobank — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
MedAid Pharmacy — 623 m · ~8 min walk
Kuuks Mart — 888 m · ~11 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Ghana Cedi, GHS
Use forex bureaux in Tema Station or Community 1 for fair rates; avoid airport bureaux where rates are 5-10% worse.
Mastercard and Visa widely accepted in supermarkets and hotels; contactless common; mobile money (MTN MoMo) dominates small shops and taxis.
Not expected but appreciated: 5-10% in restaurants if service charge not added; round up taxi fares; small tip for hotel staff (5-10 GHS).
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Instant Nescafé at a local chop bar or kiosk, 5-8 GHS.
Jollof rice with chicken or fish from a street-side 'chop bar', 15-25 GHS.
Keny or banku with grilled tilapia from a roadside spot, 25-40 GHS for a main.
Roadside stalls along Nii Afutu Tsuru Street and Community 1 market sell grilled meat, kelewele, and waakye; evening clusters near Tema Station.
Shoprite (Tema Community 1) and Melcom are common budget chains; smaller wholesale shops near Tema Station.
Tema Station market or Community 1 market for second-hand ('foom') clothing and affordable new basics; prices negotiable.
Trotro (shared minibus) 3-10 GHS per journey; from Kotoka Airport take a shared taxi to Tema Circle for ~50 GHS, or trotro via Accra central for ~15 GHS.
Eat at chop bars not sit-down restaurants; use MTN MoMo for discounts; haggle in markets—start at 60% of asking price.
Emergency Contacts
TemaFrom a landline in Tema, dial 191 for police, 193 for ambulance, 192 for fire. Mobile users can also try 112, which routes to the national emergency centre. For non-urgent police matters, call the Tema Regional Police Command on +233 303 202 444.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Tema, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at HGL Guest House
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Ecobank — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk — pharmacy · MedAid Pharmacy — 623 m · ~8 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Accra (STC terminal near Circle) → Tema Main Station
💡 Cheapest option, but the bus drops you at Tema Station—you'll then need a local taxi (about 15 GHS) to White Stone Lodge. Best for day trips.
Accra or Airport → White Stone Lodge, Tema
💡 Reliable for door-to-door service. Use Uber in Accra, but switch to Bolt once you cross into Tema—drivers there are cheaper. Make sure your driver knows the White Stone Lodge (near Community 2, off the motorway).
Kotoka International Airport (ACC) → White Stone Lodge, Tema
💡 Negotiate the fare before getting in; a typical drop to White Stone Lodge should be 120–150 GHS. Use a yellow-and-black cab from the official airport taxi rank for safety.
Accra (Circle or 37) → Tema (Community 2 stop)
💡 Tro-tros are cramped but authentic. Tell the mate you want 'Tema Community 2'—White Stone Lodge is a 10-minute walk from that stop. Avoid rush hours (7–9am, 4–6pm) when it's packed.
About Tema
Wikipedia ↗
Tema is a city on the Bight of Benin and Atlantic coast of Ghana. It is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of the capital city; Accra, in the region of Greater Accra, and is the capital of the Tema Metropolitan District. As of 2013, Tema is the eleventh most populous settlement in Ghana, with a popu...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at HGL Guest House?
Request rooms on floors 2-4, with a rear-facing orientation away from Nii Afutu Tsuru Street. These floors are high enough to reduce street-level noise while still being accessible if the lift malfunctions (stairs are manageable).
Which rooms should I avoid at HGL Guest House?
Avoid rooms on the ground floor (risk of street noise and lower security) and any room facing the main street (Nii Afutu Tsuru Street) — expect early morning traffic and truck rumble from the industrial/port area.
Is HGL Guest House noisy?
Traffic on Nii Afutu Tsuru Street (a side road but busy with local taxis and motorbikes) from dawn to late evening. Occasional night freight trucks. Minor noise from lobby/bar if room is on ground floor.
Which rooms have the best views at HGL Guest House?
Rear-facing rooms on floors 3-4 overlook the quieter residential courtyard or side streets, offering a glimpse of urban Tema without direct street glare. No noteworthy landmark views.
What are insider tips for staying at HGL Guest House?
1. Confirm lift availability at check-in — if broken, ask for a ground-floor room transfer. 2. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper; street-facing rooms are unavoidable if the hotel is full.
What time is check-in at HGL Guest House?
Check-in at HGL Guest House is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does HGL Guest House have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi throughout; speeds adequate for browsing and email, not for streaming. Login requires a room number and surname.
Is there a city or tourist tax at HGL Guest House?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near HGL Guest House?
Jollof rice with chicken or fish from a street-side 'chop bar', 15-25 GHS.
What is the cheapest way to get around from HGL Guest House?
Trotro (shared minibus) 3-10 GHS per journey; from Kotoka Airport take a shared taxi to Tema Circle for ~50 GHS, or trotro via Accra central for ~15 GHS.
When is the best time to visit Tema?
December and January: dry with sunny days, low humidity, and cooler Harmattan winds. Crowds are manageable outside Christmas week.
Top Attractions in Tema
💡 Best photographed in late afternoon for golden light on the concrete. Not a place to linger at night. Combine this with a walk along the nearby Community 1 market street.
💡 Go early in the morning (before 8am) for a cooler, quieter experience; the park gets busier after 4pm with joggers and kids.
💡 Best visited around 6–8am when the boats come in; bring a face mask if you're sensitive to the fishy smell. No photography restrictions but be respectful of fishermen.
💡 Go at sunrise for the best light and cooler temperature. Bring your own water and a bag to take out your rubbish. Swimming is at your own risk—currents can be strong.
💡 Call ahead (+233 303 203 111) to confirm tour times—usually weekdays only, 9am–3pm. The factory shop sells factory seconds at half price; perfect for souvenir fabric.