Your stay — Le Massa Massa
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The Property — Le Massa Massa
Le Massa Massa is a modest three-star hotel on Thies' main drag, offering clean, tiled rooms and a courtyard pool that cuts through the dry heat. Its vibe is functional and unfussy — think laminated menus and sofas in the lobby rather than boutique flourishes. Best suited to budget-conscious travellers passing through on the Dakar-Bamako axis, or government workers on short stays.
Chronicles of Thies
Thies grew from a minor Serer village into Senegal's third-largest city after the French built a rail junction here in the 1880s, linking Dakar to the interior. Its grid-like colonial centre still features the old station and a proud Catholic cathedral, reflecting early 20th-century European influence. Post-independence, Thies became the country's railway and phosphate-mining hub, but the 1990s closure of the rail passenger service left it with a quieter, administrative character. Today, tapestries woven at the Manufacture Sénégalaise des Arts Décoratifs — the national workshop — are a local cultural hallmark, along with the dusty, lively Saturday market.
Best Time to Visit
Full Thies guide →Best months
November to February: dry, 22–28°C, clear skies, low humidity. The Harmattan wind brings cooler nights, and the city is calm outside the Grand Magal pilgrimage period.
Peak / festival surge
July to September: the Grand Magal of Touba (varies, often August) sees huge crowds passing through Thies; hotel prices double and rooms book out weeks ahead. The rainy season also peaks, with heavy afternoon downpours and humidity over 80%.
Budget shoulder season
October and March: October is still wet but drying out, with far fewer visitors; March gets hotter (34°C highs) but stays dry and room rates drop 30% from peak levels.
Weather & packing
July in Thies means the start of the rainy season: expect daily heavy bursts and 75–90% humidity. Pack a lightweight rain jacket (an umbrella is useless against the wind), quick-dry trousers, and closed sandals that can handle mud.
Live City Briefing — Thies
- The Dakar–Thies motorway extension opened in late 2024, cutting the drive from the capital to roughly 45 minutes — much faster than the old N2 road.
- A new flyover at the Thies railway crossing is under construction (2025–2026), causing minor delays on the Avenue de la Gare route near the hotel.
- The July–August mango season is peaking; expect sticky fruit sellers on every corner but also a spike in mosquitoes — bring repellent.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Le Massa Massa, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the first floor or above, facing the inner courtyard or the quieter side streets off the main road. Thies has a lively central grid; rooms away from the front facade reduce market and moped noise.
Rooms to avoid
Ground-floor rooms near the entrance or reception. Street-level rooms in Thies pick up early morning market activity, moped traffic, and voices from the pavement.
Best views
Innermost rooms facing the courtyard or rear of the building. Views over Thies’ low-rise rooftops are possible from upper floors, but no notable landmark vista is guaranteed at a 3-star property.
Quietest floors
First floor and above (preferably the second floor), as long as they are not directly above the reception or street-facing.
🔊 Noise notes
Street noise from mopeds and taxis, early morning market vendors, and potential chatter from the hotel’s own outdoor seating area (if present). Service areas like kitchen or cleaning storage may also produce noise early.
Insider tips
1) Park off the main street if arriving by car – the hotel's entrance is likely on a smaller access road, so ask for parking behind the building to avoid street dust. 2) Request a room with a window that opens onto the courtyard rather than the street – this costs nothing but cuts noise significantly in Thies.
- 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 — Le Massa Massa
Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout; speeds are adequate for email and browsing, roughly 5 Mbps down. No login required.
No lift. The property is a single-storey villa-style complex, all rooms on ground level.
No digital newsstand. A limited selection of national newspapers is available at reception.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop available for free if room not ready. Late check-out until 18:00 costs 50% of the nightly rate; after 18:00 it's a full night.
Free storage is available at the front desk for same-day arrivals or departures.
Step-free access to the entrance and to ground-floor rooms. No modified bathrooms or grab rails.
Free on-site parking for up to 20 cars in an open, unpaved lot. No EV charging. Nearest public car park is on Rue de la Gare (pay, 1,000 CFA/day).
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: A deposit equal to one night's stay is required at booking; a 50,000 CFA card hold is taken at check-in for incidentals.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Mosque: Mosquée Citée Ousmane Ngom (704 m · ~9 min walk)
- Mosque: Mosquée Niakhaté (760 m · ~10 min walk)
- Mosque: Mosquée pa Abou Dia (1.4 km · ~17 min walk)
- Church: Saint Jean Baptiste (1.5 km · ~19 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Place Agora — 2.3 km · ~28 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Pharmacie Principale — 231 m · ~3 min walk
Ndiapndale — 1.1 km · ~13 min walk
Thiès — 2.7 km · ~34 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →West African CFA franc, XOF
Exchange at banks or legitimate exchange bureaux in town; avoid airport kiosks and tourist-area bureaux as they often give poor rates.
Cards accepted in hotels, larger supermarkets and upscale restaurants in Thies centre; smaller shops and markets are cash-only. Contactless is rare outside better hotels.
Tipping not expected but appreciated: 5-10% in restaurants if service good; round up taxi fares; 1000-2000 CFA for hotel cleaners or porters.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Nescafe or instant coffee from a street-side kiosk — about 200-300 CFA.
A plate of thieboudienne or yassa from a local maquis or street food stall — typically 1500-2500 CFA.
Grilled fish or chicken with rice and sauce at a small restaurant — main around 2000-3500 CFA.
The Marché Thies area and streets around the central bus station have stalls selling grilled meat skewers, fried fish, and rice dishes.
Super U or Auchan are the main budget supermarket chains in Thies for basics and packaged goods.
The Thies central market (Marché de Thies) is the place for affordable second-hand clothes and cheap new textiles.
Shared sept-place taxis (around 500-1000 CFA for short hops) are the cheapest way within town; from Blaise Diagne International Airport, take a local bus to Mbour then change to a sept-place to Thies (total under 3000 CFA) rather than a direct taxi (15,000+ CFA).
Eat where locals queue at midday for street food — prices are half of sit-down restaurants. Avoid bottled water at tourist spots; buy 1.5-litre bottles for 300 CFA from any supermarket. Negotiate prices at markets but politely; start at half the asking price for non-food items.
Emergency Contacts
ThiesDial 112 for general emergencies. For SAMU ambulance service in Thiès, call 33 951 63 63. For the police station in Thiès, dial 33 951 10 10. Fire service (Sapeurs-Pompiers) is 18. English-speaking operators are not guaranteed; have a French speaker or translation app ready.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Thies, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Le Massa Massa
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: pharmacy · Pharmacie Principale — 231 m · ~3 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Dakar Gare de Dakar → Thies Train Station
💡 Only runs a few times daily, so plan ahead. From Thies station, take a shared taxi (500 FCFA) or walk 20 minutes to Massa Massa. Buy ticket in cash at the station—no online booking.
Dakar Gare Routière de Petersen → Thies Gare Routière
💡 Catch the direct bus from Petersen station in Dakar, not the one from Mbao—it stops everywhere. Get off at Thies Gare Routière, then a 15-minute walk or 1500 FCFA taxi to Massa Massa.
Dakar Gare Pompiers → Thies Pencil
💡 The sept-place (Peugeot 504) is faster than the bus. Wait until you have 7 passengers to avoid extra charges. Ask the driver to stop at 'Pencil'—it's 500 FCFA taxi ride to the hotel.
Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) → Le Massa Massa, Thies
💡 Agree the price before you get in. Look for yellow taxis with a red stripe—official airport cabs are safer. Pay in cash, small notes only.
About Thies
Wikipedia ↗
Thiès ([tjɛs]; Arabic: ثيس, romanized: Ṯyass; Noon: Chess) is the third largest city in Senegal with a population of 391,253 in 2023. It lies 72 km (45 mi) east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St-Louis. It is the capital of Thiès Region and is a majo...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Le Massa Massa?
Request a room on the first floor or above, facing the inner courtyard or the quieter side streets off the main road. Thies has a lively central grid; rooms away from the front facade reduce market and moped noise.
Which rooms should I avoid at Le Massa Massa?
Ground-floor rooms near the entrance or reception. Street-level rooms in Thies pick up early morning market activity, moped traffic, and voices from the pavement.
Is Le Massa Massa noisy?
Street noise from mopeds and taxis, early morning market vendors, and potential chatter from the hotel’s own outdoor seating area (if present). Service areas like kitchen or cleaning storage may also produce noise early.
Which rooms have the best views at Le Massa Massa?
Innermost rooms facing the courtyard or rear of the building. Views over Thies’ low-rise rooftops are possible from upper floors, but no notable landmark vista is guaranteed at a 3-star property.
What are insider tips for staying at Le Massa Massa?
1) Park off the main street if arriving by car – the hotel's entrance is likely on a smaller access road, so ask for parking behind the building to avoid street dust. 2) Request a room with a window that opens onto the courtyard rather than the street – this costs nothing but cuts noise significantly in Thies.
What time is check-in at Le Massa Massa?
Check-in at Le Massa Massa is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Le Massa Massa have Wi-Fi?
Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout; speeds are adequate for email and browsing, roughly 5 Mbps down. No login required.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Le Massa Massa?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Le Massa Massa?
A plate of thieboudienne or yassa from a local maquis or street food stall — typically 1500-2500 CFA.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Le Massa Massa?
Shared sept-place taxis (around 500-1000 CFA for short hops) are the cheapest way within town; from Blaise Diagne International Airport, take a local bus to Mbour then change to a sept-place to Thies (total under 3000 CFA) rather than a direct taxi (15,000+ CFA).
When is the best time to visit Thies?
November to February: dry, 22–28°C, clear skies, low humidity. The Harmattan wind brings cooler nights, and the city is calm outside the Grand Magal pilgrimage period.
Top Attractions in Thies
💡 Bring small change and a reusable bag. Don't buy at the first stall — prices drop as you go deeper in.
💡 Combine with a walk down Avenue de la République just behind — the old administrative buildings are worth a look.
💡 Go late afternoon when the light softens and the call to prayer echoes — fewer people around, better photos.
💡 Sit near the station side — trains still pass occasionally and you get a glimpse of colonial-era rail architecture.
💡 Buying direct from the artisan can halve the price compared to market stalls. Polite haggling is expected.