An upmarket business hotel through and through, Le Pullman is one of Dakar’s sharpest, sleekest places to stay; a rival for the Hotel Radisson if ever there was one. With 230 rooms, all the amenities you’d expect and of course, those enchanting Dakar ocean views (Le Pullman looks out over Goree Island, way out in the distance) and a prime location just off the Place de l’Independance in the downtown Plateau area, Le Pullman certainly ticks all the boxes.

The rooms are fitted with blackout curtains and soundproofing, so even the roar of the ocean won’t stop you from getting a good night’s sleep. There’s also free in-room Wi-Fi access, a minibar, a desk, flat screen televisions and efficient air-conditioning. The twin rooms are generally a little more spacious than the standard doubles, but both are perfectly good options for a business stay. The bathrooms come with showers or tubs and the level of cleanliness is hard to fault.

With valet parking and a business centre, the necessities are easily taken care of. And there’s a comfortable pool area with sunloungers; the pool itself is large enough for doing laps, and is popular among a mature crowd of expats on the weekends. The colourful lobby area is a good spot for low-key meetings, and there are two on-site restaurants, La Citronelle and L’Assiette au Grill. The bar, Le Flamboyant, has a reasonable wine list and a nice selection of local beverages, including bissap cocktails and baobab fruit juice, when in season.

In terms of getting around from here, a steady stream of taxis plies the hotel doors, and within a couple of minutes you can reach Place de l’Independance on foot, with its many side streets leading to a good selection of restaurants and bars. The port of Dakar is about a three-minute drive away.