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Bd du General-de-Gaulle Close to Oubangui River, Bangui 0 Central African Republic
37Reviews1Q+A10Room tips
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If you can relax and keep in mind that you are in Central African Republic where it's going to be a bumpy ride no matter where you stay, the high-rise Bangui Hotel is not bad and what makes it almost outstanding is its location on the Oubangui River, a wide and untamed tributary to the legendary Congo River.
For the picturesque-minded, the fishermen in their wooden dugout canoes work day and night across the river, casting nets, making nets and navigating the currents. The pool is pretty nice, on the river and good temp.
That said, the hotel is definitely a bit frayed (like everything in this country) and the elevator will become the bane of your existence. There is strong wireless internet, but in the lobby only and only if there is power. BRING PLENTY OF CASH, you will not be able to use a credit card anywhere in the country, even in the new 5-star hotel that recently opened, the Ledger Plaza, or at any ATM. Some places will take Euros, but not dollars.
We first checked in to the penthouse suite which has spectacular views of almost 360 degrees around, but the hotel's water pump couldn't get that essence of life up that high, so we moved down to a smaller room on the 8th floor. All the rooms have river views. There was plenty of cold water... only cold water, but good pressure. We didn't mind the "refreshing shower" after a day of trekking around in the heat and humidity of the city, but it took some getting used to.
The elevator. We did, once, take the outdoor spiral staircase up to our penthouse, which, the heart-healthy exercise notwithstanding, contributed to our decision to move to a lower floor. Even then, we walked up and down the interior staircase more than once, passing fellow guests and service people huffing and puffing on the way. If you're in a hurry, you're going to be exasperated.
The room. Neat, but keep your cleanliness expectations low. Everything (carpeting, linens, curtains) is old, stained and worn, it smells musty, the toilet pipes moan and grumble for several minutes after flushing, there's some mold in the shower and towels are thin. We brought our own sheets on the advice of other travelers, but the pillows were flat. Overall we slept well and enjoyed waking to the sight of the fishermen and early morning mist on the river.
The food. Pretty good menu, full bar, not bad The French legacy of good bread and coffee is strong. Decent breakfast in the "ballroom" where dinner is also served. You can eat outside near the pool, walk out to the promontory that juts into the river and sit at a table there or eat inside. We also walked down the road and ate at Bangui Plage, an open air restaurant on the river with good food. (remember, cash only).
The staff. No one speaks English, so don't expect it. A smile goes a long way. They are friendly, though can't always help with things like the elevator which has a mind of its own. There was a chubby "bellhop" who mostly hung out on the couch in the lobby, his flip-flopped feet dangling off the arm rest. But he and the other bellhop, Jean Paul, were helpful if we needed help getting a taxi or anything else and liked having their pictures taken.
Overall, not bad considering the challenges the people of CAR face every day. We'd stay there again... it's the devil we know.
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Date of stay: September 2012
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Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Â Lower floors are better because of the poor elevator service.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel ranks number 1 in Bangui, so I do not really want to see what the others are like. Most people working there is friendly and helpful, but hotel is in urgent need of renovation, as even by African standards it is very poor! Rooms are very basic, which make them very poor value-for-money. Some floors do not have any hot water, and I was unlucky enough to be on one of them! Lift takes forever to take you anywhere, and you always feel only one of them work. Breakfast is very disappointing but the restaurant offers nice food
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Date of stay: October 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You have to remember that Central Africa is still going through civil unrest, curfews, foreign military on the streets and the country in desperate need of aid. The Oubangui was once a respectable place to stay and going by what there is now, even if it is faded and not always working, it still is one of highlights of Bangui. The views over the river and Congo are very special. I had to be changed twice due to water not working and AC failing. The internet is pretty poor - unless you stood in the corridor. Don't eat in the restaurant - the food is terrible and there are other good places to eat and drink in the city. The bar is good and generally well stocked... again with great views. Alot of UN personnel stay here, as well as other NGOs.
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Date of stay: November 2014
Value
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Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Everything they say in the bad reviews about this hotel is true - but lets get a sense of perspective. Coming from Europe or the USA, this might be a slum, but compared to other hotels, especially in rural CAR, this is total luxury.
Or to put it another way, the city of Bangui is not a place I would like to return to, but if I did, I would definitely stay here.
Its true that this hotel could be a million times better if it was well managed, but you could say that about the whole country
In any case, everyone agrees that the view over the Oubangui river is exceptional and the swimming pool is the best in town. WIFI works well, the restaurant has a wide range of choices and we never got sick. What more can you want?
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Date of stay: September 2010
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is known as the Oubangui Hotel, not the Bangui. It is named after the river, the Oubangui, that it looks out on. The hotel was evidently part of the Sofitel chain, but that must have been eons ago. The reason for the one star rating is because:
1) the elevators are a security hazard: they are not maintained, the doors do not always close properly, the elevator goes where it wants without respect to which buttons you've pushed. You can wait for ages for either of the 2 elevators to come, so the staff will show you to the service elevator which stinks but seems to work better -- it is also not maintained and hits something that sounds like metal at two places between the lobby level and the 2nd floor.
2) So you think you were wise to choose to use the stairs. But this also poses a security hazard. There are two staircases: the outside fire escape stairs which are spiral metal are difficult under any conditions but for me, dressed for work with heels, impossible. The other set of stairs is inside, dirty, and I could find no lights and so they are dangerous during the day and night.
3) The rooms are good-sized, but worn down, and not particularly clean. When I travel to certain places, I pack 2 large pieces of cotton fabric I can use when the sheets are suspicious. At the Oubangui, it is absolutely essential that you bring something to cover the sheets. They are not clean. The towels were usually okay.
There were no amenities in the room except for a tiny bar of soap. Bring soap, shampoo, etc. No hair dryer, 2 hangers (I asked and received more).
I had water 6 days out of 7, but I only had hot water 3 days. Water pressure was generally very good.
On my request, they did put a refrigerator in my room for an extra $10-12/day. The room rate for a single was 45,000CFA/night (about $90-100 in Dec 2008).
The views of the Oubangui river are lovely and there are balconies -- this was a real treat to be able to look at the fishermen each morning and see the cloud formations over the hills. The Democratic Republic of Congo is just across the river.
The rooms were quiet and I didn't see any cockroaches, mice, or lizards, so for me that was a great success.
4) Electricity. Not always. When the electricity went out, the generator kicked in so I almost always had lights but the generator did not power the A/C units in the rooms. It did power the elevators.
5) Internet. None in the rooms. There is a place just next to the hotel that has internet at $8-10 for 3 hrs but the connection is so slow it's hardly worth it.
6) Restaurant. There is a restaurant. Avoid it. The food is awful and the service the same. However, there is a bar outside near the pool that serves sandwiches that were just fine. The breakfast buffet for $10 or so was laughable -- the buffet contained bread, butter, jelly, honey, a few pieces of cheese, salami, papaya, and hard boiled eggs. The omelettes which you could order separately were also fine, nothing special. Dinner - please go elsewhere unless you're okay with a sandwich.
The hotel is located a bit out of town, not walking distance as far as I could tell. There is nothing very close by.
They will take American Express although no other credit cards. Cash in the Central African Republic is essential as there are no restaurants or shops that take credit cards and I think the Oubangui may be the only hotel that does so. I'm not even sure travelers checks are taken. Bring cash (euros and/or dollars are probably easiest). If you're bringing US dollars, make sure the bills are after 2002 and are clean with no tears or writing. Just to be safe. Many countries in Africa will not take older bills or those with marks or tears.
Other tips for Bangui: - Blackberries work here -- at least, the one I have with T-Mobile service in the U.S. gets email -- a huge surprise given that it does not work with data anywhere else in Africa I've been (Dakar, Addis, etc.) but does here. Go figure.
- Get a local sim card at Telcel in town. For $50 dollars, you should have enough time for 2 weeks, depending on your use internationally. As best I can figure, I think it runs about $1/min., which is great. But of course, your local sim card won't get your email, so you'll have to switch your U.S. or other sim card with the local card if you want to check your email. Note that the Telcel sim card has to be configured by them to send text messages -- you can receive them, but won't be able to send.
- Changing money can be a pain as the banks can take forever, but they give good rates. If you're in a hurry, go to the bakery/pastry cafe the Phoenicia downtown. The Lebanese owners change money on the spot (hundreds of dollars are not a problem) but they do not give the best rates. But if you're in a rush, try it and have a coffee at the same time.
- While Bangui is pretty basic with poor infrastructure, there are great restaurants with safe salads -- Carre Gourmand would be my #1 pick with nice fish, pastas, pizza, salads, and it has free wifi. Nice atmosphere, good service and nice food. I also had salads at the Relais des Chasses, which is also good and has a similar menu to the Carre Gourmand. I was told not to try salads elsewhere. The Tropicana has Italian food as well as fish (this is the land of good "capitaine" fish) and is next to the Central Hotel (apparently another one to be avoided with really dirty sheets but a good location). The Chinese restaurant, cleverly called "Le restaurant chinois," was a nice surprise with good food and a clean environment.
If you are doing to Bangui, look into JM Residences 3 for your stay. Better, newer, cleaner, and safer.
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Date of stay: December 2008
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
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Business service (e.g., internet access)
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed in this hotel with my wife and other colleagues on a business trip with colleagues. I found the manager and people who worked at the Oubangui Hotel (not Bangui hotel) to be friendly and helpful. However, my wife found the women who worked at the bar outside to be rude to her. The lobby was clean and cool. But beware, once you leave the lobby, you will find that the rooms have needed renovation for 10-20 years. Our room did not have an A/C that worked consistently and we found the carpets to be worn out and dirty. The beds and the sheets were really old and worn out as well. And our bathroom had mildew and the toilet did not have a seat, making it very hard to use. We found that the elevators did not work consistently during the daytime.
We also found that people trying to sell their art outside this hotel were aggressive with us. We gave one well dressed young man money for pictures and frames who later tried to scam us out of more money and who would not deliver what he promised and when. I was told that the management of this hotel does not allow these people to approach quests, but this is obviously not enforced. Beware.
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Date of stay: June 2009
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First of all, let me say that obviously the Oubangui Hotel (not "Bangui Hotel" as listed in Trip Advisor, is nowhere near the quality of the five-star Ledger Hotel in Bangui. It is by any definition run-down and in need of serious upgrades. But given the difficult situation in Bangui as I'm writing this review (mid-2014), the hotel is not so bad.
Positives - best view in town over the Oubangie river, with a bar/restaurant area situated on rocks in the middle of the river; - safe area located nearly directly across from the French Embassy and the sports club "Rock Club"; - Decently good restaurant (nothing fancy) that in two months staying there never made me sick; - Reasonable internet connection when not overloaded by too many users;
Negatives - The cleanliness of the rooms leaves something to be desired, I found both cockroaches and rats in my room at various times; - The elevators function sometimes, but frequent outages mean having to use the stairs regularly; - The service at the hotel can be a little caustic and rude, but many staff - especially the bar and restaurant staff - are quite friendly.
Overall, unless you want to spend crazy money at the Ledger Hotel, the Oubangie Hotel is a palatable option in Bangui for travelers.
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Date of stay: May 2014
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Â The rooms on the 6th floor and below have been renovated and tend to be nicer.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I spent 4 or 5 nights here in Mid July 2014 then I moved to Levys Hotel. Crowded hotel that time and was at 5th floor. For 2 mornings I have to go without bath, yes..no water. Lucky I took one in the evening so I must not be smelling bad and thanks to vanilla Body Shop :) The view is funtastic, Congo River. Understandable that hotels business in Bangui is trying to survive due to what the country has suffered from civil war at the end of 2013, and that makes everything is expensive in Bangui. The hotel is old and smell 'ancient' is everywhere in the room. Lots of mosquitos in the lobby. I was stuck once in the lift and freaked out. Since then I walked up and down with the stairs to 5th floor. I heard Bangui Hotel used to be #1 hotel in Bangui at its time..
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Date of stay: July 2014
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Â What shall I say..I heard the hotel is on plan for renovation. So I hope Bangui Hotel is getting...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Take a concrete monstrosity with 1980s technology and decor, stick it in the jungle and let it rot for 30 years: Voila, you get the sorry, derelict, dilapidated Oubangui. The elevator is highly erratic and often out of order. I had to change rooms twice because the A/C did not work. One died overnight, another did not cool. When I entered one room offered as a replacement there was no electricity at all and the room was flooded with an inch of water. Many appliances (sockets, lamps, TV) no longer work. If you peek into neighbouring rooms from your balcony you see that many are in fact abandoned and no longer in use. The staff is friendly, but not exactly knowledgeable or full of initiative. Often they seem half-comatose and as sad as the building they work in. Free WiFi is available in the lobby (only). I had no problems with water supply and my rooms were clean, with comfortable beds. The best thing about the hotel is the view of the river and Zongo town in the DRC.
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Date of stay: June 2015
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stay away from this place if possible. place is rundown,unsecure and pretty much dirty...I had no other choice but to stay there for 3 nights... well room on the 12th floor gave a breath taking view, however elevator did not work 90% of the time, so trips up and down a stairwell in not so attractive. restaurant food is just simply terrible, ordered a grilled chicken and got something in resemblance of chicken bones and burned skin, with some fat, tho. WiFi only worked in the hotel lobby...
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Date of stay: June 2017
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Bangui area.
LOCATION
Central African RepublicBangui
NUMBER OF ROOMS
62
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