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Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire
Abidjan, Ivory Coast · Sofitel · Core Luxury
President Felix Houphouet-Boigny commissioned Berlin-born Israeli architect Chaim Heinz Fenchel and developer Moshe Mayer to outshine any hotel on the continent. Hotel Ivoire opened in 1963 with West Africa's first ice rink, a casino, a cinema, and two towers. After civil-war damage Sofitel arrived in 2011; Pierre Fakhoury oversaw the rebuild of this 575-room Cocody landmark.
- 426 rooms
- Opened 1963
- Neighborhood: Cocody
- Rooms from 204 sq ft (19 m²)
- Architect: Chaim Heinz Fenchel; Israeli
About Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire
- The hotel opened in 1963 with West Africa's first artificial ice rink, a remarkable anomaly in equatorial Africa, drawing local families for skating into the 1990s; the rink fell into disrepair during the civil war and its shell now serves as a banquet hall.
- Architect Chaim Heinz Fenchel, who also designed Israel's Dan Hotel chain, created the hotel in a style now called African Modernism: ceilings painted in intense red, geometric patterns derived from African culture, and chandelier-lit public halls that expressed a newly independent nation's aspirations.
- President Houphouët-Boigny commissioned the project after seeing a comparable hotel abroad and hired Israeli developer Moshe Mayer to create something that would surpass it. The resulting complex included a private marina, multiple swimming pools, free-standing pavilions, and a casino restricted to foreign guests.
- The hotel's condition has long been treated as a barometer of Côte d'Ivoire's political fortunes: it thrived during the 'Ivorian Miracle' of the 1970s, deteriorated alongside the economy in the 1990s, and was damaged in the 2002–2011 civil war before being acquired and renovated by Sofitel.
- At 575 rooms after renovation, it remains one of the largest luxury hotels in sub-Saharan Africa; the congress auditorium holds 1,650 people and the swimming pool stretches the full length of the hotel's rear façade, by multiple accounts one of the largest hotel pools anywhere.
History
Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire is one of the oldest and grandest hotels in West Africa, built in 1963 during the country's post-independence boom as a symbol of Côte d'Ivoire's ambitions under President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. At the time of its opening it was Africa's most modern hotel, featuring a bowling alley, ice skating rink, and large convention facilities. Situated on the Cocody peninsula in the Abidjan lagoon, the hotel has hosted African summits, international conferences, and state visits for over six decades. It remains the pre-eminent luxury address in West Africa's economic powerhouse.
The setting
On the Cocody peninsula in Abidjan, looking at the lagoon. This is the presidential side of town, not Plateau office towers.
Restaurants and bars
- La Gourmandise — Restaurant · International
- La Brasserie — Restaurant · Bistronomy
- Le Jardin — Restaurant · Regional
- Le Toit d'Abidjan — Restaurant · French
- Oasis Pool Bar — Poolside
- Link Bar — Bar
- Le Jardin Pool Bar — Poolside
- Cacao Lounge — Bar
Experiences
- Restaurant Le Toit d'Abidjan — French gastronomy using Ivorian fish and fruit, with a view over Abidjan.
- Le Jardin terrace — Terrace built to feel like a cabin perched in a tree, with a 180° view of the Ebrié Lagoon.
- Le Goûter (afternoon tea ritual) — Afternoon tea in the French Le Goûter custom, with French waffles, pastries, fruit, coffee or hot chocolate.
- Oasis Pool — Swimming pool that follows the curves of the lagoon, with pool butlers for brunch or garden parties.
- Sofitel Fitness — Fitness room with Techno Gym equipment, open 24 hours for guests and on subscription for non-residents.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Hammam
- Fitness center
- Tennis
- Butler service
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