To the point
For the wedding of one of my husband's childhood friends, we took the opportunity to stay at theHôtel Maison Palmier in Abidjanpart of the Marriott group's Design Hotels collection.
Unsurprisingly, urban planning and land distribution in Côte d’Ivoire are very different from those in Europe or North America, particularly when it comes to “road planning”.
In fact, it takes around 30-45 minutes fromAbidjan-Félix Houphouët Boigny airport to Maison Palmier. Because traffic in Abidjan is often heavy, estimated journey times can increase dramatically.
Although Le Plateau is Abidjan’s downtown business district, despite its few hotels, it’s not the most welcoming part of the Ivorian capital.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Location
Built and inaugurated in 2022, this 5-star hotel is a verdant oasis in the Cocody district. The hotel’s name is inspired by the 200 or so palm trees that make up the lush vegetation on site, providing a marked break from the city’s skyscrapers.
A rare Marriott hotel in West and Central Africa, its low-slung architecture and contemporary design are overlooked by the canopy, accentuating the feeling of a cocoon. The attention to detail in the furnishings is palpable, with the presence of noble materials, tones reminiscent of nature against a backdrop of handcrafted woodwork, Terrazzo tiled floors, not forgetting the presence of African works of art.
Divided into several houses of up to three (3) storeys, the complex features 58 rooms and 14 suites, a restaurant, a gym, a bar and a centrally-located outdoor swimming pool.
Despite the luxury of the premises, the atmosphere (like the dress code) is relaxed, favoring the cohabitation of moments of relaxation (swimming pool, gym, etc.) and work (business center, meeting room, etc.).
Please note that check-in starts at 3 p.m. and check-out is at noon.
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to have the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card).
In addition to the exceptional welcome bonus of each of these two cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all your purchases and 5 points per dollar at any of the Marriott establishments. On top of that, every year, you’ll receive a free hotel night certificate (worth 35,000 points) and 15 Elite Night Credits toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Room options
- Standard room, Room, 1 Queen bed, garden view
- Superior room, Room, 1 king bed, garden view
- Junior Suite, Junior Suite, 1 Queen bed, garden view
- Signature Suite, Signature Suite, 1 Queen bed, garden view
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Hotel details
Here is some information about the hotel:
| Date of opening (or renovation) | 2022 | Number of rooms | 58 rooms and 14 suites |
| Restaurants | Yes | USB sockets in the room | Yes |
| Accepts animals | No | Smart TV | |
| Mobile card | No | Shower/Bath | Shower |
| Balcony | Balcony and garden access | Accessible for people with reduced mobility | Yes |
| Parking | Free | Lounge | Business center |
| Gym | Yes | Breakfast included | Yes |
| Pools and Spas | Outdoor pool and spa | Room with kitchenette |
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Ecological footprint
According to Booking.com, this establishment has implemented many sustainable practices such as:
- Waste management that considerably limits the use of plastic (packaging, straw, etc.).
- Water conservation (showers equipped with flow-saving devices, possibility of refusing daily cleaning, use of towels/bedsheets over several days, etc.).
- Fossil fuel savings (locally produced foods, LED lighting, electric charging point for cars, vegetarian menu option…)
- Promote tourism and local culture (pottery workshop, art gallery, tourism…)
| If you’re planning a trip, don’t forget to check out our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category! |
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Overall impression of our experience
After flying with Brussel Airlines from Brussels, with a technical stopover in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, we were met at the airport by our friend, who was delighted to accompany us to our hotel for this short African stay.
As we approached the hotel, the contrast was particularly striking, with this hotel complex set in a residential area that testifies to the problems of insalubrity and the urban rehabilitation challenges facing this city of 2,500,000 inhabitants, whose population has doubled every seven years since 1945.
Stained white and adorned with several tropical plants, the Palm House ‘s perimeter walls don’t allow you to enter and leave freely. A large, black main gate in the shape of a tropical plant motif opens onto a security gantry, to which are added blocks to prevent vehicles from passing through. From a security standpoint, this hotel is indeed at a high level, which can both reassure hotel residents, but also give a feeling of over-protection to people looking for an authentic side to their stay in Côte d’Ivoire.
Once through security, we headed for the hotel reception desk to take possession of our room. Sober, courteous and attentive, our welcome staff confirmed the fears felt after reading the reply to our e-mail sent in anticipation of our stay.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Application of our status privileges
As we have Titanium Elite status, we had previously contacted the hotel to indicate our preferences for our stay, as well as our wish to obtain an upgrade in the event of availability for the dates of our stay.
Although part of the Marriott group, we found that this hotel’s modus operandi was more akin to a boutique hotel laying down its own rules, rather than a Marriott group hotel in the Design Hotel category: evasive answers about the possibility of upgrades, the benefits offered and the services on offer.
For this 3-night stay, we decided to use our Marriott points at a fixed cost of 35,000 points/night. This presented an interesting alternative to the fixed cost of around 230,000 CFA francs, which corresponds to 500 CAD/night.
As is frequently the norm when booking with Marriott points, we initially selected a standard room. Accustomed to the more standardized workings of European and North American Marriott hotels, we were astonished when the person at reception told us they’d simply changed our room for one with a “nicer” view, in view of my Marriott status.
Of course, we had checked availability beforehand to ensure that we would get a superior room and/or suite, and these were available, as were the promised Marriott Bonvoy benefits for members holding a certain status.
When it came to the benefits usually offered to Marriott members with Titanium Elite status, the front desk employee didn’t seem to know what to discuss with members: bonus points for the stay, breakfast, late check-out and upgrades. Finally, after some discussion, we were offered breakfast for the duration of our stay, which is always a nice perk.
However, despite our perseverance, we didn’t get a suite upgrade, which was a great disappointment, as well as being completely incomprehensible, when there were plenty of suites available.
It’s worth noting that we really wanted this benefit, as my partner and I had planned to telework for a day during our stay. So we alternated between the Business Center and our room, when we had confidential videoconferences.
So we can’t vouch for the room maintenance service (cleaning, change of sheets/towels), even though we were frequently there.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Our room
We stayed in room #214, located on the second floor of House #2 of the hotel complex.
Once through the front door, the room features a large living area with a king-size bed, a small lounge area, an office area with a coffee machine, and a separate bathroom. In terms of size, it’s more in line with North American than European standards.
On the desk, next to the Nespresso coffee machine, was a very nice touch that softened the rather lukewarm welcome from the reception staff: a basket of exotic fruit and a bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne, accompanied by a beautiful handwritten note wishing us a pleasant stay.
In keeping with the materials seen at reception, in the bar and on the path leading to our room, the decor is colonial-inspired, where the textiles used and the terrazzo give a particularly neat and pleasant effect to the ambience of the room.
Before testing the hotel’s restaurant, we took the time to walk around the property to soak up the pleasant atmosphere.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Impression of the premises
On the second floor of the building adjacent to ours, a large gym offers visitors plenty of equipment to enjoy during their stay. There were stationary bikes, treadmills, free weights, and even the possibility of hiring a trainer.
Back in the heart of the resort, adjacent to the restaurant and bar, is the outdoor swimming pool. Although nicely presented with white deckchairs, we didn’t feel like trying it out, and its location right in the center of everything lacked privacy (and wasn’t accessible to children), giving us the impression that we were swimming directly at the hotel reception desk. This could easily be improved by using vegetation to create a kind of screen, without totally obscuring this flagship element of the complex.
To complete our exploration of the site, we continued our stroll around the various buildings to observe the lush tropical vegetation scattered throughout, and appreciate its soothing effect.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Restaurant
For dinner, our friend recommended that we take advantage of the hotel restaurant, mainly for convenience, but also to ensure that health standards would be met. Note that this is the same restaurant offering the morning buffet, as well as lunch and dinner.
We were delighted with the menu and service, despite our surprise at prices almost identical to those in Europe. We didn’t try out the bar, however, as it was time for us to return to our room to enjoy a well-deserved sleep after a day’s travel!
The next morning, the breakfast buffet was very diverse, offering many Western options as well as local specialties. The food was of the highest quality and was complemented by outstanding service from the restaurant’s staff.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - What to do in the area
Abidjan is a city on the southern Atlantic coast of Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. With its skyscrapers overlooking the Ébrié lagoon, it is the country’s main urban and economic center. The Abidjan metropolitan area covers more than 500 km2 and is divided into 10 communes, plus four outlying communes.
Because we didn’t have enough time to explore the city, even though we were essentially there for a wedding, we asked the guests about the must-sees on our next visit.
- The Musée des Civilisations de Côte d’Ivoire, whose collections were largely built up during the colonial period, presents the material and immaterial culture of Côte d’Ivoire and offers a glimpse into the country’s history.
- Treichville market for an authentic immersion in daily life, where colorful stalls overflow with local produce and handicrafts. The district is also renowned for its lively nightlife, with streets lined with bars, restaurants and clubs where you can sample delicious Ivorian dishes while enjoying live music and lively dancing.
- The historic town of Grand-Bassam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This former port, economic and legal capital of Côte d’Ivoire bears witness to the complex social relations between Europeans and Africans, and then to the independence movement. We were also advised to visit the National Costume Museum, stroll through its picturesque lanes and relax on the palm-fringed beaches.
- Great fans of world cuisine, we were warmly recommended the Ivorian cuisine of local restaurants, where spicy flavors and traditional dishes like braised chicken and attiéké will transport you to the heart of Ivorian gastronomy.
- Plateau, Abidjan’s business center:
- Erected on the initiative of President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Saint Paul’s Cathedral is the work of Italian architect Aldo Spirito, for which he was awarded the “Europe Architecture 1982” prize.
- Grand marché d’Adjamé is reputed to be the biggest market in West Africa. However, it’s highly recommended to go accompanied, as some of the small streets are not always very safe, with pickpockets very much present.
- Sadly abandoned after a fire in 2015, La Pyramide (1968-1973) was designed by Italian architect Rinaldo Olivieri. State-owned, it once symbolized the prosperity of the “Ivorian miracle” made possible by coffee and cocoa production. A testament to retro-futuristic (even brutalist) architectural avant-gardism, its singular pyramidal shape stands out against the skyline.
We were also strongly advised to devote a day to discovering the Ebrié Lagoon, including a traditional pirogue ride to appreciate Abidjan’s natural beauty, while soaking up the daily life of local fishermen. In particular, we were recommended Île Boulay (real name Azigbo), the main island in a chain of islands in the Ébrié lagoon, renowned for its calm, which contrasts with the usual hustle and bustle of Abidjan.
La Maison Palmier, a Member of Design Hotels - Our recommendation
When it was time to leave, we were given a glimpse of one of the available suites, confirming the superior comfort we would normally have enjoyed with a status upgrade.
Overall, the Hôtel Maison Palmier in Abidjan is a very fine hotel.
At 35,000 Marriott points per night, it represents a level of luxury and service far superior to that available in similar hotels in major European capitals.
However, we must point out the lack of consideration for members with high Marriott status, particularly in terms of non-upgrading, unclear explanations, or even shortcomings in the personalized service to which we are accustomed in Marriott group establishments.
Despite the small areas for improvement, we recommend this hotel for a stay in Abidjan. Mainly for its safety, comfort and reasonable price (in points) for a high-quality stay.
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