Accommodation in Liberia

The aftermath of high profile wars in Africa often introduce a plethora or different aid and crisis organisations, along with a steady stream of diplomatic traffic lending its generally high priced assistance to the pursuit of peace. As a consequence some of the most war ravaged capitals in Africa have quite acceptable hotels, and this is certainly the case with Monrovia.

During the height of the fighting in and around Monrovia journalists and expatriates clustered in the grounds and lobby of the iconic Mamba Point Hotel, filming the bloodshed from the roof where a panoramic view of the ebbs and flows of battle on the surrounding streets was available. The Mamba Point is still the best known and most stylishly appointed hotel in Monrovia, and for a slice of the macabre history of the region, there is perhaps no better.

There are a handful of other options with prices upwards of US$100 a night, and offer commensurate facilities, but at the lower end standards are patchy although prices are reasonable. Outdoor Chop Shops provide cheap and tasty food, and for an authentic West African experience you could do no better.

Travel in and around the country is difficulty, although movement along the coast is becoming more common, and for Chop Shop food and accommodation, the only options there are to be found in the port town of Buchanan and Greenville, with plans for an eco-resort in Robertsport on the coast west of Monrovia, which is emerging as the West Africa surf hotspot.