Pointe Sarène in Senegal and Zanzibar in Tanzania are the two new destinations where the Spanish chain has expanded its presence in Africa recently.

The chain’s new 5-star hotel Riu Baobab, in Senegal, is its first in Western Africa. It is located in Pointe Sarène on an impressive, vast white sandy beach just 100 km from Dakar and 48 km from the airport. The beach resort has 522 rooms, making it the largest hotel in Senegal, and offers 24-hour all-inclusive service.

The new complex is surrounded by spacious gardens that are home to 25 baobabs, Senegal’s national tree that has become a symbol of the country and inspired the hotel’s name. Outside it is equipped with three large pools, including one for children.

The hotel offers extensive dining options with five different restaurants: the main international buffet restaurant “Yassa”, the Italian restaurant “Veneto”, the Asian restaurant “Dorayaki”, a grill restaurant that serves delicious barbecue food, and the grill buffet Pepe’s Food. There are also four bars: the “Sorouba” with a stage and terrace, the “Bar Plaza”, the pool bar “Dunun” with a swim-up bar, and the lobby bar “Safari”.

All of these areas are located in the main four-storey building and two, two-storey annex buildings, which also house five rooms for MICE events and meetings.

Pointe Sarène is of great importance to Riu’s management team as it is the first step of an ambitious development plan in Senegal. Taking the chain’s development in Cabo Verde, the management board envisages adding half a dozen properties in the country, in the near future. The Riu Baobab is also the first seaside resort developed by the Senegalese State.

There are also plans afoot to expand the property and, as a result, the Riu Baobab could see its accommodation capacity increase to 1,024 rooms by the end of the second phase of the project.

Zanzibar gets its second Riu property

The second property to open in Africa this year is the Hotel Riu Jambo. The property is located on the north coast of Zanzibar at Nungwi Beach. The area is known as one of the most beautiful spots on the island where visitors go to watch incredible sunsets. The hotel is also just 66 km away from Zanzibar International Airport and stands next to Riu Palace Hotel, the Group’s first property on the island.

Zanzibar Riu Jambo (Photo: Riu Hotels & Resorts)

The property has been built in traditional architectural style offering more than 300 rooms. The Hotel Riu Jambo offers a wide range of dining options with a great choice of international cuisine, from traditional Zanzibar dishes to international cuisine including Asian food and a gourmet, à-la-carte menu.

Various bars complete the culinary selection with a 24-hour offering of appetisers, snacks and drinks. The Riu Jambo also boasts fabulous outdoor pools, one of which has a swim-up bar exclusively for adults. Sport options at the resort include kayaking, paddle boarding and diving while well-being therapy is available at the hotel’s Renova Spa.

Both hotels join the Rui Group’s six hotels in Morocco, two in Mauritius, one in Tanzania and six in Cape Verde, taking the chain’s total number of establishments in Africa to 17. Riu Hotels & Resorts now has 100 hotels in 20 countries. In 2021, the chain welcomed 4.2 million guests and provided jobs for a total of 28,004 employees.