Labadi Beach Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
Labadi Beach Hotel is the only 5-star beachfront resort in Accra that lets you mix a city trip with a beach trip in one place — the draw is the walk-to-sand location, the wide tropical garden and the Ghanaian food at Akwaaba, more than Asian-style resort polish.
Labadi Beach Hotel is the only 5-star beachfront resort in Accra that lets you mix a city trip with a beach trip in one place — the draw is the walk-to-sand location, the wide tropical garden and the Ghanaian food at Akwaaba, more than Asian-style resort polish.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a cream-painted, 4-storey resort wrapped around its own tropical garden — tall palms swaying in the sea breeze, a small fountain in the middle, brick paths running out to each wing. That is your first impression of Labadi Beach Hotel. All 164 rooms and suites ring this central garden, decorated in warm dark wood, African woven fabrics, cream linen beds and walls hung with Ghanaian art. Many rooms have small private balconies facing either the garden or the sea; if you are booking, ask for the 3rd or 4th floor on the sea side, because you will wake to sunrise over the Atlantic in full view. The overall look is classic 90s-resort rather than modern minimalist, but it feels warm and lived-in, more like a friend's home than a big chain — a good fit if you like a place with local character and no hard edges.
Food and amenities
The strongest card here is that "on the beach" is literally true — walk from the lobby, through the garden, past the pools, and onto the sand, no car and no road to cross. Labadi is one of Ghana's most famous beaches: a long stretch of golden-brown sand, Atlantic waves rolling in, lively with locals, drumming-and-dance troupes and souvenir sellers. The hotel's frontage is fenced off with canvas loungers, straw umbrellas and staff looking after guests specifically. The garden is where many people spend the whole day, with two outdoor pools set in separate corners — the larger main pool has a floating swim-up bar serving cocktails, while the smaller one is quieter and better for reading. Beyond them sit two tennis courts, a gym and a small spa using local shea butter products. The heart of the hotel is Akwaaba ("welcome" in Twi), whose breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets are rated among the best Ghanaian food in Accra. Star plates are jollof rice, the bright-red tomato rice many call properly bold, banku (fermented dough with fish soup), and seafood bought fresh from the Labadi fishing boats that morning; Friday and Saturday nights add live music and dance. Service draws near-unanimous praise — warm, genuine Ghanaian hospitality, smiles, staff who remember multi-night guests and help arrange trips like a friend showing you around.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits on the east side of Accra, a 20-25 minute drive from Kotoka International Airport (ACC) depending on traffic, with a pre-bookable airport transfer or cheaper Uber and Bolt options. The big advantage is balance: you get a beachfront resort and still reach the city fast. The Osu district — Oxford Street, Makola Market and the smarter restaurants — is about 15 minutes away by Uber and very cheap, well worth a trip out for dinner instead of eating every meal on site. This is a rare patch of shaded, tropical-resort calm in a city that is otherwise packed with buildings.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The complaint that comes up most is the age of the building and decor — the place has been open a long time, and some of the dark-wood furniture and room design is still 90s in style. Rooms are clean and well kept, but anyone expecting the crisp modern minimalism of a newer Asian resort may find it a touch dated. Second, Labadi is a public city beach: on weekends, especially Saturday and Sunday, locals come out in numbers and the bars next door play music loud into the evening, so if you want quiet, book a weekday or request a garden-facing room over a sea-facing one. Third, in-room Wi-Fi is sluggish in stretches — mostly free and usable, but do not count on crisp Zoom-meeting speed. Add-on costs such as the spa and non-buffet dishes also run noticeably above average city prices, so it is worth taking an Uber out to Osu now and then to save money and change the scene.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real guest reviews, Labadi Beach Hotel is the one answer in Accra if you want to wake to the surf and walk straight onto the sand while still reaching the city in minutes. The genuine draws are an unmatched beachfront location, a wide, well-kept tropical garden, two pools, and the Ghanaian food at Akwaaba that brings many guests back for a second meal. The trade-offs are a building and rooms that show their years, and a public beach that gets busy on weekends. Overall we give it 8.4/10 — best for couples wanting city-and-sea in one trip, families needing space for kids to run, and business travelers flying into Accra for several days who want some beach time before heading home.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- It is the only 5-star beachfront resort in Accra — you walk from the lobby across the garden and onto the sand, with no drive out of the city and no road to cross.
- A wide tropical garden sits at the core of the property, with tall palms, a fountain and brick paths that give it more of a Caribbean-resort feel than a downtown hotel.
- Two outdoor pools with a swim-up pool bar, plus two tennis courts and a gym, give you enough to fill several days without leaving the grounds.
- Akwaaba Restaurant runs a daily Ghanaian and international buffet with jollof rice, banku and fresh seafood; guests consistently praise the bold flavors and generous portions, and Friday and Saturday nights add live drumming and dance.
- Staff draw warm, repeated praise in reviews for genuine Ghanaian hospitality — remembering multi-night guests by name and helping arrange trips around the city like a friend showing you around.
- The building and some room interiors show their age for a 5-star price. The dark-wood furniture and 90s design are clean and well kept, but this is not the modern-minimalist look of newer Asian resorts, and some guests find it dated.
- Labadi is a public city beach. On weekends, especially Saturday and Sunday, locals fill the sand and the bars next door play music loud into the evening — if you want quiet, book on a weekday or request a garden-facing room over a sea-facing one.
- In-room Wi-Fi is patchy and slow in stretches; it is mostly free and usable, but do not count on crisp Zoom-meeting speed. Add-on costs such as the spa and non-buffet dishes also run noticeably above average Accra prices.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Accra
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Accra — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in AccraAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Request a sea-facing room on the 3rd or 4th floor when you book — the balcony catches the full Labadi beach view and sunrise over the Atlantic. Ground-floor rooms face the pretty garden but miss the sea.
- Have dinner at Akwaaba on a Friday or Saturday night, when there is live traditional music and a noticeably fuller Ghanaian spread than on weekdays.
- Take an Uber to the Osu district — about 15 minutes and very cheap — to walk Oxford Street, Makola Market and the smarter restaurants in the evening, rather than eating every meal at the hotel.