RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas

Rooms and decor

Picture a resort spread across 13 acres of Atlantic beachfront, under tall coconut palms that sway in the sea breeze all day — that is the appeal of RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas. The project grew out of a vision from Robert L. Johnson, founder of BET (Black Entertainment Television), an American businessman who wanted Liberia — a country founded by formerly enslaved Americans — to have a resort built to international standards. All 78 rooms are African-style thatched-roof villas, spread out comfortably rather than stacked in a high-rise. You walk from one villa to the next along paths lined with broad-leaf shrubs and red hibiscus. Inside, the decor runs warm and tropical: earth-toned curtains, white walls, high ceilings, and slow wooden fans. Almost every villa has a private terrace for a morning coffee, and the oceanfront ones open straight onto white sand and Atlantic surf that rolls in around the clock. Reviewers agree the waves lull you to sleep better than any sound machine, and waking to open the door onto the sea like this in Liberia is hard to find anywhere else.

Food and amenities

The heart of the resort is a central area where everything is in one place. The pool sits in a palm garden ringed with sun loungers and thatched umbrellas — guests spend whole afternoons here, swimming then reading under the coconut trees. The poolside bar serves cold cocktails and local Club Beer, which goes down especially well in the coastal heat. Across the resort is a full spa running treatments from tropical oil massage to sea-salt scrubs, in treatment rooms quiet enough to hear the waves and the birds. The beachside restaurant is the part many guests love most, with a menu that blends standard Western resort plates and local Liberian food — Jollof rice, palm butter, and fresh Atlantic fish grilled from that day's catch. Dinner by the water with the surf and lantern light is something reviewers keep coming back to. And the unintended star of the show is the Wi-Fi, rated the best in the country — minor as it sounds, in a Liberia where the internet is a gamble, it makes this a top pick for business travelers, NGO consultants, and anyone working online on the road.

Location and getting there

RLJ Kendeja sits in the Kendeja area on the Atlantic beach south of Monrovia, and the location is where the resort plays its hand smartly. It is about 25–30 minutes by car from the CBD — enough to escape the noise, horns, and dust of the city, but not so far you feel cut off. You can drive into Sinkor — the embassy zone, big companies, and Monrovia's good restaurants — in about 15 minutes. Roberts International Airport (ROB), off to the east, is roughly a 50–60 minute drive depending on the road. Inside, the resort feels like a quiet little bubble, with a private stretch of beach for evening walks, green space to relax in, and staff on hand to arrange cars, city tours, or services for travelers new to Liberia. For visitors who do not know the country, it works as both a place to stay and a safe, convenient base — ideal if you want to head into the city in bursts and come back to relax by the sea.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The thing reviews mention most is the distance from the CBD, which means every trip out has to be planned. There is no public transit a tourist can use, so you rely on a private car or the resort's per-ride service — the cost and travel time add up fast if you go into the city every day. The better move is to arrange a flat daily rate for a private car through the front desk; it works out cheaper and safer. Second is in-resort pricing: both the rooms and the restaurant run high against Liberia's local standard, and some reviewers feel meals and drinks are overpriced for the quality, especially the Western menu — if you want to save, try the local Liberian dishes, which are friendlier on the wallet and more distinctive. Last is upkeep. The resort has been open for years, and some villas and common areas are starting to look worn, with reviews noting tired furniture, weaker-than-ideal shower pressure, and intermittent power cuts that come with Liberia's grid. There is a backup generator, but it sometimes stutters. Setting your expectations to the country's context makes the experience a lot better.

Our take

After reading through plenty of real reviews, RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas is a resort with almost no genuine competition in Liberia — an Atlantic beachfront setting, thatched villas spread comfortably under the coconut palms, a full spa, and infrastructure that actually works (the Wi-Fi above all), all in one place. If you are coming to Liberia as a business traveler, NGO consultant, diplomat, or a tourist who wants a safe, comfortable base, this is about as well-rounded as it gets. Couples after a quiet West African beach trip will fall for the surf and the sunsets too. But if your main goal is to walk and explore Monrovia's culture and streets every day, the out-of-town location will cost you real time and budget getting back and forth. And do not expect the polish of a resort in Southeast Asia or Europe — this is Liberia, a country still recovering from civil war, and having a resort of this quality at all is remarkable in itself. Overall we give it 8.7/10, best for luxury travelers, business visitors, and couples who want an Atlantic-coast trip with full infrastructure in a country that still has few options like it.