Explore Around

The hotel is located in the area commonly referred to as PK10 of the Sèmè-Kpodji district. This is essentially the suburban link between Benin’s two largest cities. The most important physical feature here, however, is its nearness to the Atlantic Ocean. Though set back slightly from the water, a short walk brings one to Sèmè beach (also often called Marina Beach in this section). This part of the coast is much cleaner and quieter than Fidjrosse beach in Cotonou. It is lined with coconut palms and perfect for long walks; though if venturing into the sea extreme caution must be taken as riptides are dangerous in this part of Gulf of Guinea and there are rarely any lifeguards.

Strategically, staying at Casa Cornelia puts you on the pivot point between two completely different worlds. You are about fifteen or twenty minutes from Porto-Novo to the east with all its colonial charms and museums, and about twenty or thirty minutes from Cotonou to the west with its markets and nightlife. This makes it an excellent base for cultural tourists who want to visit the Songhaï Center or Ethnographic Museum in the morning and then check out a top-end restaurant in Haie Vive later that night-all while sleeping within some quiet buffer zone.

The area is semi-rural and residential. There are open spaces here that the urban core does not allow, with local vendors selling fresh coconuts and gasoline in glass bottles by the roadside. This general paucity of restaurants or bars within immediate walking distance at night makes the hotel a primary world after dark, but during the day it shares with gusto an inter-city main road bustling traffic all too willing to transport anyone exploring any part of its locality.