The hotel has a great location in the center/Baixa and overlooking the Bay of Luanda.The hotel rooms have been renovated.The buffet and the food is one os the best in town.There is no swimming pool but you can get towels to the "ilha" beaches 10 minutes by car if there is no traffic jam. The hotel staff is very frendly.The hotel has quick access 5/10 minutes to the main restaurants and bars of the city.

The staff are rude... I nearly always have problems at check in... there is always a strange smell in the rooms... the decor is straight from 1973.

However this is Luanda, and all in all the Hotel isn't too bad. The food is surprisingly good, the bar is an OK place to spend an evening (WIFI works 75% of the time). The rooms are kept very clean, and you get used to the musty smell. The location on the Marginal is one of the 'better' parts of the City near the Ihla and it doesn't feel too claustrophobic.

All in all, if the hotel was anywhere else in the World, it would get slated, however this is Angola, and it meets African 3 star standard - and i'd rather sacrifice decor & service for decent food & cleanliness.

In 2002 I used to stay in Presidente. The restaurant was ok but the acomodation was poor ( I changed to Alvalade).

Today it is better and much more confortable. Tha restaurant still the same: very good for the Luanda standards.

Presidente is a very good option for business but the price is still high.

I lived in Angola for 9 years until 2004 and my office was close by the Meridien (as it used to be called). In those days it had a fearsome reputation as a down at heel destination favoured by those who couldnt get in to the better hotels closer to the town centre. Well, nothing has changed since I left in 2004 and since the dropping of the meridien brand. On arrival at 22h00 on a Sunday night there were no staff to check me in and only after a few minutes did I hail someone who seemed put out I'd turned up. No manners, no pleasantries, no customer service. Was I surprised? NO. Room was ok, very basic but bed was clean and bathroom had decent towels and hot water plus toiletries. I checked out real early so didn't get the chance to eat breakfast but am sure the restaurant is still good enough, one of the hotel's redeeming features, along with the elegant bar with great views. In short it was a pleasant enough stay and the hotel is making efforts to spruce itself up but is about 3 years too late. Oh and it is not worth the $350 it cost me to stay the night.