Not a bad place but generally overated, has a good view of the lake, but for transport you have to rely on overpriced hotel cabs.

My first stay at Hotel du Lac was this week - 2 nights, in room 604, which was right at water level. Amazing view! The hotel was great, from reservation, to airport pick up, to the hospitality of the staff, through check out. Restaurant is open long hours, and the food is diverse, delicious and well-priced.

You need a cord for internet access in (some of) the rooms, but there's good, fast wi-fi on the terrace and in public spaces of the hotel.

Will book here again in 2012.

I've been staying here for over 10 years. The owner continues building and upgrading. This hotel is owned by a Lebanese expat who has had some political complications over the years, but has managed to survive the occasional political imprisonment and prosper, which is no mean feat in Africa. It is good value for money, and as a plus has good Lebanese food on the menu (which if you don't know, is a treat).

First off, this hotel is not run by Westerners, and it is built to local standards. Some windows may not fully seal, and doors may not be fully flush; you won't feel like your in a Holiday Inn or Motel 6. However, compared to the Marina, Novotel, or Ibis this is very good value for money if you don't mind going a little bit "local." The AC works well in the rooms, but bring your bug juice for diners outside, and you won't want to miss eating outside. Good, decent-sized and clean pool. It also has great views of the river which divides Cotonou into its two sides. It offers a direct boat service to Ganvié, which is arguably the coolest place to (easily) see in West Africa. Ask as the desk to arrange a visit. The "captain" will pause under the bride to ask for a tip as you return to the hotel; you can oblige or not, no problem. Don't miss this.

Take your cameras to breakfast and afterward go out on the terrace to take photos of the fishermen on the river. Zoom lenses are very helpful.

The new terrace restaurant overlooking the river and main bridges is quite good. You can order wood-fired pizzas as well as French-inspired cuisine and, as mentioned, Lebanese-style Middle-Eastern dishes. I recommend the houmos and taboulé.

Very good value for money and great views.

My colleagues and I stayed at the Hotel du Lac for 3 nights. The hotel is not the most modern in appearance but is very clean. The floors are spotless. The pool is huge and clean. (They strictly enforce a shower before entering rule.) There is hot water in the rooms and internet (with a cable). The restaurant sits on a lovely terrace overlooking the lake. What's not to like, right? Wrong.

First, this hotel is actually on the lake--literally. Out of my hotel window there were old flipflops, food wrappers, and canoes floating by. It's little strange to have fisherman floating by at eye level. This could be an interesting novelty if it weren't for the problem that this location causes. When the lake level is high, the plumbing backs up. So, during the night (mostly), I would hear very load noises in the bathroom. When I went in to check, I found my toilet shoot water all over the bathroom--even hitting the ceiling! Then there was the air conditioner. I'm not sure what happened, but one particularly wet night I came back to my room to find all the furniture soaked with water that either came from or entered through the air conditioner. I asked the hotel staff for towels. They obliged by bringing 3 or 4. However, when I woke up in the morning, virtually the whole room was covered in a pool of water. Fortunately I had moved all of my belongings to higher ground before going to bed.

One last note, both my colleague and I had our credit card numbers stolen while in Benin. This hotel was the last legitimate charge on our cards, and we did not use them anywhere else in the country. I hate to say it, but I would be careful.