Stayed here in July 2008 - our original booking was for 2 nights - we got out after 1 and would not have spent the 1 night there if there was a bus back to Accra. Didn't expect much as we were volunteer teachers and used to staying in much worse! Staff very indifferent - verging on the rude - especially the owner's daughter who was downright rude wthout trying to disguise her ostility in any shape or form. She would not let us make outgoing phonecalls even though we had told her we would pay and said the hotel did not have a phoneline??!! She totally mislead us about Cape Coast Castle, all the while laughing and joking to one of the maids in African ..clearly about us. Food was terrible (even by local standards) and believe me in Elmina there is nowhere else to eat. On the plus side, the rooms were air conditioned and had a fridge. Outside 'terrace bar' was just a walled off section on the street next to an open sewer where the street hustlers hung over the wall haranging us until we had to go to our room and even entered the bar area to hustle for money, cigarettes or indeed anything! At 9.30pm the staff were looking at us daggers when we ordered our last drink!
The town itself, although seemingly picturesque upon entering soon appears very strange and odd with an underlying feeling of hostility - the place is filthy, much worse than innercity dwellings of Accra and other such poor villages I have seen. The hustlers here are much worse also - they will not take no for an answer and beware telling any of them your name as they go off and make presents for you ...seemingly free but then produce a 'sponsor sheet' for you to 'sponsor' their school ..... to the tune of $20 a pop! When I gave a donation of a substantial amount for Ghana this was snatched and kept and when i refused to pay anymore money, the money was pocketed and so was the 'free gift'! People are not willing to help with directions or assistance and the local youths hanging around till 5am are menacing to say the least. I would certainly not recommend anyone travelling here alone - esp women.
The Slave Castle is something else ..upon entering I immediately had goosebumps and upon entering the dungeons found i could not breathe and had to leave....evil place.
The Hotel is actually a residence where the women slaves who were raped repeatedly and became pregnant were 'saved' from the slave ships and kept there ...needless to say the atmosphere in the hotel is strange to say the least and kept me awake!
All this spoilt my opinion of Ghana somewhat. I met and encountered some wonderful people on my stay, I just wish that i hadn't gone to this town and hotel - Village of the Damned!
