Houses
No houses listed yet
The page exists, the properties are on their way. In the meantime, here are other options for your stay — and if you own a property in the area, now's the time to list it.
"House" and "villa" seem to mean the same thing: a whole property, rented to a group, with a kitchen and several bedrooms. In Senegal, however, they are not the same properties, nor the same stays. A villa is a leisure product, set on the coast with a walled garden and often a pool. A house is a city home, in a lived-in neighborhood, that you rent to be in the middle of Dakar life and close to family.
This page says plainly what the word covers, what you will and won't find, and for which stays you are better off choosing something else. Our house rentals in Senegal are currently concentrated in Dakar; for elsewhere, we tell you where to look.
House or villa: what the word changes
The difference starts with the plot. A villa sits on land large enough for a garden, a terrace and sometimes a pool; you find them in Yène, at Lake Retba (Pink Lake) or on the Petite Côte, where land allows. A house in town takes up whatever land is left: a courtyard rather than a garden, shared walls, sometimes two floors. In Dakar, the few large plots are in the west of the peninsula, where land costs the most.
The difference then lies in how it is used. You rent a villa to get away: close the gate and stay put. You rent a house to be in the thick of things: walking to the market, neighbors, trips to see family, to the office or to ceremonies. If you are looking for the beach and peace and quiet, the villa rentals in Senegal page will serve you better. If you are looking for a shared roof in town for a group, you are in the right place.
The kinds of houses in Senegal
City housing is not uniform, and listings use the same word for quite different things. Four layouts come up again and again.
The family house, three or four bedrooms around a courtyard or small garden. The most common format, sized for six to eight people.
The large house, five bedrooms or more, which can take two households or an extended family. This is where the cost per head is at its lowest.
The two-story house that can be split, common in Dakar buildings: the ground floor and upper floor can work separately, giving each generation its own space without paying for two homes.
The courtyard house, in dense neighborhoods: no garden, but an outdoor space in the middle, with the rooms arranged around it. It is the most common setting for shared living in town.
One borderline case is worth flagging: the upper floor or annex of a villa, rented separately while the owner occupies the rest of the plot. That is no longer quite a whole house. The right questions are then those of a shared place: is the entrance separate, is the electricity meter separate, who else lives on site, and how does the gate work?
Where to find houses for rent in Senegal
In Dakar, first of all, and it is currently the only area where we list houses. The capital's full offer is on our houses in Dakar page. For a budget-conscious group, the cheap houses in Dakar page explains why savings are calculated per head and what compromise on neighborhood they involve.
In Dakar, geography decides almost everything. The west (Almadies, Ngor, Ouakam) has the largest plots and the highest prices. The north coast, around Yoff, still has decent plots for moderate rent. Central residential neighborhoods such as Liberté or Sicap put you at the heart of daily life. The suburbs, toward Guédiawaye, are the cheapest; the BRT (bus rapid transit) links them to the Plateau over 18 kilometers, which changes the math for a group without a car. As for the Medina and the tightly packed center, you get around on foot, but without a garden.
On the coast, from Yène to Nianing by way of the Pink Lake, whole houses are rented under the name villa: same need, different product, geared toward the garden and the beach.
In other cities — Saint-Louis, Thiès, Ziguinchor — our whole-home offer takes the form of an apartment or a furnished residence. For a small group, apartments for rent in Senegal are the closest match.
In the Saloum, Casamance and Eastern Senegal, accommodation is mainly campements (eco-lodges), lodges or guesthouses. The guesthouse is a house in name only: you rent a room and are welcomed by hosts. See guesthouses in Senegal.
House, apartment or hotel: the group threshold
The price of a house does not change with the number of people sleeping there, within its capacity. That is its whole appeal, and also its limit.
Below five people, an apartment or a hotel is often better located for the same budget, and spares you the housekeeping.
From six to eight, the house almost always wins on price, and cooking for yourselves lightens the bill further.
From ten up, nothing else comes close: that is why large families coming home take a house, not rooms.
Which stays suit a house
Diaspora families: this is the core audience. A house lets everyone stay under one roof, host relatives and stay close to them.
Work assignment or traveling team: a well-located house replaces several scattered rooms and provides a shared space to work and eat.
Long stay: studies, relocation, looking for a permanent home. Beyond three weeks, the discount negotiated with the owner matters more than the season.
Weekend for Dakar residents: a house in town makes little sense; a villa in Yène or at the Pink Lake is a better fit.
First trip: unless you are coming as a large group, a hotel or a guesthouse will make the first few days easier.
What to check before renting a house
In a house, what costs money is often what isn't in the rent. Three items to clarify before putting two offers side by side: security guard service and its actual hours, electricity (flat rate or metered, which changes everything once you run the air conditioning), and cleaning, whose frequency should be in writing. Also ask whether there is a generator or a UPS, and a water tank for drops in pressure.
Finally, think about getting around. List your trips for the week and choose the neighborhood that cuts them down: for a group, transportation quickly becomes the second-biggest expense after rent. For a group without a car, a car rental with driver for a few days saves haggling over every taxi fare.
When to rent a house
Here, it is the diaspora coming home, more than tourism, that sets the season. European school vacations and the end of the year create the peaks: for a large house on those dates, plan months ahead. High season, from November 1 to May 31, coincides with the dry season.
The rainy season (hivernage), from late June to late October in Dakar, eases the market. The city remains the mildest in the country, but October is its hottest month: a well-ventilated or air-conditioned house matters more then.
Good to know & booking
You book by paying 20% of the total online, as the booking fee; the rest is handed to the owner on arrival, often in cash. If several households are splitting the bill, one of them books and collects the shares later.
Cancellation costs nothing up to 7 days before arrival in low season (June 1 – October 31) and up to 14 days in high season (November 1 – May 31). After that, the 20% is non-refundable. If the owner cancels, we offer an equivalent house or refund all fees.
To add to your budget: the tourism promotion tax (TPT), 1,000 FCFA per person per night, paid on site and not included in the rates. The resident rate is shown for residents of Senegal and the Senegalese diaspora, on an account verified after a phone call.
Who is it for?
Extended families and the Senegalese diaspora coming home in numbers and wanting to live together rather than spread across several rooms.
Groups and teams won over by the cost per person and a shared kitchen over time.
Long stays, where space matters more than finish and the monthly rate is open to negotiation.
Not really couples or solo travelers, who will be better served by an apartment or a guesthouse.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a house and a villa?
A villa is a leisure property on the coast, with a walled garden and often a pool. A house is a family home in town, with a courtyard rather than a garden, often sharing walls with its neighbors. Both are rented whole, but you don't choose them for the same kind of stay.
Where can I rent a house in Senegal?
Our offer is currently concentrated in Dakar. On the coast, the same need is met with a villa; in other cities, with an apartment or a residence; in the Saloum and Casamance, with a campement, a lodge or a guesthouse.
From what group size does a house pay off?
From around five or six people, and clearly beyond ten. Its rate stays fixed whatever the number of permitted occupants, whereas at a hotel each room adds up.
Is a guesthouse a house you rent whole?
No. In a guesthouse, you rent a room and are welcomed by your hosts. A whole house, on the other hand, is rented to the group, which organizes itself.
What costs are added to the rent?
Mainly the security guard, electricity when it is billed by consumption, and upkeep. Without these details, two offers can't be compared.
When should I book?
Months ahead of European school vacations and Christmas, when the diaspora comes home. In the rainy season, pressure eases and availability widens.
How does payment work?
An online payment of 20% secures the house; the owner receives the rest when you arrive. The tourism promotion tax, 1,000 FCFA per person per night, is paid on site.