Villa Monticello: Luxury Boutique Hotel in Ghana

After all the meetings, parties, and plenty of people, sometimes we want to escape to somewhere quiet and eclectic to unwind with our new spouse.  I think I found just the place for you.  The Villa Monticello, located in Accra, Ghana, is a luxury boutique hotel with unique trimmings and beautiful accommodations.

Do not let the minimalistic facade fool you.  I think this is how they maintain their relaxing sanctuary from the bustling urban streets of Accra.  The most fabulous part about this exclusive retreat is its 14 individually custom-decorated luxury suites – each designed with a unique theme to feel like a very fancy home.  Here are my favorites:

The Last Emperor Suite fuses historical and contemporary oriental design.  The combination of red, black, and white is so elegant and powerful.

The Out of Africa Suite is designed to portray the colonial life of the last decades of the British Empire.  It is decorated with beautiful images of the Kenyan savanna.

The Coco Chanel Suite is inspired by the creations of 20th century fashion designer Coco Chanel.  Featuring contemporary French furniture and signature colors, I think this room is all the rage for simple elegance.

The Ghana Gold Coast Suite portrays a celebration of Ghana’s history and promising future through its blend of contemporary design and earth tones.  Usually these colors tend to darken a room, but I love how they were able to use the color scheme and still brighten the room.

Their lovely dining area features an exclusive dining room and an intimate cocktail lounge.  I love their modern twist to Afrocentric furniture and interior design.

Of course, to indulge in our favorite past times, we must lounge around this lovely pool.

Music Spotlight:

Since we are visiting Ghana in this post, it is only appropriate to feature the famous musical genre & dance that has taken Ghana and pretty much the world by storm.  “Azonto” is a Ghanaian dance and music genre that involves hand and knee movements to mimic everyday activities or signal an amusing intention.  The style went viral in early 2011 and instantly gained global appeal.  I am explaining all of this to you because the origin and creation of this style has been confused.  Due to its massive appeal, many other African countries have adapted the style and produced music for it.  Regardless of where you might have heard it first or who claimed they learned it from, I am here to set the record straight.  Azonto is from the one and only Gold Coast –  Ghana.

I decided to share this video because I think it nicely portrays the universal appeal of Azonto and how all Africans enjoy it.  The medley includes songs by Sonni Balli (Ghana), D-Black (Ghana), Sarkodie (Ghana), Gasmilla (Ghana), Yaw Siki (Ghana), Iyanya (Nigeria), and T.O. & Stunnakid (Ghana/Germany).  If you are planning to host or attend any sort of party, you should definitely include some of this music in the mix and learn these dance moves. Enjoy.

[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/cSmiwQvwYYQ” width=”600″]