In a remarkable tale of perseverance and ambition, Souadou Niang, once a housekeeper at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the United States, has risen to become the proud owner of the Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel in Dakar, Senegal.
Niang’s journey began in Dakar, where she spent her formative years before venturing to the United States at the age of 18. Striving to fund her education, she sought employment at the renowned Ritz-Carlton, starting from the humble role of cleaning toilets.
“I started out cleaning toilets. Today, I am the manager of my own five-star boutique hotel with 60 employees,” Niang shared in an interview with BBC Africa.
For a decade, Niang diligently worked her way up the ranks at the Ritz-Carlton while pursuing her studies. Despite her modest beginnings, she harbored aspirations of achieving greater success in the hospitality industry. Eventually, she transitioned to a managerial role within the same hotel, fueling her passion for the field.
Driven by a desire to bring luxury and exceptional service to her homeland, Niang returned to Dakar in 2017 to establish the Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel.
However, her journey was not devoid of challenges. Facing rejections from numerous banks, she encountered gender bias as a significant obstacle. Yet, undeterred, she found a supportive investor who shared her vision and took a chance on her project.
Today, Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel stands as a beacon of elegance and excellence in Senegal’s hospitality landscape. With a staff composed predominantly of women, Niang actively champions female empowerment and recognizes their immense potential.
Looking ahead, Niang envisions expanding her hotel brand across Africa and beyond, aiming to demonstrate that African women are fully capable of managing luxury boutique hotels to international standards.
“My dream is to conquer Africa, and why not the world,” Niang asserts. “As the international hotel franchises in Africa, we should be able to adapt our Afro-chic boutique hotels in Western countries, and show African women can run luxury boutique hotels with the same standards as the international hotels.”
Niang’s inspiring journey serves as a testament to the power of determination, resilience, and unwavering belief in one’s dreams.
