Built in the 1970s as part of Houphouët-Boigny's transformation of his hometown, the Hôtel Président is a monument to mid-century African modernism — a sweeping curved tower that would not look out of place in a major capital city, dropped instead into a small inland town with almost no tourists. The hotel has a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a casino.
Even if you are not staying here, the building is worth seeing for what it represents: the extraordinary ambition (and extraordinary expenditure) of the Yamoussoukro project. The interior has faded from its 1970s grandeur but retains the bones of something remarkable. A drink at the bar is a reasonable excuse to take a look around.