Humanitarian workers share how to feel at home in Mogadishu

Mogadishu work experiences: Hearing from Chelsea Village hotel guests

A beautiful port city known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ that connected traders for millennia, Mogadishu is no stranger to strife and instability. After suffering a civil war in the ’80s and ’90s, a U.S.-led military intervention, militias gained control in 2006. Conflict between the Somali Federal Government, established in 2012, and terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab continues to this day. Mogadishu, or ‘Xamar’ as locals call it, is not an easy place to call home.

But many people do. Mogadishu is home to 2.7-million Somalis as well as an extensive number of internationals who come to Somalia to work on humanitarian and development programmes. Andrea, who works with a humanitarian team improving survival outcomes in remote parts of Africa, is one of them.

Her first trip to Mogadishu was in 2015, but for the past five years, Andrea and her team have been residents at the Chelsea Village hotel, a secure hotel located in Mogadishu’s fortified Aden Adde International Airport (AAIA) zone.

With 11 nationalities in the team, Chelsea Village hotel staff are known for their cultural awareness

Chelsea Village hotel is just two minutes from the airport and a few minutes’ drive from the UN, embassies, and other diplomatic missions; the hotel offers stays for professionals working in the area who need long-term accommodation that’s safe, comfortable, and has a genuine home-away-from-home atmosphere.

Hotel amenities you need when working in Mogadishu

For Andrea, her team’s accommodation needed to offer specific amenities – considering the hostile region they would be living and working in. According to Andrea, it was essential that the hotel they chose had the following:

• Reliable communication infrastructure and service providers and a skilled team to maintain the network if it goes down. Always-on Wi-Fi access was a must.
• Regular situation updates and relevant information from authorities or organisations on what was happening, from weather to safety alerts. User-friendly communication networks to keep the hotel’s residents informed of social events would be a bonus.
• Adequate stock of emergency supplies such as food, water, and power; decent hygiene facilities and other essentials.
• A secure, well-built shelter that can withstand the risks of the environment and a team of well-trained technicians to repair and replace infrastructure in case something happens.
• Regular training for hotel residents on safety protocols, first aid, and handling emergencies – not just for new residents.
• Safe and secure storage facilities for important documents, equipment, and supplies.

Chelsea Village hotel checked all these boxes – and more, as Andrea and her team would discover once they settled into their new abode in Mogadishu.

Secure, quality accommodation that doesn’t feel cooped up

Chelsea Village hotel residents stay in a container room called a NapCap built with quality, comfort, and safety in mind. NapCaps are designed in Australia and certified to ISO standards; they’re also built new, unlike other hotel on the market.

“The quality of accommodation is very good,” says Andrea. “The NapCaps have all the comforts and amenities you need, like an en-suite bathroom.” She adds that living within Chelsea Village hotel has been well-supported by everyone on-site, from the technical to laundry crews, so she can focus on her team’s life-saving work instead of day-to-day logistics.

Chelsea Village hotel puts safety front and centre, and along with the secure NapCaps, residents can rest assured that their security is a given. A fellow Chelsea Group company, Hart, is also a resident at Chelsea Village hotel (find their office next to reception). Hart is a trusted risk and security management company that has been operational in Somalia since 2014, and they regularly brief residents on the current security situation and measures they have in place.

With safety & security being paramount, Chelsea Village hotel is protected by Hart Nationwide private security

There’s also no reason for residents to feel cooped up in the hotel – a common issue with compound accommodation. Residents can book secure mobile moves in Mogadishu or further afield with Hart, and because Chelsea Village hotel is located within the AAIA, residents can enjoy safe walks along the coastline, along with an outdoor gym and a modern fitness facility that boasts the likes of bikes, rowing machines, and more.

Feel at home and find a community in Mogadishu

However, the best part about staying in Chelsea Village hotel is its indisputable sense of home and belonging.

Another resident, who came to Mogadishu as part of an international humanitarian organisation supporting a famine prevention response, called Chelsea Village hotel home from November 2022 until just recently, in April 2024.

“I think many people are looking for some sense of normalcy or an escape from the high-stress environments they find themselves in,” she says. “But with a very diverse group of guests, ‘normalcy’ means different things for different people. I was impressed with how well Chelsea Village hotel could cater to these different needs.”

Andrea agrees the community that makes up Chelsea Village hotel is diverse, and she’s found that residents have different and interesting roles in many organisations. “This gives rise to curiosity that ignites and enriches the sense of community,” she says.

Village residents can enjoy various community-centred activities, like a movie under the stars with an outdoor projector or popcorn and snacks in the cabana area, sharing a cup of coffee and an inspired conversation in the dining room, or hitting the gym for a workout using the state-of-the-art facilities.

Nightly film screenings on the rooftop – just one social experience at Chelsea Village hotel

“From the dining hall set-up to the voluntary participation in games, movies, and festivities around various holidays, there is a sense of home, belonging, and a close-knit community.”

Andrea’s fellow humanitarian worker, who stayed at Chelsea Village hotel until very recently, adds there is an overall friendliness amongst guests who come from all over the world.

“The rooftop terrace provides a great place for individuals or small and large groups, and I loved that I could spend time outdoors with the ocean breeze. Everyone at Chelsea Village hotel, from the cleaning staff to the General Manager, also deserves a special word of appreciation for making the stay of their guests a five-star one!” she says.

Andrea attests to this: “Chelsea Village hotel faces challenges beyond my wildest imagination, and the staff embrace them with enthusiasm to overcome them. It really is home away from home.”

Living in Chelsea Village: A friendly place where life-long bonds are made

Chelsea Village hotel provides world-class accommodation and amenities with robust security features, on-site medical services, high-speed internet, clean drinking water to WHO standards, and diverse catering options. More than that, the village emphasises a home-away-from-home experience for its residents, creating a reliable sanctuary in a complex environment.

And that’s exactly what you need to feel at home in a place like Mogadishu – just ask Andrea. “Chelsea Village hotel is a friendly place,” she emphasises. “Compared to where we were based before, we have certainly benefited from being part of the Chelsea family. The community is easy to live, with and life-long bonds are made.”

Learn more about all of Chelsea Village hotel’s services for guests staying in Mogadishu, Somalia.