Hilton Hotel, Lagos Signs Agreement on 350-Room Hotel at Lagos Airport

The Hilton Worldwide has recently decided and announced to erect a 350 guest room and suite hotel at the Muritala Mohammed Lagos Airport, Nigeria.

This latest development which was signed at AHIF 2016 in Rwanda is set to open in 2023 and join Hilton's growing African Portfolio of more than 80 properties trading or in the development pipeline, which will see Hilton more than double it's presence across Africa in the next three to five years, said the hotel group in a statement yesterday.

According to Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President, Development, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide, he said, "With a population of more than 16million, Lagos is the seventh-fastest growing city in the world and the second largest in Africa, with much of the nation's wealth and economic activities concentrated here."

He also said, " Strong growth is forecast for both domestic and international travelers using Muritala Muhammed International  Airport, so this exemplary new hotel will be well placed to meet traveler's needs, offering an unparalleled level of design, comfort and service."

The hotel will be situated within close proximity to Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, as well as the passenger terminus at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, which services travelers flying to hundreds of destinations around the world.

Hilton Lagos Airport will comprise of 350 guestrooms, of which 72 are suites, an executive floor and multiple food and beverage outlets, including a restaurant serving an international cuisine; a specialty restaurant ; a fashionable rooftop cocktail bar; and a hip night club.

An elevated pool deck, with lavish gardens and a striking horizon pool overhanging the side of the property will provide breathtaking views of the surroundings and a unique leisure experience of the airport property. The hotel will also feature a spa and fitness centre.

According to reports by Thisday, this signing is in addition to the recent signing of Legend Hotel Lagos Airport, Curio Collection by Hilton, also with QUITS, with an additional 76 guest rooms to be added, bringing the room count up to 130 keys.

They are the two most recently signed at Lagos Airport at the same time. Report says that The Curio Hotel, due to open in 2017, will be the first within the airport environment.

Image Credit: The News Nigeria.com

Opening Soon - Marriott In Nigeria with Renaissance Hotel

The first Marriott Hotel in Sub-Sahara Africa will be opening next month in Lagos at Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja, The global luxury brand in hotel management will make it's debut in the grand opening of Renaissance Lagos Ikeja hotel.

Located in the heart of Ikeja, with it's close proximity to both the local and international airport, the hotel is reputed as an embodiment of luxury, high taste, class and safety. From the gate to the reception and to the exquisite rooms, Marriott oozes class and panache.

The Lagos based Marriott Hotel consists of all day-dining restaurant, 155 tastefully furnished rooms of varying classes on nine floors, specialty steakhouse, an outdoor terrace, spa, pool deck and event place among others. In a rare feet, it equally parades eight conference rooms of different capacities ranging from 10 - 500 comfortable seats.

According to Ahmed Tajudeen, Director of Projects, Avalon International, owners of the hotel, the glamour of the assortment of marble-like finishing on the floors and walls, combined with a unique carport at the entrance will make lodging irresistible for guests.

He also said, "The suspended glass floor and glass bridge at the reception area is to create a unique class for a hotel that is first of it's kind in Africa. With an underground car park, security within the premises is reinforced, starting with electronically controlled bollards at the gate, at the car park entrance and body scanners at the entrance and reception area.

The date for the grand opening ceremony of the hotel would soon be announced.

Image Credit: Marriott.com

Osun Osogbo Sacred Groove

The Osun Osogbo Sacred Groove is a tourist attraction located in the city of Osogbo in Osun State, Nigeria. It is popularly known for it's uniqueness which is a sacred forest in the river banks of the Osun River.

According to long aged reports from the early history of the of the Osogbo people is founded on the mythical on spiritual beliefs along the lines of the tradition of the Yoruba people. The Osun Rive Goddess is credited with the founding and establishment of the Osogbo town. The Osogbo town is known for it's Osun Osogbo Festival which has been on for about 600 hundred centuries, it is usually celebrated every year by the people in the month of August at the groove, it was initiated out of the relationship between the river goddess Osun and  the first Monarch of the Osogbo kingdom Oba Gbadewolu Laroye.

The yearly festival always attract tourist from all walks of life, Osun worshipers, and spectators. The aim of the festival is for celebration, to cleanse the land called 'Iwopopo', the cultural reunion of the people with their ancestors and founders of the Osogbo kingdom.

The festival is a 2 week programme which starts with the traditional cleansing of the town called the 'Iwopopo', which is followed in 3 days by the lighting of the 500 year old, 16 point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun' after which come the 'iboriade', an assemblage of the crowns of the past ruler, Ataoja of Osogbo and the Arugba, Yeye Osun and a committee of priestesses.

Over the years, the indigenous people have traditionally taken up the responsibility of taking care of the groove, using the myths and belief system which cannot just be carried out by an ordinary individual. This prevents any form of encroachment regarded as sacrilegious and encroachment to the gods and the goddess. The groove was taken into cognizance by UNESCO in 2005 as a world heritage site and has been linked to the consistencies that the festival has enjoyed over the years.

The Osun Osogbo festival has been a huge success in Nigeria and the world for centuries, it is worldly recognized and celebrated, there have been reports from the indigence that the Osun river helps in curing diseases and gives children to the motherless. It has been a beauty to the land and to the people.

Culled from the en.wikipedia.org
Image Credit: Osun.gov.ng

Unregistered Hotels in Nigeria to be Sanctioned by Lagos State

The Lagos State Government has advised operators of hotels, hospitality centers and other recreational facilities to register them or face sanction.

The State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, who gave the advice, said the registration would afford the state government to monitor activities at such places.

The ministry's spokesperson told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that hotels and facility centers must comply before the end of the year or face sanctions.

He said the registration was part of the ministry's efforts to upgrade the present standards of hotels and hospitality groups in the state to an internationally accepted standard.

He said the exercise would also serve as security-assurance for tourists and users that might want to lodge in them.

The spokesman said that the ministry would invoke the Hotel Licensing Law of Lagos State to ensure that all hotel groups and hospitality complied.

"A number of hotels and hospitality groups had refused to comply with the directive before now.
"Sequel to that, the commissioner, Mr Folorunso Folarin-Coker, had directed that defaulters be fished out," he said.

According to NAN he said that there had been an increase in the number of registered hotels and hospitality groups from the 450 recorded in May.

"We still have some miles to cover, with the current number of unregistered hotels; but we shall continue to appeal to them to comply before the year runs out," he said.

NAN
Image Source: Informationng.com

Starwood Hotels Ramps up Nigeria Portfolio with New Four Points in Benin City

Ethiopia, Sheraton-Addis

Accelerating growth in emerging market across the globe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide incorporated, Inc. today announced the signing of Four Points Benin City, Nigeria.

POINT 1: Accelerating growth in emerging market across the globe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide(www.StarwoodHotels.com), Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced the signing of Four Points (www.FourPoints.com) Benin City, Nigeria. Owned by Eagle Hospitality and Leisure Limited, the sleek new Four Points Hotel is built for the modern traveler with an emphasis on approachable design and stylish comfort. Conveniently located in the heart of Benin City  - the capital city of Edo State, one of the 36 states in Nigeria - the hotel is situated within a five minute drive to the airport and no more than 10 minutes from the government and business district.

POINT 2: "Four Points by Sheraton Benin City will further consolidate our strong Nigeria portfolio, opening up yet another emerging destination for international travel," said Micheal Wale, President Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. "With five hotels operating and another four in the pipeline, including Four Points Benin City, Nigeria is already one of our strongest markets in the region, and the signing of this hotel reinforces the growing demand for affordable lifestyle brands in rapidly developing markets."

"We are delighted to introduce the popular Four Points brand to Benin City and expect this new hotel to meet the rising demand for high-caliber lodging in this fast growing-market, soon emerging as a leading choice among business and leisure travelers," said Mr Chris Oshiafi, Group Managing Director of PanAfrican Capital Plc and chairman of Eagle Hospitality and Leisure Limited.

POINT 3: Four Points Benin City offers 176 spacious guest rooms and suits along with exciting food and beverage options including an all-day dining restaurant , a pool bar and the brand's signature Best Brewsᵀᴹ program featuring local beers at the lobby and lounge- the ideal spot to watch spot matches and unwind with friends and colleagues. Other hotel facilities include a-state-of-the-heart 24-hour fitness, an outdoor pool, 400 square meter of flexible meeting places and a fully equipped business center. The hotel will provide all of the brand's defining elements including the signature Four Point bed, complimentary bottled water in all the rooms and suites, fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, an energizing breakfast with fresh coffee that helps guest start and end the day right.

POINT 4: " Responding to the demand for affordable yet innovative lodging options is core to our development strategy." said Neil George, Senior Vice President Acquisitions  & Development Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Africa & Middle East. "Four Points has the largest number of rooms in Starwood's global pipeline and it's compelling blend of comfort and affordability make the brand increasingly attractive for owners and developers,"

With over 200 hotels in nearly 40 countries around the world, Four points continues to penetrate new markets globally. The brand is on track to extend it's portfolio of rooms by more than 50 percent in the next five years.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Reasons Why Hotels are Expensive in Nigeria

There has been lots of skepticism relating to the reasons why hotels are expensive in Nigeria.Lots of foreigners come into the country and make the same complaints, Nigerians travel out of the country and come back to give the same complaints. The question is why?

According to Vanguard Newspaper, it reported that An hotel consultant, Gbnenga Oladele in a chat said hotels rely on diesel powered generators which costs fortunes, coupled with the fact that there is a major issue with electricity supply in Nigeria.

According to reports, he said, " if i have one guest in my hotel, I need to supply electricity. Some hotels prepared their budget for this year on N135 per litre for diesel, but today diesel is being sold in the range of N245. The question is where do you put the extra cost? Is it on rooms or food?

He also said, the issue of multiple taxes ia also another problem, which needs to be resolved before the cost of hotel in the country can be addressed.

"The government that is supposed to be helping hotel business is killing the sector with excess taxes. In Lagos, you have the consumption tax after the VAT. How do you expect business to survive when one has to pay different taxes?

He also added, "but with the way things are going, businesses are finding it tough to cope, while unemployment is increasing."

From my perspective, hotel business in Nigeria is lucrative but within the last couple of months to a year now, it's getting tougher, hotels are being shut down because they can't afford to pay this so called TAX, some can't meet up to the competition, others can't afford to pay staff. Everything boils down to ridiculous tax demand, high cost of energy, poor customer service from staff; simply because hotels can't hire personnel with good work experience, they would rather go for the poorly educated ones that will accept the poor salary they are offering, lack of good infrastructures in the country, high NEPA bill.....

There has to be a solution for us to enjoy the hotel business and for the job to get into the hands of those truly qualified to handle it.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Review - Obudu Mountain Resort

I made a visit to Obudu mountain ranch in 2005 precisely when it was still kind of under development, technology back then wasn't so good back then, meaning I couldn't capture the moments on a phone or I pad, although pictures where taken but they were snapshots with the normal old cameras.

Nevertheless I will upload google image pictures. Obudu mountain resort used to be referred to as Obudu cattle ranch back then, very nice place to be in Nigeria. If you haven't been there, then you might not fully understand what I'm trying to write here. The mountain resort is located in Obudu in Cross River State. It is approximately 110 kilometer east of the town of Ogoja, that's about two and half hours drive from Ogoja. It is 30 minutes drive from Obudu Town and about 332 kilometer  drive from Calabar which is 5 hours drive. Charter air service can also be used from the Bebi airport.

The weather condition up there is one that can be compared to western countries during winter especially during the cold season in Nigeria. You need to be up there with your winter coats. The climate is semi temperate mountain climate. Driving up to the mountain resort is through a curvy road, it's so magical and unbelievable that cars can actually drive through that path which goes up from below until you get to the top where you can virtually see the cloud demarcating you and the village below.

According to history the mountain ranges where first explored in 1949 by Mr. Macaulay, a Scottish rancher. He camped on the mountain top of the Oshie ridge on the Sankwala montains for a month before returning with Mr Hugh Jones. History says, although it has been through turbulent times but as we know now, it's a tourist attraction to the masses and the international community.

Recently the cable car which was added then is now functional for easy access to the view around the mountain top. There are hotel rooms for lodging, mini sporting facilities, a natural swimming pool which can be described as luxury, it's got a massive green field for camping, bird watching. Very healthy cattles are also reared there and their milk processed into dairy milk, yogurt and cheese.

All these were free when I went to the ranch except accommodation and feeding, unfortunately it comes with a price now.

Visit Obudu Mountain Resort and have a wonderful experience in Nigeria you couldn't have dream't of.

Photo Credit: Google Images