Lagos Hotel - Which one/recommend
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 511
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From: Whitehaven Beach
Tell me about it. When considering the poor facilities, I think Nigerian hotels are among the most expensive in the world. Granted, it's expensive to run a generator. But when you realize how few international-class hotels there are in Lagos at the moment, it's no wonder Sheraton, Protea and the rest of them are colluding...
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1
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From: Hyeres, France
Our guys speak quite highly of the Federal Palace which is downtown Lagos....According to them ( they're here for 2 /3 weeks at a time, it's good security, choice of restaurants nearby, spotlessly clean and on the waterfront, so not the same claustraphobic feeleing as up at the Sheraton
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 49
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From: Seattle
I'm sure someone else (or the website) can confirm, but I believe they started giving starwood points (again) a few months ago. They gave them for a couple years around 1999-2000ish, but then stopped. When I spoke with the GM (european) back then, he said he could not convince the local nigerian ownership to spend the roughly $400,000 USD per year to provide starwood points, when the hotel is (or at least was) full 350 nights a year. Interestingly enough, you have always had the option to spend your starwood points on a free night there.
Though expensive (spent over $100 on a dinner at the "surf and turf" BBQ night by the pool), I've always found the food at all the restaurants within quite good, though they did fire the swiss chef last year. Some advice he learned a bit late - don't drink too much then start saying racially inappropriate things in a Nigerian bar. It won't do good things for your employment - or health!
Though expensive (spent over $100 on a dinner at the "surf and turf" BBQ night by the pool), I've always found the food at all the restaurants within quite good, though they did fire the swiss chef last year. Some advice he learned a bit late - don't drink too much then start saying racially inappropriate things in a Nigerian bar. It won't do good things for your employment - or health!
Put the bogroll in the freezer though, you will need it tomorrow.
mostly harmless
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 190
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From: axis of chocolate
I stayed at the Federal Palace hotel some years ago and found it safe, which is of course the main thing. The room was also clean.
The food was not good. I ate in the Nigerian restaurant on the principle that the more clients there are, the fresher the food is likely to be.
Contrary to Hussar 54, I didn't find any close restaurants. One night my driver took me to a restaurant via the beach road; I asked him to turn around when I realised there were suddenly no other cars around.
Check your hotel bill before paying.
I think things change fast in Lagos. All this might be out of date.
The food was not good. I ate in the Nigerian restaurant on the principle that the more clients there are, the fresher the food is likely to be.
Contrary to Hussar 54, I didn't find any close restaurants. One night my driver took me to a restaurant via the beach road; I asked him to turn around when I realised there were suddenly no other cars around.
Check your hotel bill before paying.
I think things change fast in Lagos. All this might be out of date.
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 511
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From: Whitehaven Beach
The Federal Palace has since received a MAJOR facelift and is being run by a South African company (Sun International).
The renovations are quite impressive, and the rates equally astonishing (500 USD for a standard room).
Very soon a new SAS Radisson will open in Victoria Island...
The renovations are quite impressive, and the rates equally astonishing (500 USD for a standard room).
Very soon a new SAS Radisson will open in Victoria Island...
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,540
Likes: 3
From: UK
How many crew are you looking to get rooms for? Is it a wide body pax a/c with oodles of cabin crew, or a smaller freighter crew?
There are a couple of 'Boutique' hotels on VI that can look after smaller numbers. Only drawback with VI is the probable need for MOPOL if travelling in evening or night time.
I didn't rate the Sheraton food when I was there in 2005, but there is a Chinese restaurant just next door which is good, and Londoners in Ikeja GRA which is close by.
There are a couple of 'Boutique' hotels on VI that can look after smaller numbers. Only drawback with VI is the probable need for MOPOL if travelling in evening or night time.
I didn't rate the Sheraton food when I was there in 2005, but there is a Chinese restaurant just next door which is good, and Londoners in Ikeja GRA which is close by.
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 49
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From: Seattle
Chinese food next to sheraton is very good, but also one of most expensive chinese restaurants I have eaten at. My understanding is they have a two tiered pricing system - lower prices for locals, and the "public" menu prices for white guys...
The Sheraton is unusual in that about 50% of the rooms are permanently reserved for flight crews, and that the crew rates are actually MORE expensive than what the general public pays. The hotel knows it is a captive market. Things may be changing a bit now, but historically all the flight crews stayed there, except Air France which stayed at the Le Meridien in city center. By the early 2000s, the guest room conditions were so bad (same carpets and bedspreads as original construction in 1984), that some of the flight crews were threatening to leave and go into private compounds, that caused the hotel to finally refurbish the rooms. The hotel's own GM referred to the rooms as a "dump" in about 2000.
Bottom line, unless some of those new hotels under construction in Ikeja are now open, and of high quality to provide real competition, I wouldn't expect the Sheraton to offer much of a crew discount for even A380 sized crews!
The Sheraton is unusual in that about 50% of the rooms are permanently reserved for flight crews, and that the crew rates are actually MORE expensive than what the general public pays. The hotel knows it is a captive market. Things may be changing a bit now, but historically all the flight crews stayed there, except Air France which stayed at the Le Meridien in city center. By the early 2000s, the guest room conditions were so bad (same carpets and bedspreads as original construction in 1984), that some of the flight crews were threatening to leave and go into private compounds, that caused the hotel to finally refurbish the rooms. The hotel's own GM referred to the rooms as a "dump" in about 2000.
Bottom line, unless some of those new hotels under construction in Ikeja are now open, and of high quality to provide real competition, I wouldn't expect the Sheraton to offer much of a crew discount for even A380 sized crews!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,003
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From: usa
I regularly stay at the Sheraton and it is full of intl crews. The prices are still exhorbitant but the food is decent. The Chinese next door is still doing brisk business but there are some good spots downtown also.
If you go down to V.I., make sure you have security with you unless you are black. You are an immediate target of opportunity if you are white. If I leave the hotel its with a couple off duty 'mobiles'. Their rates are not that bad if you are with a group.
When we travel to the airport in uniform we are escorted with alt least four guards two of whom have AK's.
Good luck and in Africa - dont forget to bring your sense of humour.
f.
If you go down to V.I., make sure you have security with you unless you are black. You are an immediate target of opportunity if you are white. If I leave the hotel its with a couple off duty 'mobiles'. Their rates are not that bad if you are with a group.
When we travel to the airport in uniform we are escorted with alt least four guards two of whom have AK's.
Good luck and in Africa - dont forget to bring your sense of humour.
f.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 854
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From: Here and there...
arf1410,
That is not limited to Nigeria. I have worked in a few countries in Africa, SOuth America and South East Asia and that is the way it is.
My understanding is they have a two tiered pricing system - lower prices for locals, and the "public" menu prices for white guys...
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 76
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From: West Sussex
I had a permanent room at the Ikeja Sheraton for about two years 2002-4. I was gutted when I discovered they didn't do Starwood points at the hotel 
My vote would be stay away from VI if you can. The traffic is a disaster and just getting from the airport to VI can take 4 hours depending on time of day or if it's raining.
If you go to the Sheraton, you must go to a) Goodies and b) the nightclub - you'll be beating the local ladies off with a stick!!
Happy days!!!
My vote would be stay away from VI if you can. The traffic is a disaster and just getting from the airport to VI can take 4 hours depending on time of day or if it's raining.
If you go to the Sheraton, you must go to a) Goodies and b) the nightclub - you'll be beating the local ladies off with a stick!!
Happy days!!!