WHAT’S IT LIKE?
If you’re a business person on the run, then this property is ideally situated, with obvious easy access to quick travel in and out of Lagos. The hotel is the only international hotel brand along the axis of Nigeria’s busiest point of entry, Murtala Muhammed International Airport. It’s a modern property with a homely feel, complemented by a warm blend of orange and cream colours. Convenience, comfort and functionality are its strengths.
WHERE IS IT?
Located on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport road, Hotel Ibis is close to the Ajao residential estate. As it’s just three minutes’ drive from the airport, the bonus of staying here means guests are able to avoid the infamous Lagos traffic. Further to that, the hotel is less than 30 minutes’ drive away from Lagos Central Business District in Victoria Island.
ROOM FACILITIES
All 199 rooms in the hotel are built to the same specification, with modern fittings, and I found accessing my room easy, thanks to good signage and helpful staff. The main feature of the room is the extremely comfortable bed, which, I guess, is one of the most important features one wants from an airport hotel. Along with that and, again, catering to the business traveller market, there is a decent-sized work station on which one can place one’s laptop and work comfortably, without feeling cramped. Other impressive features are the television, modern shower, which I found had great water pressure, and the free Wi-Fi, which is found inside the rooms and in all public areas. Eleven of the 199 rooms are specially designed for people with disability.
RESTAURANT AND BAR
La Table Restaurant, with red and orange decor, offers both African and continental cuisine with buffet services for breakfast and dinner. Again, as an airport hotel, a nice feature is the option guests have of taking breakfast between 04h00 and 06h00, should they want an early departure. Alternatively, there is the standard breakfast time of 06h00 to 10h00. Snacks are available 24 hours a day, whilst hot snacks are available between 10h00 and 12h00, earlier in the day. I tasted the local ‘Semo’, which is a dish made from corn flour, and it was excellent, as was the vegetable soup. The bar, fully stocked with assorted drinks, is a pleasant place to chat with friends or business associates.
LEISURE FACILITIES
Hotel Ibis has an Olympic-sized swimming pool where guests can rejuvenate and re-energise after a long and stressful day, either by taking a dip or simply relaxing by the poolside. There is also a gym for the fitness-conscious.
BUSINESS FACILITIES
Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and that also means Internet access in the restaurant, should you choose to continue working through breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is also a ‘Web Corner’, where guests without their own computers can make use of the hotel’s PCs. From a meeting point of view, there are three fully-equipped conference rooms, which can be used for boardroom meetings and mini-conferences of not more than 24 people.
UNIQUE FACILITY
The Crew Lounge – a dedicated lounge for airline flight crews to wine and dine. As a result of its proximity to the Lagos Airport, the hotel came up with this idea for crew guests to enjoy something special and different, after long periods of travelling.
VERDICT
An excellent ‘budget hotel’ that ticks all the right boxes, in terms of comfort, convenience, accessibility, ambience, service and food. A good business traveller option, for the business person who needs the basics provided in a quality setting that suits his or her travel approach.
FACT FILE
Address: 35/37 Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, Ajao Estate
Tel: +234 1 4483470, ibishotel.com
Mohammed Abdullahi