Background
The R & A City Hotel Group comprises two properties – the R & A City Hotel Agege and the R & A City Hotel Ikeja. The Ikeja property opened recently in August, under the management of Turning Point Hospitality Limited, which has several other hotel properties in its stable.
Where Is It?
The hotel is located in Ikeja, an outer ring suburb of the city of Lagos and capital of Lagos State. Just off Allen Avenue, the hotel is ideally situated for guests who wish to stay in close proximity to both the international and local airports, which are just 15 and 10 minutes away, respectively. It’s also a short drive to the Ikeja Mall, which is the largest entertainment arcade on the mainland.
Room Facilities
The hotel has 54 rooms on four floors across two buildings, with 37 Standard rooms, eight Classic rooms, two Business suites, three single-family and four double-family apartments. I was accommodated in a Standard room in the main building on the fourth floor, which had a decent view of the ever-busy Allen Avenue below. I didn’t mind the effect of the lights on surrounding buildings, as it actually lent itself to a more vibrant feeling. The room itself was nicely decorated and featured the usual amenities, such as tea/coffee station, air-conditioning, a rather large and comfortable work desk, and a 32-inch LCD TV with a variety of channels. Sleep was not an issue in the queen-size bed – in fact I nearly overslept, such was the comfort of my night’s sleep. Further to that, the bathroom featured a separate shower enclosed in a glass cubicle, and came with standard toiletries, towels, bathrobe and slippers. I needed to get some work done and was interested in how the complimentary Wi-Fi would shape up. I’m happy to report that the speed was quite impressive and that it is available in all the rooms.
Restaurants & Bars
I had my complimentary buffet breakfast in the restaurant downstairs, which can comfortably seat 60 guests at once. The breakfast menu was divided into English and Nigerian breakfasts. I opted for some bacon, scrambled eggs and baked beans from the English breakfast menu, and some fresh tomato juice to go with it. It was enjoyable. The hotel has two bars – one next to the pool and the main bar. Both bars offer a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. What I really liked, though, was the barbecue delicacies served at the poolside bar along with the cocktail I ordered. If you have some downtime at your disposal, I recommend sitting by the pool with a chilled mojito and a plate of hot spicy barbecue chicken!
Business & Meeting Facilities
The hotel has a medium-sized conference hall which can seat between 150 and 400 delegates, depending on the seating arrangement. However, there is also a much smaller meeting room that seats about 40. They both have state-of-the-art multimedia and public address sound systems. The first floor of the hotel also has a cyber café and business centre to cater for guests’ business needs.
Leisure Facilities
The gym is located in the adjoining building. The hotel also has a fully-equipped spa and sauna. The swimming pool is just big enough for a very short lap if you are looking to take a dip. The neighbourhood is home to one of the most vibrant bits of nightlife in Nigeria, so there is activity to be found if you’re prepared to leave the hotel.
Verdict
Despite the fact that the hotel is just over a month old, and with some work still to be done, it is already showing promise and could yet exceeds its 2-star rating. Worth a try if you need to be close to the airport.
Akintunde Akingbade
Contact
Address: 2 Majekodunmi Street, Off Allen Avenue
Tel: +234 805 554 4447
E: rnacityhotel@gmail.com