Since the disclosure, in 2012, by the developers that Starwood’s Luxury Collection Hotel Brand under construction in Ikoyi, Lagos, was nearing completion, business travellers, corporate clients and Lagos hospitality industry watchers are concerned that little has been heard of the hotel that has already gulped $350 million and is expected to usher in more luxurious rooms in the Lagos hospitality market.
The twin tower-hotel offering 15-storey buildings each will usher in about 340 rooms, besides 125 choice apartments in the hotel industry, according to Robert Dyson & Diket Ltd, the promoter of the project, while Starwood Group, the managers of the hotel, assured that on completion, the hotel would be the first Starwood Luxury Collection mixed resort and apartment in West Africa.
But going by the assurance by both parties at a media parley held sometime ago at Four Points By Sheraton, Lekki, that funding was not a problem, hotel experts wonder why it has not been completed, having already gulped $350 million.
According to Kennedy Chie, a hotel brand franchise owner, $350 million is a lot and can deliver the proposed hotel faster, going by the Starwood Group standard.
Chie pointed out that the industry expects more luxury brands to force most two- to four-star hotels in Lagos to reduce their room rates, as it would be suicidal for them to charge the same rates as higher-class hotels.
“I got into hotel franchise business to get medium-range brands that people can pay for because of sustained complaints by foreigners that Nigerian hotels are among the most expensive in the world,” he said.
Ademola Oni, another hotel expert, queries the delay in delivering the new hotel given that funding is not a problem and a world-class construction firm is handling the project.
“The more the merrier, and the more quality rooms we have, the better the industry regulates itself, as government is not serious at regulating hotels,” Oni said.
Explaining why the hotel is yet to be completed, Robert Dyson & Diket Ltd said the project, which is nearing completion, would have been commissioned earlier if not for the need to maintain the highest level of quality by the promoter and developer.
Sonny Odogwu, chairman, Robert Dyson & Diket Ltd, noted at the launch of the luxury collection brand in Lagos sometime ago that while the property development was at the 14th floor, both the promoter and developer visited some hotels of its like in Europe, the US and Asia to ascertain whether the thoughts and design of the ongoing project fell within the standard visualised to be the finished seven-star development.
The delay, according to him, was occasioned by the plan to go back to the drawing board, after the visit, to redesign the interior, utilising newly-developed materials and technologies that have enhanced the aesthetics, resulting in the upgrade of the hotel from the envisaged Le Meriden Ikoyi to the Starwood ‘Luxury Collection Brand’, the highest in the Starwood Group hotel categories.
Also, contracting Koray, foremost Turkish construction firm, was part of the delay.
But despite the delay, Odogwu insisted that “On completion of the construction, you all will agree that the delay of the finished product was worth it, because Koray is committed to delivering an iconic architectural wonder with this project.”
Alexander Gassauer, area general manager, Nigeria, Starwood Group, insisted that the project would be completed on time, adding that though the group came into the Nigerian hospitality landscape 27 years ago with Sheraton Lagos Hotel, the addition of the Luxury Collection Brand and the first in West Africa was deserving of appreciation for the Nigerian market.
On why the Luxury Collection Brand, Gassauer says the brand is the highest standard, quality and facility offerings of Starwood Group and that each Luxury Collection Brand hotel is indigenous, exceptional, offers collectible experience and is set on or is an iconic landmark.
The intrigue, however, is that on completion, the promoter, Lagos State government and Starwood Group will agree on the name to be given to the hotel. This, according to the chairman, is in line with the Starwood custom of identifying with or giving their hotels the name of the historical founder of the town in which the property is located.
But hotel guests, corporate organisations and business travellers look forward to the opening as it raises hope of rebranding and pricing the industry appropriately.
OBINNA EMELIKE
