BACKGROUND: The Mantis Hotel Group prides itself as one of the few hotel groups that has a hotel on every continent and is known for its collection of luxury boutique hotels around the world. After the success of Villa Monticello in Accra, it veered further into the West African hospitality space with The George Hotel, which commenced operations in July.
WHERE IS IT? The property sits on over 9000m2 in Ikoyi. Ikoyi is popular among the upper class of Nigeria’s high society and is one of the wealthier communities across the bridge. It is located just a few minutes away from Lagos’ commercial nerve centre. On a good traffic day, the trip to both the local and international airport could take between 30 and 45 minutes. This time can almost triple on a bad traffic day.
ROOMS: The hotel consists of 62 rooms divided into 26 classic rooms, nine deluxe rooms, 12 studio suites, eight classic suites, two deluxe suites and four penthouse suites spread over four floors. I was accommodated in a studio suite on the third floor and the first thing I noticed were the paintings. I am not much of an art enthusiast but even a rookie could tell that they were exquisite. Other features include an elegantly decorated and comfortable lounge with a large screen TV with a variety of channels, a lounge suite and coffee table. The usual 5-star amenities were present – complimentary tea and coffee, well-stocked mini bar, fridge, digital safe, clock radio and hair dryer – and included free wi-fi with seamless access and impressive speed. The air conditioning was at full blast and I had to moderate the temperature with the manual control on the wall by the bed. The pool of water on the floor by the bathroom door courtesy of a leak from the air conditioning was fixed with a call to reception. The king-size bed was dressed with crisp white linen and sumptuous pillows. The en-suite bathroom with a separate shower and bath provided all the requisite basics. There was a dressing gown and slippers in the closet, as well as a pressing iron and ironing board. A glass sliding door opened up to a balcony with an outdoor table and chair.
RESTUARANTS & BARS: The Da Vinci Restaurant & Bar serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was only around for the breakfast buffet (which is complimentary for every guest and runs from 07h00 to 10h00 every morning).The breakfast offering was extensive with everything from fruit and cereal, a selection of egg, pancakes, bacon, sausages, croissants, ham and potatoes, to a full range of Nigerian breakfast meals. I settled for a glass of fresh orange juice, sausages, bacon and scrambled eggs which I found quite satisfying. The cocktail bar is a great place to meet and have drinks. I found the ambience very relaxing, even more so after a satisfying cocktail.
LEISURE FACILITIES: The hotel is within very close proximity to a number of leisure attractions. The beach isn’t too far off and the night life in this part of town is vibrant. In-house entertainment includes a fully equipped gym that is open around the clock, and a standard-size swimming pool.
BUSINESS & MEETING FACILITIES: The George Hotel is able to host meetings, seminars and conferences in four different meeting rooms of different capacities depending on your requirements. The Titian is a private meeting room which can accommodate a maximum of six people. The Raphael is a fairly large boardroom with a capacity of 12 people. For larger meetings, the Bellini should suffice with a seating capacity of 30. The Antonello is perfect for conferences and seminars to seat up to 90 delegates. All meeting rooms are fully equipped with modern and high level multimedia projection and audio facilities. A business centre is available on the ground floor and is equipped with copiers and printing facilities.
VERDICT: The hotel definitely lives up to the Mantis reputation. My suite provided luxury, comfort and efficiency and I was very happy with service I received. If you’re looking for accommodation in Ikoyi, you should definitely consider The George.
Akintunde Akingbade
CONTACT
A: 30 Lugard Road, Ikoyi
T: + 234 1 466 3660
W: thegeorgelagos.com