Selecting the right Hotel
   
We thought about making the title "Selecting the right hotel FOR YOU", but the team did not fancy adding 2 extra words on the front page.
Picking the wrong hotel, in Nigeria, will mean imprisoning yourself for the duration of your stay. The staff become the guards controlling your movements, what and when you eat, and they even decide if you have a hot or cold shower in the morning. You need a personal checklist before you pick up the phone to speak to anybody in the hotel. It might be the difference between a Nightcap and a NIGHTMARE.
10 Things to Consider before making a reservation
First Impressions
The various responses you get from the information desk would go a long way in making your trip what you always wanted. It is also important to get as much information about the facility as possible -pictures, brochures of the facility and of course recommendations.
Location
Where is the hotel located? How accessible is it to your place of business if you are on a business trip or how conveniently would you get to the beach, cinema, theatre, shopping mall, etc from the hotel.
Internet Connection
Do they have internet connection? If this is important to you it can be quite frustrating looking for a cyber café to send an email. It is also important to find the speed of the connection. Beware! Many hotels now make this claim in their brochures and websites, but do not actually have a connection. TIP - ask for the name of their Internet Service Provider, or the type of access - broadband, dial up etc.
Environment
What are the sorts of views they have in their rooms? You don't want a hotel whose view at best over looks a market place. If the hotel mainly carters to business men in suites, it might not be the ideal place to spend a family holiday, or a romantic evening with a partner.
Food
What kind of catering services do they offer? What kind of dishes do they offer? Are they just the local delicacies of the country or a combination of local and continental?
It is also important to ask about kitchen opening times, 24 hour room service and if there are specific times for menu items e.g. breakfast items served only before 11 am.
Clubs and Bars
If you are a night bird you might want to know what their night life is like, you would also want to know if they have live performances and how often they perform.
Bathrooms and Hot Water
If you really like to have a quiet relaxing bath after a very tiring day then you might want to know if they have rooms with Jacuzzis.
Do you just hate bathing with cold water in the morning then you need to know if they have functional heaters in the bathrooms.
Facilities for families & Pets
Are you planning a vacation with the whole family then you need to know what recreational facilities are available for children and if there are personnel members who can take care of them if you have to leave them in the hotel ground.
If you can't bear not taking your pet with you wherever you go then you have to be sure that there are there no rules concerning pets and there are personnel who can tend your pet when you are not around.
Car Hire
Do you intend to hire a car while you are at the hotel then you would need to know if they have a functional car hire service?
Security and Safety Procedures
You want to be sure that while you are having a good time, your life is not at any risk therefore you must know how secure their premises are.
You would also want to know what measures they have put in place in the event of fire, robbery, or accidents.
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