Panos Panayis, General Manager of Eko Hotels and Suites.x

Away from the bustling metropolis of Lagos, the Eko Hotel and Suites offers a sanctuary for harried professionals

As the Nigerian government scrambles to tap the lucrative oil trade, it has called upon international drilling experts to collaborate in the upstream extraction processes at various locations around the country, hoping their expertise will expedite the time it takes to turn crude oil into crisp nairas. Along with the arrival of drillers, engineers, planners, and oil foremen come financiers, bankers, bondsmen, insurance saleswomen, and just about everyone else involved in managing the billions of dollars being made in Nigerian petroleum.

Accustomed to working in fast-paced, demanding settings around the world, these international businessmen and women choose their accommodations very carefully. Hotels must offer top-of-the-line business facilities, such as high-speed Internet, courier services, and conference rooms, but also need to double as sanctuaries, offering services and facilities where overworked professionals can unwind in peace.

While in Lagos, many oil industry professionals elect to stay at the Eko Hotel and Suites located on Victoria Island. Consisting of three buildings and facing the Atlantic Ocean and Kuramo Lagoon, the 650-room hotel is surrounded by lush gardens and unique African landscaping, helping camouflage the nearby metropolis of Lagos.

Panos Panayis, Eko’s General Manager, says the hotel boasts a high rate of return guests because of its unique facilities and staff. “Having a big name brand may attract customers at the beginning simply because people are curious,” he says. “I have seen it many times: a new hotel opens and everyone rushes to see it, but eventually they come back to us because we offer unique qualities and a personal touch.”

The Eko’s pursuit of outstanding services has earned it a broad customer base. Guests can choose from recently refurbished signature rooms like the Eko Garden, which offer wireless access, mini-fridges and spectacular views, up to the Eko Suites, the hotel’s most-prized rooms, which come complete with kitchenettes, king-sized beds and satellite television. The Eko offers no shortage of culinary options: patrons can choose from eight dining options, from a traditional Italian restaurant to a steak house.

While the range of rooms and dining facilities is spectacular, Panayis says the hotel is in for more amenities. “In October we will start work on a four-year project, which, when finished, will integrate a 640-bedroom hotel into our current premises,” the managing director said. Business travelers can also look forward to a major new addition. “We are working on what is to be the second-biggest conference expo hall in Africa – It will seat 4,000 people. We are also building 120 business-executive suites. Both of these projects are to be completed in June 2009.”

The additional rooms and conference hall are certain to boost hotel business but, according to Panayis, are being built with the end focus on the guest. “We intend to improve our guests’ stay by diversifying services and offering new facilities. In 2009 customers can look forward to more room options, restaurants, and conference and banqueting facilities.”