When you have the opportunity to stay with good friends, loved ones, and well-wishers as a sojourner passing through Nigeria, such moments are golden. And you end up spending less while catching lots of fun. But such cheap luxury may not always be available while going on a trip anywhere in the country. Which is why it is best to find out how to book the best hotels in Nigeria for a comfortable stay throughout your trip.
Also understand that in hotel traditions and norms, the ‘best’ hotels are likely those with top-notch facilities (and genuine offers that enhance your comfort). Whether you choose to use these facilities and offers or not, you will likely be charged for them all the same. Hence, to book the best hotels in Nigeria can be expensive.
And that the ‘best’ hotels actually need to be verified by potential customers. Online and paper ratings may end up being inaccurate. Many hotels end up failing to meet consumers’ needs in terms of quality and service. So you should be wary of the supposed ‘best’ hotels, until you can verify what they can truly offer you. Which is why we have curated a list of essential steps to take in order to book the best hotels in Nigeria. Put these tips to work, and be rest assured you will get premium value for your money.
Channels You Can Use to Book the Best Hotels in Nigeria
Just the same way it is done across the globe, technology has simplified the entire process of hotel booking. Skeptics still maintain that the best way to get a good hotel package is to physically inspect a location and ask questions. But out of myriads of available hotels, how would you identify the ones that would satisfy your needs and budget?
In all, there are a number of meaningful channels you can use to simplify your hotel bookings anywhere in Nigeria. You may make use of hotel booking platforms for a good comparison of prices, facilities and special offers. You can also directly visit the website of specific hotels to check out their offers. Or perhaps call the hotel manager to get details and make reservations. You can also make use of trusted travel agents, who are more familiar with these hotels. Travel agents can help you out of unsavory offers if and when necessary.
Check out Travel Websites Before Booking
There are specialized travel websites dedicated to helping people to book and pay for hotels and trips in advance. They expose a wide range of hotel accommodation packages, prices and locations for you to choose which one meets your needs and budget. They include TripAdvisor, Travelocity, Expedia and many more. But beyond all this, it is important to check out the actual website of the targeted hotel. There you should find all available deals that may or may not be revealed on such travel websites.
Make Good Use of Hotel Booking Platforms
There are also a number of hotel booking platforms in Nigeria that help to make hotel booking a simple process. These platforms are organized into catalogs that display each available hotel within your targeted location, its facilities, features and offers. Some of the popular ones include Agoda, Wakanow, booking.com, hotels.ng, bookhotels.ng, Momondo, Trivago, and Jumia Travels.
With the help of these hotel booking platforms, you can make a sensible comparison of offers and packages before you narrow down your choice. In any case, you still need to visit the website of your targeted hotel(s) to find out what they ACTUALLY HAVE TO OFFER. Some hotels do not reveal their entire package to hotel booking platforms, until you visit them directly.
Get User Reviews
Travel review websites such as TripAdvisor are good places to sample the experiences of consumers who have used various hotels in the recent past. These reviews can address specific features you are looking for in a hotel and as such, guide you in making a meaningful decision.
Does Your Hotel have a Cancellation Policy?
Whichever online channel you use, ensure you find out if the hotel of your choice allows cancellation of hotel reservation without a fee. Sometimes the necessity arises to change plans. And you have to be sure you will not lose a large chunk of the cost of booking (or the entire cost). Many hotels allow the grace period of between 24 and 48 hours before arrival, for you to cancel a reservation without attendant fees.
Investigate the Area
It would likely help you to find out about the surroundings of your targeted hotel, so you can use it to your advantage. Also note that hotels in centrally-positioned locations may tend to be more expensive than those out of town. In any case, investigate the streets, landmarks, transport system, stores, restaurants, banks etc. surrounding your targeted hotel (in case you need any of them). You can easily do so with the aid of Google Maps.
If the Deals Come Too Cheap – Be Suspicious
Be wary of extra cheap deals. There is a possibility that any hotel with low cost of booking (compared to neighboring hotels) may have serious issues. Perhaps it is dysfunctional in some way. It might be old, have faulty facilities, poor water or electricity supply, or even in a danger zone.
Ensure You Call in Advance
Before you finally book a room, find out the following:
- The deposit amount,
- If the hotel offers special discounts,
- If there are extra fees to using your room; and whether you can opt out of using and paying for them (e.g. parking, wi-fi, bellboy/concierge, resort, and other fees),
- The check-in and check-out times into the hotel. So you won’t be locked out of your room if you arrive late at any time; and it gets reassigned to another lodger. In that case, you should inform the hotel staff about your movements.
- If you can pay for your booking with a credit card or not. Mastercard and Visa credit cards are acceptable in some Nigerian hotels. However, in a bid to avoid fraud, many hotels prefer cash and debit card payments.
Well – some reservations turn out to simply not exist. You need to secure your reservation by placing a call to the hotel staff weeks (or at least days) in advance to remind them. Better still, request that your reservation be confirmed by sending you an email or paper notification to that effect. You will be bringing this along when you finally arrive to take up your lodging.
Yet again, you will need to call the hotel to communicate your needs to the hotel staff. For instance, be specific in stating the type of room you want (noise-free, no smoking, if there are free calls, etc).
Final Words
For you to enjoy a satisfying hotel experience in Nigeria, you need to make careful findings – both online, and by seeking valuable user reviews. Learning to book the best hotels in Nigeria way ahead of time should be done armed with trusted online tools. And better still, get a reliable travel agent to assist you, should you be in doubt.
