As Abuja Continental Transforms to Desired Destination for Tourists

Charles Ajunwa writes that the upgrade of facilities in the Abuja Continental Hotel has positioned it as a desired destination for tourists 

The hospitality business in Nigeria is growing in leaps and bounds, thanks to continuous patronage from clients. Abuja Continental Hotel, situated at the centre of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is poised to meet every guest’s needs. 

In 2023, NIPCO Plc, through its subsidiary, 22 Hospitality Ltd, acquired Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, now Abuja Continental Hotel. The new investors embarked on an upgrade of facilities to bring the hotel to international standards and make it a desired destination for tourists from within and outside the country. 

To showcase the ongoing transformation, selected journalists were invited by the hotel’s top management led by the Group General Manager, Karl Hala, and General Manager, Abuja, Kevin Brett, for a two-day familiarisation tour of the Abuja Continental. 

When it was approaching time to board, the airline officials beckoned passengers to proceed to the Boeing 737-800 slated for the trip to Abuja. With all passengers on board the aircraft, the male crew closed the door and shortly after a female voice announced some of the rules to be adhered to by all passengers. The take off was smooth and immediately the aircraft cruised to altitude of 40,000 feet above sea level the pilot announced that seat belts can be removed or left in place as the case may be.

The plane touched down smoothly and passengers disembarked. I later joined my colleagues in a white Coaster bus provided by Abuja Continental. It took us 40 minutes from the airport to arrive at the hotel, blending nature with sophistication; displaying a tradition of warmth and impeccable service. A male steward was already on the ground to receive us. We exchanged pleasantries and he took our luggage for security checks at the entrance. At the front desk, we were quickly attended to and our room keys given to us. A beautiful artwork in mosaic design was embossed on the wall behind the front desk. The lobby looked welcoming and attractive with the seats, flower pots and giant piano arrangement. And the transparent view from the lobby gives guests that sense of safety. There is also a Lobby Bar at the ground floor for guests to cool off.

A staff of the hotel was stationed close to the lifts on the ground floor apparently for security purposes. As I alighted on the 7th floor, the steward took me straight to Room 711, opened it and politely ushered me inside.

After turning on the light and arranging my luggage properly, I picked up a white card on the table signed by the hotel’s General Manager, Brett. It read: “Mr. Charles Ajunwa, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to Abuja Continental.”

Inside the room is a large family-size bed with wall bedding lights and standing lamps at both ends. Beside the bed, is a telephone for room services. Tea, coffee, Lipton, and sugar were neatly placed on the table with an electric kettle. Printed hotel menu and drinks also placed on the table.

On the table, is a reading light and flower pot of different colours. There is a table fridge in one of the cupboards under the table. A waste bin was kept at the corner. A big plasma television set and a round mirror hung on the wall. The room floor has a rug while from the wardrobe to the bathroom are all tiles. Inside the wardrobe are pressing iron, a safe and hangers. Internet connectivity and cooling systems work perfectly well. From the balcony, especially at night the beautiful landscape of Abuja resonates, showing architectural works. Also from the balcony, the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, pool bar, car parks, entrance gate and lush green environment were sights to behold.  

 When it was dinner at 7:30p.m., we divided ourselves into two. The Christians had theirs at Obudu Grill Restaurant while Muslims had theirs at the Iftar conference hall. At both points, different dishes were served from native to continental. Goat and fish pepper soups were also available including assorted fruits. From there, we went back to our rooms to rest before the next event. 

At 10p.m. we gathered at the pool bar, venue for a live band by Chunky Fingers, who entertained guests with melodious old school songs. Our guide, Nanji, ensured we relaxed well before retiring to our rooms for the next day’s itinerary. 

 As early as 6:30a.m. Saturday, we all gathered at the lobby from where we embarked on tour of Abuja Continental transformation. Our tour guide, Nanji, first took us to the newly renovated Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, which can accommodate over 3,000 guests. The old red rugs have been replaced with tiles, and toilets renovated to international standard. Presidential, ministerial and foreign missions’ retreats, meetings, conferences and excursions take place regularly due to the upgrade and renovation. The meeting venue, according to Nanji, comes with the following complimentary items: high speed WIFI access for all participants, notepad, pen/pencil for each delegate, a bottle of water per delegate, mints, state-of-art public address system and microphones, projector and screen, table and chairs with preferred set up, all meeting rooms are air conditioned and uninterrupted power supply. 

 We visited a newly renovated conference hall which used to be a casino. Muslims now do Iftar after observing their daily Ramadan prayer. The venue can accommodate 150-200 guests. Nanji said the idea is to give their Muslim guests and those from outside the opportunity to gather together in a friendly and conducive environment to do Iftar. Food, water, fruits, and drinks are paid for. 

From there, we moved to the Coconut Garden. According to Nanji, this breathtaking space hosts things like birthdays, anniversary, product launch or reception by companies. After it is the newly opened Ladi Kwali Sports Village which offers a wide range of exciting sporting activities for guests. According to Nanji, sports lovers always come to play at the paddle and pickleball courts, lawn tennis courts, football court pitch, table tennis, basketball and volleyball courts including squash courts to keep fit.

 Across the pathway separating the lawn tennis court and small garden, is a giant tortoise called “Ali”. According to Nanji, Ali, who is 190 years old, is a good tourist attraction to the hotel. Nanji called Ali several times before it woke up from sleep, brought out its head to greet us, and quickly went back to sleep again.

 We noticed that major works were also going on the two wings of the hotel, which according to the guide, can take 200 guests each. The enclosed three wings of the hotel accommodate 600 guests at full capacity. 

 We moved to the newly upgraded swimming pool area. The big swimming pool, according to Nanji, is for adults while the smaller one is for children. Diving is prohibited. 

 Beside the swimming pool, is the wellness centre where guests get services such as sauna, steam, massage and indoor table tennis. The Continental Gym at the corner has state-of-the-art facilities. According to Nanji, diplomats and indoor guests who are registered with the gym come there to reduce weight or gain weight as the case may be. 

 As we walked back to our rooms, Nanji told us that the hotel spends a lot to maintain its lush green environment. Apart from attending to all grass spaces, the flowers are also well manicured. As the site walkabout ended, we all retired to rooms. We had 10a.m. and 1p.m. breakfast and lunch respectively at Obudu Grill Restaurant. Later, we had a meeting with Mr. Hala and Brett where we shared ideas on some of our findings. For 7p.m. dinner, Nanji took us to SOHO, an Asian restaurant, where we were served Asian delicacies. 

The management and staff of Abuja Continental treated us as kings. After experiencing Abuja’s serenity for three days, we returned to busy Lagos on Monday morning.