Following the announcement that the hotel chain plans to open in the United Kingdom, some tourism operators in Nigeria want Marriott International to bring St. Regis to Nigeria. Marriott International, Inc. announced the signing of a management agreement with Cola Holdings and The Westbury Hotel Limited to bring the luxury St. Regis brand to the United Kingdom. The new entrant, which is located in one of London’s most enticing neighborhoods, is expected to open in 2023.
By 2025, St. Regis will open 11 new resorts around the world. The announcement was made at a recent Marriot Virtual Press Briefing, which was hosted by Satya Anand, President, EMEA and Senior Vice President, Design Hotels & EMEA Brand Portfolio, who also gave a rundown of some of Marriott’s outstanding openings this year.
The Nigerian operators expressed their delight, saying that if the prestigious St. Regis is represented in Nigeria on a franchise basis, business travelers will have the best time possible. According to them, the newly opened Marriott property in Ikeja, Lagos, is already delivering results after the agreement was signed.
Chioma Egu, an event planner from Lagos, applauds the move, saying, “St. Regis is a few luxury away.” She wants Marriott to bring the brand to Nigeria so that it can compete in the thriving Lagos hotel market.
“At this time, the St. Regis brand is not represented in Nigeria. “We anticipate the cherished St. Regis brand debuting in Nigeria,” she exclaimed. “Not only will the anticipated St. Regis Hotel add more beds to the competitive Lagos market, but it will undoubtedly be well received by the executives,” Egu continued.
Ibiso Lawal, another tourism operator in the country, is counting on Marriott to provide more beds. Ibiso, a Nigerian travel expert, urged Regis Hotels & Resorts to bring the ‘leader in luxury’ here while commenting on Marriot International’s new achievement.
“I believe their policy goes beyond purely commercial gains, however important they may be. The St. Regis brand will be noticeable. I’d be delighted if Marriott managed a St. Regis hotel in Nigeria so that Nigerians could experience the luxury brand,” he said.
“Nigeria has hotels,” he asserts. We have brands like Sheraton, Hilton, and Golden Tulip, to name a few. Which hotel chain is not represented in Nigeria, is the question. However, we would like to see more saleable rooms in the upmarket segment. Marriott International is already causing a stir in Lagos. We want the St. Regis, just like Oliver Twist, and you know what that means for the Nigerian accommodation market: lower rates.”
Insiders in the travel industry want more sellable rooms in the upmarket segment of the Abuja and Lagos hotel industry to lower rates. Price control has been difficult in the past. Lagos has one of the highest hotel rates in the world. When it comes to hotel rates, Lagos Tourism has a bad track record. The cost of a hotel room in Lagos remains high. Guestroom rates at Sun Heaven Hotels & Resorts in Ikoyi, Lagos, for example, range from N45,000 to N150.000 per night.
Eko Hotels & Suites, a Lagos hotel, has higher rates that range from N69,000 to N300.000 per night (Eko Signature).
The problem is market forces, a demand-supply mismatch in which more guests are looking for a few standard guestrooms. As a result, the prices for the sellable rooms are extremely high.
“Nigeria has hotels and more are coming,” said Illan Ben-Joseph, a MASHAV expert from Israel, earlier on the topic of hotels. People should be concerned about budget hotels, he said. “The majority of hotels in Nigeria are located in Lagos. What happened to places like Jos, where good hotels are hard to come by? “The government should provide tax relief to entrepreneurs who develop hotels and attractions in specific areas,” Ben-Joseph said.
Meanwhile, the St. Regis brand continues to expand its renowned global portfolio with the addition of this highly sought-after Mayfair address. The former Westbury Mayfair Hotel will undergo a $122 million (90 million pound) redevelopment and transformation, including the addition of an eighth floor.
On the corner of Bond Street and Conduit Street, the St. Regis London, which has 196 rooms and suites, is offering a highly personalized guest experience that will blend the brand’s modern glamour with the best of British style and service.
The hotel will be designed by Morrison Design’s Peter Newman-Earp, with interiors by Richmond International. In addition, the property will receive an extension to the back of the hotel, resulting in improved public areas, as well as renovations to the building’s façade and the drop-off area outside the main entrance. A signature restaurant, speakeasy jazz bar, fitness center, and spa are all in the works.
The iconic Polo Bar, originally designed for the Phipps family of America, avid polo players and creators of the Westbury Hotel in New York and London, will be retained at the St. Regis London, where guests will be able to enjoy a local twist on the St. Regis’ signature cocktail, the Bloody Mary.
