Seek Ye First The Peace At Dover Hotel…

IF birds are hotels, the Dover hotel in Ikeja, Lagos will be known as dove. Located in a busy area of Ikeja, Dover hotel is a sanctuary of peace. It is not the peace of graveyard, but the serenity of a space secured from the maddening crowd of the city bustling at seam. For visiting guests, the peace of Dover is the first encounter at the entrance. It starts with the understated painting of the exterior section of the hotel building. Done in tea green colour, the walls give off some aura of subtlety while the window ledges are done in darker shade of green. The symmetry of the mixed greenery produces an atmosphere of peace unrestrained.    

Waiting at the reception are warm-looking staff with honest smile on their faces; not perfunctory show of veteran beauty pageants. They cheerily usher guests into cozy reception, and into the restaurant that offers both local and oriental cuisine. 

The restaurant, designed to be the most frequently visited section of the hotel after the reception because of its proximity to the reception, offers free meal for in-house guests. Here is the only place in Lagos where hotel guests can have both African and Continental dishes free of charge, said the Chairman of Dover hotel, Barrister Jackson Agbai. The idea, according to Agbai, is to keep the old tradition of pure hospitality that celebrates feeding one’s guests at no cost. And the job of serving guests is not exclusive to the rank and file. Senior staffs also are expected to serve customers. The restaurant also offers in-door and outdoor catering services. 

The two bars in the hotel offer wide range of drinks and are named after two legendary musicians, Fela and Bob Marley.  According to Agbai, the two musicians are icons whose music transcended all classes, an implication that Dover bar is open to all class of guests. But there is reliable security system to ward off unwanted guests.

The hotel has three conference halls that can seat 500 to 600, 20-50, 50-70 people respectively. Each hall comes with complimentary projector and projector screen, flipcharts, writing materials, public address system candies etc.  The There is an industrial gym close by with modern fitting equipments.

 The 80-room hotel comprises of presidential suites, executive suite, executive standard,
 superior standard, superior double, and standard rooms. And each room is equipped with high tech memory mattress, which adjusts itself according to body movement. The interiors are enriched with subtle art works, rich furniture and neat wall and floor finishing. The upholsteries are defined in different shades of browns that give the interior a mark of class and nobility. The hotel, also have a Smoking bar lounge because Lagos State Government warned against smoking publicly.

“We went to this extent in order to give our guests a home treat that cannot be received elsewhere. Dover is a place where you feel truly at home. That is why we know the names of our guests within 24 hours of their stay in our facility.”

More importantly, Agbai said Dover offers authentic relaxation to visitors. That is an understatement. Dover indeed is a sanctuary of peace. That is why it is Dover.