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.