The Chesney, a boutique hotel located on a quiet residential street on Victoria Island, has high ambitions but doesn’t always deliver.

The building, which comprises 50 rooms spread over five floors, is slightly dated style-wise, but is clean and has some of the friendliest staff in Lagos. Expect a warm welcome.

Open entry you’ll notice that the bulk of the ground floor is given over to a small marble lobby replete with world time zone clocks, a small gym with whirlpool Jacuzzi, and a restaurant/bar. The restaurant is unlikely to be frequented by anyone other than guests, because the food is a little basic. A small separate terrace adjoins the restaurant and swimming pool area, which is an ideal spot for a post-work (or post-workout) dip.

Business facilities include a small and rather damp-smelling boardroom suitable for up to 20 people (which seems to get little use), and the restaurant terrace, which can be booked for private corporate functions.

Rooms are spacious and well-appointed, with flat-screen TVs, powerful air conditioning and rather slow wireless internet. The walls are decorated with photos of prominent African politicians and pop culture icons, which is a nice touch considering that most of the remaining fixtures and fittings are perhaps a little outdated. Chesney Hotel branding appears on everything from the windows to the bathrobes and complimentary slippers.

Though the hotel tries hard and is well-located for access to the business district and restaurants, it is a shame that it lets itself down a little with wi-fi speeds that are far from the best in Lagos and little in the way of business services.