If you stay in the 195-room Southern Sun, request a room on a higher floor, where you’ll get great views over Ikoyi and beyond. In fact, you’ll be able to see just how centrally located the hotel is: based just off Rewane, the main dual carriageway running through Ikoyi to Victoria Island, the hotel offers easy access to Lekki, Victoria Island and the mainland.

Upon arriving at the hotel you’ll notice that the cavernous lobby may not be as stylish as some other hotels’, but has a certain “je ne sais quoi.” Some money has certainly been spent, with marble floors and double height windows framing leather sofas and a grand piano. The compact but stylish pool is actually overlooked by both the lobby and the restaurant/bar, which may deter some guests from sunbathing, as it can get very busy. However if you’re not shy, it’s an ideal place to lounge and offers several sunshades and a row of palms to offset the mid-day heat.

All the rooms are spacious and benefit from crisp linen, DSTV and a decent size writing desk. Bathrooms lack bathtubs but are well-finished, with attractive mosaic tiling and showers with dual rainfall/handheld fixtures.

Gym facilities are reasonable with an array of running machines, free weights and cross trainers. The business centre in theory provides secretarial services, though in reality it offers little more than a couple of Internet enabled PCs, which cost N900 for 30 minutes. There are also conference facilities for groups of anywhere from 20 to 150 people. The clientele seems equally split between Nigerians and westerners, who throw evening business functions where they thrash out deals over a few drinks or celebrate a job well done.

Because of its size, the hotel can feel a little impersonal. Staff are occasionally hard to get ahold of and are even a little disinterested when you do manage to grab them. However if you do have occasion to call on the management, they are polite and helpful.