A word of advice to impending travellers to the city of Calabar; if your stay entails hotel lodging, it's imperative you stay at a hotel that's been recommended to you by someone who's stayed at the hotel you have in mind; or one which you have seen personally and approved. Checking out hotels on-line is not a safe bet, no thanks to photo-shop.
A recent trip to Calabar for the Festival took me to Orange Resorts on MCC Road, recommended and booked for me by WAKANOW.COM...well, the hotel turned out to be nothing close to the pictures I was shown. I distinctly remember asking the WAKANOW Agent whether or not they had properly vetted the hotel by visiting and approving it.....in response, she went on-line to flaunt great looking pictures of the hotel.
I still had my doubts, but I decided to place my fate in WAKANOW's hands. Wrong move it turned out! On arrival at the hotel, I simply could not stay, despite the fact that I had paid N78,000 for a 4-night stay. Incidentally, I met other disappointed guests who also felt short-changed by WAKANOW's lapse of judgement. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot they could do about it, as hotels during the festival period were fully booked.
Orange Resorts is not all bad. The staff are certainly very friendly and accommodating. And, the truth is with a few touches here and there, the hotel has a lot to offer prospective guests. Mouldy rooms, unkempt surroundings, and a generally run-down looking facility are things which can easily be rectified. In spite of its lack-lustre state, it probably still remains the hotel of choice for their loyal customers. However, hotel owners in general, owe it to guests to ensure that they avoid misrepresenting material facts about their establishment to prospective guests. It helps guests make an informed choice when scouting for a hotel to stay.
The owner's response to a request for refund was less than friendly. He is quite happy to pocket my N78,000 even though a guest occupied the room I rejected that same day. Well, Mr Owner, the hospitality business requires that you be hospitable....and this includes being fair and decent when dealing with your customers. We hope you take note. If by next year's festival, significant improvements have been made to your hotel, we would be more than happy to write about it. Our focus is simply to shape Nigerian's customer service culture. Period! There's no vendetta going on here.
WURA RATINGS: **
