No doubt, overseas trips for Christmas or New Year holidays are very expensive, and for those with deep pocket. But the situation also calls for the need to look inwards and patronize domestic destinations, which abound in the country.
It is time to leave the sentiments that local offerings are poor, facilities bad, service culture lacking and tries a destination this festive season. As long as your expectations are moderate, you will get the most experience while being hosted in some of these destinations.
Below are some of the resorts and hotels to make the most of your lodging experience this festive period.
Smokin Hills Golf Resort, an emerging destination for golf enthusiasts and nature lovers in Ilara Mokin, Ondo State is a nice place to visit this festive season. On a visit, guests discover beyond the reasons why the resort is ‘smoking’ with leisure.
Set on 140 acres of virgin land carved out of surrounding jungle and rolling hills that emit smoke early in the morning and also at dawn, the resort offers various accommodation options, amid other leisure facilities that boost family outing and augment the premium golf offering.
As well, the Fifth Chukker in the outskirt of Kaduna awaits you visit this festive season. It is an upscale lifestyle oasis of family fun, recreation, polo and culture that spread across 2000 hectares of land. On offer in the resort are 100 rooms, comprising of 3-bedroom duplexes, 2- bedroom villas and 1- bedroom lodges.
The locally-themed rooms amid modern leisure facilities are among the highlights of the resort.
If you are heading down the Southeast this festive season, Nike Lake awaits your visit. There are many reasons to visit the lake; the Agbakpa-Nike setting is more than imbued with the lush and natural landscape that epitomises eco-tourism in every ramification.
After enjoying an environment that offers breathtaking views in a secure and tranquil setting, you retire into one of the resort’s 210 well-appointed rand tastefully furnished rooms, suitable for all taste and budget.
All the rooms in the resort are either overlooking the well-manicured gardens or the lake and each room provides the comfort and luxury that is expected from an international 3-star hotel.
The hotel management invites you for Christmas lunch and dinner at the Lake View Restaurant sitting over 200 guests. It’s a sight to behold and one that will induce one’s appetite.
Of course, Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, which was awarded Best Resort in Nigeria 2018 and has the Best Golf course in West-Africa, is one of few destinations that have consistently been operating at a truly 5-star level.
Aside from the word-class golf course, its whole spacious lay-out in a beautiful undisturbed natural environment, swimming pool, gym, restaurants and bars will provide an unforgettable experience for those who live in densely populated cities like Lagos or Port Harcourt. Families with children can enjoy around the poolside, discover the nature of the golf course by foot or on a bike, relax at the riverside Marina restaurant among other attractions.
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But if you are a spa fan, Clear Essence California Spa and Wellness Resort is one place to visit this festive season. From its outside on #13 Alexander Street, Ikoyi, the foremost spa and accommodation outfit does not tell its true worth. Inside is a different story as a garden full of rare flowers and well-trimmed grass lawn ooze out freshness.
Aside from the accommodation options, another prime offering is the spa, managed by trained Balinese therapists. The therapists use their talents to send you into a journey away from reality, and that may just be a perfect gift for your loved one this festive season.
The spa offers 10 treatment rooms – a dipping pool, scented steam showers, a sauna, a fitness centre with state-of-the-art gym equipment and certified personnel to ensure personalised spa experience.
You can also consider a visit to Nike Lake Resort in Enugu. The resort is one place that is evergreen because of the pristine environment and therapeutic impact of the natural lake resort. A few metres to the resort, you will behold with great awe the natural lake stretching over three kilometres with its incredible and rare aquatic population.
On offer are 210 well-appointed and tastefully furnished rooms and suites, suitable for all taste and budgets. You can enjoy a ride on the lake with trained boat riders, or if you are more daring, you can join the local fishermen. Pictures taken afterwards will tell the story of how much you enjoyed the Christmas escape.
If you are considering spending your festive holiday in the northeastern part of the country, then HBC Resort is a place to visit. Located in a serene and undulating area of Vom, an outskirt of Jos, the resort is a delight to behold. It is simply leisure nestled at the top of nature’s splendour on the Plateau.
Its emphasis on healthy lodging ensures the air is pure while guests are attracted by the natural pull and freshness. On entering the resort, you are sure to experience a total change of scenery and a homily feel.
On offer at the resort are 40 rooms among other leisure and health facilities.
If you love water, then visit Inagbe Grand Resort and Leisure. It is relatively new, sparkling, inviting and exclusive. Set in-between the Lagos Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, the resort offers a rustic living in a lush island haven, resonating air of simple luxury and refined elegance that makes it an ideal family escape this festive season.
There, you are in your own world, do things your own way, with Mother Nature as the only witness. There are many accommodation options, games, facilities and most importantly, nature to enjoy-all at pocket-friendly rates. Still in Lagos, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ilashe, and Epe Resort also have exclusive offerings. But Ikogosi Warm Spring, Obudu Mountain Resort, Abraka Turf are among places to also visit.
But if you cannot afford any of these places or you are too far from any of these choice places, then try some hotels and resorts within. Beyond seeking an escape, the hotels are cheaper during the festive season as most people travel home to share with their loved ones and corporate activities that support hotel bookings are on hold till later in the new year when companies resume.
