By Vanessa Obioha
As the Lagos-based hotel plans to reopen its doors to new and old customers on October 15 after seven months of shutdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, it got its eyes set on female executives.
In a recent media briefing, the General Manager of the hotel, Marcel Brekelmans, disclosed that a floor out of the 23 floors in the hotel, will be dedicated to female executives.
“The floor is redesigned by a female architect, artwork done by female artists, security provided by female, housekeeping and room services will be provided by female attendees.”
He added that the rooms will have a feminine touch in terms of smell, feel, produce and amenities. “It is completely different from the pack.”
The hotel which is now managed by 11Plc is repositioning itself as the best in African hospitality. The female executives’ floor is one of the ways it hopes to accomplish that.
In recent times, the number of female corporate travellers has spiked. Brekelmans sees that increase as an emerging market to tap into.
“More and more top executives in various companies are females. So it’s a definite market for our hotel to invest in and we have to diversify.”
But female travellers have also faced security risks while travelling. In a 2018 report by Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in partnership with AIG Travel, 83 percentage of women say they have experienced one or more safety-related concerns or incidents while travelling for business.
Brekelmans intends to address that concern by providing safety measures for female executive travellers.
“The rooms will be comfortable but foremost safe. Safe in every sense that when a female guest is in our hotel, she can open the door without hesitation, knowing that it’s good people on the other side.”
To enhance the femininity touch of the new floor, the hotel is employing the services of Ghanaian chef Selassie Atadika. She will be packaging different chocolate boxes with female names that will be available in each room on the floor.
The floor is expected to open for business in January 2021.
