The Delborough Lagos

I pay a lot per night, sometimes the equivalent in dollars, but the rooms are poorly kept, the fittings are old, the AC barely works, and the water supply is unreliable or unclean. You can see the lack of maintenance, and the experience doesn't justify the price. Even the restaurant prices seem unjustified. I've stayed in hotels around the world, and I don't understand how this place calls itself five-star. I can't confidently call it a star-rated hotel at all. The staff seem underpaid and overworked, often on basic salaries, while guests are billed as if this were a luxury brand. Premium prices should come with matching comfort, upkeep, and service. Here in Lagos, power, water, and other basics can already be difficult, so people pay a lot and still have to deal with problems themselves. As a local market, Lagos should be more affordable than an international destination with global standards. Charging in dollars or pushing prices up without delivering real value feels unfair. Many hotels need to repair their rooms, treat staff better, and set more realistic prices. Value for money matters, and too many Lagos hotels miss it. Selling a room in this condition to a guest is diabolical.

I still have three days left here, but I'm already happy with what I've seen and couldn't wait until checkout to write this. The staff are very professional and courteous, and security is excellent. The rooms deserve seven stars, and the service quality is very high. There's a fresh scent throughout, and the retro carpets reflect ancient Iranian-Turkish history. Prince Henry stayed here, and it's undoubtedly the best. Thanks in advance for everything. You deserve more than five stars.

What stood out in a good way was the housekeeping, who handled my laundry and ironing promptly and carefully. The kitchen team impressed me again too. Their meat pies are among the best, and the chef made a fresh batch for me on a Sunday even though they weren't on the menu that day. I also noticed the toilet seat lids now have soft-close features, which they didn't have on my last visit. I came back to The Delborough for my second stay this year after a great first visit, so I was disappointed when the arrival went poorly. I got there about half an hour before check-in, and I understand a short wait can happen, but my room wasn't ready until over an hour after check-in despite several follow-ups. For a hotel aiming at international five-star standards, I expected some courtesy gesture or concession. Room 308, the first one assigned to me, felt dated and disappointing for an executive suite. It was smaller than I expected, the rugs were stained, the sheers were torn, and the ceiling and moulding finish didn't feel refined enough for that category. I raised it with the manager, who dealt with it professionally and made sure I was looked after after that. They moved me to Room 403, which was much closer to the standard of my first stay, but it was extremely cold. With several AC units running, finding a comfortable setting took guesswork. Clearer instructions or manuals would help. The room phones only worked intermittently, probably due to a mix of hardware and connection problems, so reaching the front desk or kitchen could be frustrating. I was also uneasy about the safes. They aren't anchored, and the hotel's disclaimer says guests use them at their own risk. A safe should at least be fixed in place. The Delborough still has some of the charm and good service that won me over on my first visit, but it seems to be coasting on that earlier success. I hope management keeps the property maintained and refreshed to match its name. I'd consider coming back, largely because of the people who go above and beyond, though I'm still watching for the next best experience.

We were relieved to leave after four days. The little personal touches weren't enough to make up for the hotel's deeper problems, and I definitely wouldn't recommend it. The place feels badly maintained and much more worn than you'd expect for a hotel only a couple of years old. A lot is damaged, broken, or not working right, and hygiene could be much better. There were stains on doors and the rugs were dirty when I arrived. The humidity was disturbing. Everything around me was wet when I woke up, even with the room humidifiers. The constant, heavy home fragrance seemed to cover a damp smell and gave me a headache. Because of the moisture, the snacks in my room were expired and tasted awful. Service was friendly but slow. For the nightly price, breakfast wasn't included, and there was no buffet, just ordering from the menu. At arrival, staff made a real effort to make us feel special, but at checkout the receptionists asked us to wait while they sent people to inspect our room for anything we'd taken. That felt insulting at a place calling itself a luxury institution, and far from international standards.