Blue and White Hotel, Osogbo: Hospitality in excellent service

Night life of the residents of Anaye, Oke Oni tea axis of Osogbo is not the same since August 2015 when Blue and White Hotel and Suite was commissioned.

Aside an increase in traffic of quality people, the illumination at night is making the area more attractive to would-be tenants.

It is, therefore, not a surprise that the hotel is gradually becoming an household name at Obafemi Awolowo Way and Ring Road sections of Osogbo.

It is easily accessible for guests on a first visit to the capital city. The expanse car park is the first point of attraction as one drives into the hotel premises, instantly allaying fear of parking car at owners risk.

With very dutiful security guards who usher guests in with assuring smile, a stay at Blue and White Hotel and Suite is a worthwhile experience to relax and savour what makes Osogbo one of the best destinations for such purpose.

The rooms which are categorised into Delux, Suites, Special double and presidential, are a beauty to behold, in terms of luxury and comfort. They are architectural masterpiece providing another home away from home.

Equipped with simple but functional facilities, the rooms are always maintained to give guests real value for their hard earned money. Each room has access to the reception and other sections of the hotel via the intercom which effectiveness is never in doubt.

Also, the mini-conference hall as well as the event centre is an attestation to the taste of the management which targets a decent category of the society. Same goes to the open space bar which has since played host to events such as birthday party, bachelors eve and even church seminar programme.

Natural ventilation that pervades the bar makes it a choice of guests who have experienced it. It is an innovation and a departure from the conventional indoor bar where guests contend with heat despite air conditioner as a result of congestion.

The strong point of the hotel is its uncompromising stance on maintenance of the above facilities. The internet facilities are often serviced by a team of competent computer engineers who don’t wait until called to check the functionality of the facilities. Therefore, the internet wireless service in rooms is very effective round the clock.

The General Manager of the hotel, Omotola Ojudaye said the management is strict with maintenance of the facilities having realised that lack of it has spelt doom for some failed hotels in the country. “We know the importance of regular maintenance and don’t joke with it.

“We understand that many hospitality businesses fail to survive owing to failure to maintain them properly. On monthly basis, our maintenance department goes round and fixes whatever needs to be replaced and repairs those in need of it,” she said.

Ojudaye is coping hard with the challenges associated with the running of hospitality enterprise in a gasping economy. While she is enjoying the job, according to her, the state of the nation’s economy is giving her goose pimples.

For instance, the epileptic electricity supply is an albatross capable of forcing hoteliers out of business. In order to satisfy customers’ need, the hotel, she said, has to rely on the use of diesel to power its generator. This has impacted on the running cost and shed heavy load on the management.

“It is so bad that we have to cope by fire by force to win confidence of our customers. It is also demoralising when one takes stock and realise the amount we spend on diesel. We are not spending less than N300,000 on monthly basis to buy diesel. But we have no choice because we cannot afford to lose our customers,” she stated.

What she called multiple taxation, as corroborated by the representative of the chairman of the hotel, Alhaji Muftau Olaoluwa, is also a clog in the wheel of the hotel, saying that government should rather be interested in how business grows rather than suffocating it with taxation, which is not better than legitimate extortion.

“We have engaged our lawyer to challenge another tax they call consumption tax. Why are they making things difficult? They should make the state attractive to investors instead of discouraging them,” the general manager said.