In this Interview with MONEYCENTRAL, Hillsbay Hotels explains what new innovation they are bringing to the table, and why they are the go to choice for professional, business or leisure travel. Excerpts…
Tell us about Hillsbay Hotels, when did you launch, what segment of the market (3,4, or 5 star) are you playing in?
 Hillsbay Hotels is set up with a target to offer luxury to our guests. We launched in 2019 and we are operating in the 4-star segment of the market.
What new innovation are you bringing to the seemingly saturated Lagos Hotel space?
We are in this industry and market to offer top notch service and provide affordable luxury.
Most Hotels were ravaged by the impact of the Covid-19 lockdowns on business. How did you manage to survive the downturn?
We have not recovered from the Covid 19 lockdown. We are still in the process and taking each day as it comes. We are optimistic that we would recover lost income and the future holds something better for us.
Occupancy rates fell drastically last year amid covid-19, #EndSARS and other economic issues, are you seeing a pick-up in occupancy for you as business and leisure travel returns?
We are yet to see a significant increase in our occupancy rate but we believe that as business and leisure travel returns there would be a noticeable improvement in our operations.
What support if any have you gotten from the State and Federal Governments following the Government imposed lockdowns?
During this period, the federal government and state government have provided security which is highly necessary in this location. We strongly believe that without this support we would not have survived the aftermath of the lockdowns.
How do you train your staff to be the best in terms of hospitality? It seems many hotel staff are not well trained.
We hire competent and experienced management staff while our junior staffs are trained on a daily basis. We expect that with the training our staffs get on a daily basis, they are equipped to perform much better now and in the future.
What other services do you offer potential customers that will make them choose you over the various competitions?
We are a guest friendly hotel. We provide our guests with the best African and continental dishes and we believe our guests come often because of our tasty food and impeccable service.
How are you managing your costs in an environment of ever rising prices in Nigeria, (higher inflation and devaluation of currency) while still maintaining your high standards?Â
It has been quite difficult for everyone not only in Nigeria but around the world. Considering our goal to offer luxury at all times, we sacrifice excessive profits to ensure we offer the best at all times. Also, Covid has also adversely impacted businesses around the world and Nigeria is not an exception.
Were you forced to let go of some of your staff during the lockdown and how many have you hired back?
We retained all staff not due to excess resources but due to the high unemployment rate in Nigeria, which we are in this business to tackle. Since it’s our target to employ a large number people in Nigeria, we endured through the lock down period and hope that the future would be suitable enough for us to recover.
Do you have plans to expand your top-notch services to other locations in Lagos or Nigeria? Tell us about your growth plans if any?
Our goal is to create more employment for Nigerian youth. Therefore, anywhere or in any way we would be able to achieve this goal will be welcome. Our goal is to employ at least 250 people and that is our focus.