The most recent reviews are, quite simply, an overstatement and I can only assume written by people with little 3rd world travel experience. I just spent two weeks and the Eko and, while I'm not clamoring to go back, it was not nearly as bad as these reviews made it sound.

Don't get me wrong, the Eko is not luxe, it is not cheap, and the food is passable at best, that said, it's on par with other "ex-pat" hotels in much of West Africa.

There are a couple keys to a succesfull stay -- 1) avoid the "garden" building, yes, these rooms are a dump, with rooms that open directly to the outside; 2) if staying in the main hotel, ask for a room in the rennovated section (floors 5 and higher as of Oct. 2007). We spent a few days on the second floor, which was pretty lousy, but after persistant bugging of the front desk got moved up to the 6th floor for the remainder of our stay. The difference is night and day. The rennovated rooms lack carpet (thus no mold, smell traps, etc), have modern clean bathrooms, and otherwise are on par with a low-end Marriott or Sheraton in the States.

Yes, the main bar of the hotel takes on an interesting local flavor (esp. on Friday and Saturday nights) with a number of gals who appear to be working by the hour. But no one is pushy, rude or offensive, if you want to be left alone your wish will be respected. If you want a quieter bar scene in the evening, have a drink outside at the Italian resturant (at the Garden building) or inside at the Steakhouse (in the Suites tower).

And, finally, take comfort that change is coming -- the word on the street is that Radisson and Intercontinental are both building "western" hotels on V.I. in Lagos, which wil loosen Eko's stranglehold on the the ex-pat business and (hopefully) drive prices down and service quality up.

I am really scared that I may have contracted some communicable disease while staying at this appalling joke of a hotel.

The rooms (the filthy one I was booked into and the so-called renovated room to which I was moved when I complained) have got some or all of:
+ fungus / mould / damp patches
+ a terrible smell (urine or other human waste matter in the carpeting?)
+ bathroom fittings broken / not working
+ irregular power supply (the hotel generator does not kick in quickly enough when one of the power cuts occurs)
+ signs of what could be excrement on one of the walls (still smelled after being sprayed with masses of deodorant)
+ bed bugs - I couldn't stop scratching
+ just a few cockroaches
+ a RAT! (it probably ate most of the cockroaches, so that's a blessing)

And things went missing from the bag I left there.
They insult you from the moment you try to check-in, by sending you to some filthy hole where your creditcard is photocopied (watch carefully!). I am stopping my creditcard as I was warned by a friend that I would need to scan my statements very carefully for a long, long time to guard against spurious charges. I stopped them copying my card and paid cash in advance instead, but... who knows.

As to my fellow guests - the hotel seems to be used as a whorehouse by swaggering, bemedalled members of the Nigerian military in uniform, duly accompanied by teenage girls (some of whom appeared to be under 16). I guess the majors and colonels don't need to pay much, which is why the foreigner gets slammed with astronomical room rates to compensate.

The "complimentary" breakfast is tasty - until you pop your head into what passes for the kitchen. This done, you won't eat there again. You have been warned.

All in all, an absolutely splendid establishment, to be most highly recommended so you come away with the warmest, nicest feelings about Lagos comfort and hospitality.

I stayed at the Eko in 2006, I went back to Nigeria May 2007 and this place is a dump with a big price tag on it.Everything has gotten worse since my first visit. The only thing I can say is the people that work there are very nice but the rooms and food are very bad. It's really a shame they don't have a clean modest priced hotel in Lagos as I have dear friends there that I visit. I am white and from the US. More white American's would come if hotels were better in Lagos. EKO IS AWFUL !!!!!!!
Mary Skony
Mukwonago, Wisconsin
USA

The rooms in this hotel is bordering on a set from a Quentin Tarantino movie. (Example - the ceiling in the bathroom caved in while I was showering.)

The buffet breakfast/dinner was reasonable, but after having a look at the chef’s hands I would not give it the "good hygiene" thumbs-up.

On the positive; the pool is nice and the conversance facilities were not too bad. I was also informed that they started to renovate some of the older rooms.

I would rather staying in the much smaller Victoria Protea Hotel a few blocks away.