SIMON UTEBOR , who was at the Aridolf Resort
Wellness and Spa, said to be owned by former first
lady , Patience Jonathan, writes about the luxury in
the edifice
From afar , the sheer magnificence of the
Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, strategically
positioned in the heart of Yenagoa , Bayelsa
State capital, draws a first - time visitor into a
lavish embrace.
Arguably the most prestigious hotel in the oil-
rich state , the edifice is located in Okaka
Estate , along Isaac Adaka Boro Expressway ,
which is close to a popular night club , Bolex .
The five star hotel sprawls over a large
expanse of land complementing the
surroundings of the residential estate which
boasts of the choicest edifices and castles in
the whole of Bayelsa .
The security in the hotel has thinned out
compared to what it used to be when
Goodluck Jonathan held sway as the
country ’ s President. Reportedly worth about
N 10 bn , the Aridolf is said to be owned by the
former First Lady , Dame Patience Jonathan .
The hotel
Before May 2015 , beyond the opulence
oozing from the impressive building , Aridolf
was also like a presidential fortress, with the
presence of soldiers and members of other
security agencies , apparently on sentry duty ,
manning the gates and other strategic areas .
But it all changed when Jonathan and the
Peoples Democratic Party lost the 2015
presidential election , which saw the
emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as
President and the All Progressives Congress
as the ruling party .
While the imposing Aridolf still retains its
grandeur , the air of presidential security and
protected serenity has since disappeared, as
only private guards and plainclothes security
personnel are seen around the area .
A first time visitor or guest would still marvel
at the sprawling architectural masterpiece
spread across four buildings with a fountain
strategically positioned for aesthetic effect .
The fountain is encased with bulbs of
different colours shining from beneath it ,
producing a colourful shade of glamour and
extravagance .
One of the least expensive rooms in the hotel
Inside the compound , tarred with
interlocking tiles all round , is a spacious car
park that can conveniently accommodate
hundreds of vehicles . Other facilities offered
at the property include a nightclub , meeting
facilities and a shared lounge .
Established to mainly cater for Nigeria ’ s elite ,
the Aridolf offers indoor pools , a spa and
wellness centre as well as free WiFi access for
visitors and guests . Its opulence is further
showcased in the hotel ’ s reception area , with
expensive artworks, gold - plated furniture
and imposing landscapes on display . There is
also a chandelier providing artificial lights
from the Plaster of Paris ceiling and walls .
The hotel’ s lobby has a strong , sweet -
smelling fragrance which gives the
impression that it has a style, taste and class
exclusively preserved for the rich and
famous .
The Aridolf boasts of about 200 rooms
including suites . The price of the rooms
ranges from N 15 , 700 to N 367, 500.
According to the hotel ’ s room rates , a
standard room costs N 15 , 700; deluxe room
costs N 31 , 500; a junior suite is N 56 , 700 and
the executive room is N 75 , 600. The
Presidential suite goes for N 315, 000 while
the price of the Royal suite is N 367 , 500. All
the costs are inclusive of value- added tax
charges .
Most of the categories of rooms are fully
furnished with air conditioners, fridges , TV
sets with satellite channels , good toilet
systems, cold and hot water facilities, WIFI ,
among others . The only significant difference
between the classes of rooms is essentially
the bed and space . They all have similar
features .
The hotel serves local and intercontinental
dishes with prices from N 2 , 000 upwards .
At one of their bars , christened Paradise Bar ,
different variety of drinks such as beer , wine ,
whiskey , gin, fruit juice, among others , are
served . Our correspondent learnt that the
management had to reduce prices of the
drinks because of the economic recession in
the country . The price of beer now goes for
between N 500 and N 600 against their initial
N 800 and N 1 , 000 price tags .
A guest can enjoy a view of the city ’ s skyline
from almost all the rooms. In addition , the
hotel has a beverage centre , business centre
with full Internet access , fitness centre ,
kitchenette , restaurants , wheelchair access
and airport transportation .
One of the workers in the hotel, who spoke
on condition of anonymity, said the former
first lady was involved in the running of
Aridolf , despite the fact that the hotel has a
general manager , as well as managers and
supervisors .
The source noted Mrs. Jonathan was always
available in the hotel to provide effective
supervision .
“ When she came here last week , she ensured
that she put everything in place before she
left , ” the source said , adding that while the
former first lady also owns another hotel in
Otuoke , her husband ’ s country home, she
frequents Aridolf more .
The source said , “ Aridolf is a hotel after the
former first lady ’ s heart . She is the super
supervisor . At times , she holds meetings with
the employees . At such meetings , she usually
teaches us about business relations , how to
woo and retain customers , among other
things . ”
Our correspondent also gathered that despite
the price of the rooms , the hotel enjoys high
patronage from guests , who are mostly
politicians , oil and gas workers ,
businessmen , foreigners and some middle
income earners .
A royal suite which cost almost N 400, 000 per
night is often occupied , said another
employee , who noted with pride that “ Aridolf
has everything one can think of . It is a place
for recreation , wellness and all what one
desires in a hotel . ”
Despite its opulence , some parts of the hotel
seem to have suffered some deterioration due
to the topography of Bayelsa State.
At the balcony in the Paradise Bar , our
correspondent noticed a leaky roof after a
downpour during the week . The rain also
flooded some area of the bar , soaking some
portions of the synthetic rugs decorating the
place .
A guest blamed the development on poor
architectural and structural designs of the
building .
The guest , who did not give his name , said
the building was suffering from an
assemblage of expensive fittings but lacked
proper finishing .
He said , “ The chairs and other furniture at
the lobby are very expensive . They were
imported. But those who supplied some of
the materials cheated the owner. Some of the
materials are only shinning but they are not
durable . That is why you see that some parts
of the hotel are deteriorating .
“ The saving grace for the building is the tiles
used to design the hotel structure. The tiles
are the ones covering the defects in the
building . Remove the tiles and the building
will have serious problems . It is suffering
from architectural and structural defects. ”
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