IN THE 1980s, after a decade of economic decline, Ghana entered an International Monetary Fund programme to turn its economy around. Fast-forward to 2010 and it was declared a lower middle-income country.
Its economy is now one of the top 10 in Africa, with gross domestic product growth of 8.7% in 2012, and sub-Saharan Africa’s second-best-performing stock exchange in 2013.
One person who’s witnessed this transition to economic powerhouse first-hand is Adrian Landry, GM of the Labadi Beach Hotel. Built in 1991, it was the first West African property for Legacy Hotels, a group whose two dozen properties now span SA, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria, and Gabon.
"We’re one of only two five-star hotels in Accra," Landry says. "But we have the benefit of consistency and continuity."
Still, things are changing.
Given its location close to the airport (and in the vicinity of the business, financial and entertainment districts), the demand for rooms is on the rise. It’s the reason the hotel added a further 60 of them, bringing the total to 164 including suites. In the process, they conducted extensive remodelling and refurbishing on the entire site.
"We’re big on security," Landry says as he points out the CCTV cameras across the property including in the corridors. "We built it this way so that guests always feel comfortable and safe."
It makes sense when you consider that the Labadi Beach Hotel has hosted rock stars, royalty, and heads of state (some of whom act as though they’re a combination of the first two groups).
...
LANDRY is proud that the hotel maintains a sense of individuality instead of being like huge chain properties that are the same everywhere in the world. As an example, he points out the ancient West African symbols that feature as part of the artwork and fabrics throughout the rooms, such as the chief’s stool at the foot of the bed. It’s their way of paying tribute to the culture and customs of Ghana, a country whose name comes from a West African word meaning "Warrior King".
Our tour continues to the hotel’s Labadi Suite, which features movable walls to create intimate board meetings or banquets for up to 120 people. But to cater to its growing business travellers, the hotel opened a new conference centre early last year.
The Omanye Suite ("good tidings") offers seating for up to 600 people but can be divided into two breakaway rooms — the Odehe (Royal) and Obonu (Talking Drums) –— and then further divided into another two rooms.
Thanks to state-of-the-art ovens, which Landry points out during the spontaneous tour of the spotless kitchen, the hotel is able to serve meals in eight minutes. Indeed, these ovens made it possible to feed the hungry VIPs that attended a glittering South African Airways cocktail event to launch direct flights from Accra to Washington DC.
"Tourism is still developing," Landry says. Most African visitors come from Nigeria, SA and the Ivory Coast. "Our main markets are from the Europe and the UK."
Indeed, travellers to and from Europe made up 54% of passengers at Kotoka International Airport, while those from West Africa made up about 23%. But, given that international air passenger traffic increased from about 905,000 in 2010 to 1,536,000 in 2012, the country is doing what it can to expand.
Not only will this mean renovation will continue at Airport City, which is already heavy with the smell of construction, but will also further efforts to upgrade the country’s rail networks alongside its already well-developed seaports and reasonable roads.
"Most people travel here for business," Landry explains. "Ghana serves as a hub for doing business in the rest of Africa."
...
ON THE recreational side, the hotel includes two floodlit tennis courts, two swimming pools and a gym (open to nonguests) that was surprisingly busy for a Sunday morning.
For those of a less active disposition, there’s a posh spa that offers three tiers of products to cater to different range preferences in their clientele.
Just beyond the spa is the hotel’s private beach, which is swept daily and acts as an ideal spot from which to haggle with traders, take a ride on a horse, or just put your feet up to relax.
"The advantage of having a private beach and this tropical garden setting is that we can offer peace and tranquillity," Landry says, as we survey the property from the balcony of the lavish presidential suite, which includes its own kitchen for those who would prefer not to leave the front door. "Sometimes the best thing you can do for guests is to leave them alone."
But sometimes they want the world to see exactly who they are. Indeed, as one sits on the plush leather seats in the lobby, it’s not uncommon to see convoys of luxury vehicles arriving outside. Landry has seen many examples of people showing off their wealth.
"Sometimes you’ll get guys walking around all day with a bottle of Hennessy cognac in one hand and Moët champagne in the other," he says as we arrive in the Cocktail Bar and Lounge, the hotel’s popular rendezvous that’s open 24 hours a day. "Not because they want to drink it, but just because they want to show other people that they can."
Ghana has much to boast about. With more than 95% of its children in school and the literacy rate at 81% in 2010, it has one of the highest levels of enrolment in Africa. It helps that the government has spent up to 40% of its budget in the past decade to offer free and compulsory education — parents can be jailed for not sending their children to school — for public primary and junior high schools, and subsidies for senior high schools.
• Eugene Yiga travelled from Johannesburg to Ghana as a guest of South African Airways (flysaa.com), which now offers direct flights from Accra to Washington DC.
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The reception area sets the tone for a rock-star welcome. Picture: SUPPLIED
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The Labadi Beach Hotel’s amenities include two swimming pools, two floodlit tennis courts and a posh spa. Picture: SUPPLIED
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The Labadi Beach Hotel maintains a sense of individuality through, among other things, the ancient West African symbols that feature as part of the artwork and fabrics in the rooms. Picture: SUPPLIED
IN THE 1980s, after a decade of economic decline, Ghana entered an International Monetary Fund programme to turn its economy around. Fast-forward to 2010 and it was declared a lower middle-income country.
Its economy is now one of the top 10 in Africa, with gross domestic product growth of 8.7% in 2012, and sub-Saharan Africa’s second-best-performing stock exchange in 2013.
One person who’s witnessed this transition to economic powerhouse first-hand is Adrian Landry, GM of the Labadi Beach Hotel. Built in 1991, it was the first West African property for Legacy Hotels, a group whose two dozen properties now span SA, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria, and Gabon.
"We’re one of only two five-star hotels in Accra," Landry says. "But we have the benefit of consistency and continuity."
Still, things are changing.
Given its location close to the airport (and in the vicinity of the business, financial and entertainment districts), the demand for rooms is on the rise. It’s the reason the hotel added a further 60 of them, bringing the total to 164 including suites. In the process, they conducted extensive remodelling and refurbishing on the entire site.
"We’re big on security," Landry says as he points out the CCTV cameras across the property including in the corridors. "We built it this way so that guests always feel comfortable and safe."
It makes sense when you consider that the Labadi Beach Hotel has hosted rock stars, royalty, and heads of state (some of whom act as though they’re a combination of the first two groups).
...
LANDRY is proud that the hotel maintains a sense of individuality instead of being like huge chain properties that are the same everywhere in the world. As an example, he points out the ancient West African symbols that feature as part of the artwork and fabrics throughout the rooms, such as the chief’s stool at the foot of the bed. It’s their way of paying tribute to the culture and customs of Ghana, a country whose name comes from a West African word meaning "Warrior King".
Our tour continues to the hotel’s Labadi Suite, which features movable walls to create intimate board meetings or banquets for up to 120 people. But to cater to its growing business travellers, the hotel opened a new conference centre early last year.
The Omanye Suite ("good tidings") offers seating for up to 600 people but can be divided into two breakaway rooms — the Odehe (Royal) and Obonu (Talking Drums) –— and then further divided into another two rooms.
Thanks to state-of-the-art ovens, which Landry points out during the spontaneous tour of the spotless kitchen, the hotel is able to serve meals in eight minutes. Indeed, these ovens made it possible to feed the hungry VIPs that attended a glittering South African Airways cocktail event to launch direct flights from Accra to Washington DC.
"Tourism is still developing," Landry says. Most African visitors come from Nigeria, SA and the Ivory Coast. "Our main markets are from the Europe and the UK."
Indeed, travellers to and from Europe made up 54% of passengers at Kotoka International Airport, while those from West Africa made up about 23%. But, given that international air passenger traffic increased from about 905,000 in 2010 to 1,536,000 in 2012, the country is doing what it can to expand.
Not only will this mean renovation will continue at Airport City, which is already heavy with the smell of construction, but will also further efforts to upgrade the country’s rail networks alongside its already well-developed seaports and reasonable roads.
"Most people travel here for business," Landry explains. "Ghana serves as a hub for doing business in the rest of Africa."
...
ON THE recreational side, the hotel includes two floodlit tennis courts, two swimming pools and a gym (open to nonguests) that was surprisingly busy for a Sunday morning.
For those of a less active disposition, there’s a posh spa that offers three tiers of products to cater to different range preferences in their clientele.
Just beyond the spa is the hotel’s private beach, which is swept daily and acts as an ideal spot from which to haggle with traders, take a ride on a horse, or just put your feet up to relax.
"The advantage of having a private beach and this tropical garden setting is that we can offer peace and tranquillity," Landry says, as we survey the property from the balcony of the lavish presidential suite, which includes its own kitchen for those who would prefer not to leave the front door. "Sometimes the best thing you can do for guests is to leave them alone."
But sometimes they want the world to see exactly who they are. Indeed, as one sits on the plush leather seats in the lobby, it’s not uncommon to see convoys of luxury vehicles arriving outside. Landry has seen many examples of people showing off their wealth.
"Sometimes you’ll get guys walking around all day with a bottle of Hennessy cognac in one hand and Moët champagne in the other," he says as we arrive in the Cocktail Bar and Lounge, the hotel’s popular rendezvous that’s open 24 hours a day. "Not because they want to drink it, but just because they want to show other people that they can."
Ghana has much to boast about. With more than 95% of its children in school and the literacy rate at 81% in 2010, it has one of the highest levels of enrolment in Africa. It helps that the government has spent up to 40% of its budget in the past decade to offer free and compulsory education — parents can be jailed for not sending their children to school — for public primary and junior high schools, and subsidies for senior high schools.
• Eugene Yiga travelled from Johannesburg to Ghana as a guest of South African Airways (flysaa.com), which now offers direct flights from Accra to Washington DC.
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