By Demola Balogun
For the savvy business executives, luxury style aficionados and celebrities, it is an eclectic weekend of enchanting getaways and delicious experience, as they share grand moments and relive beautiful memories of love, faithfulness and camaraderie – all in the spirit of Valentine’s.
The glamorous Cupid affair and hospitality grandeur reserved for connoisseurs and urbane couples to savour the perfect continental cuisine from Europe, Asia and Africa, is a special product offering of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos in this season of love.
Imagine a Valentine weekend escape set in a West Africa’s model hospitality hub as a prime destination to experience 5-course gourmet dining, beauty and gracious living by the lagoon. The Valentine’s programmes including live entertainment and candle lit dinner bouquet have been conceptualised and exquisitely packaged by Eko Hotel’s Head of Sales & Marketing, Mrs. Iyadunni Gbadebo alongside outlet managers like Giaocchino Liguori (Eko Signature), Scott Sun (Red Chinese), Akpor Edafe (The Grill), Hicham El-Gemayel, (CrossRoads), Francois Pontu (Sky), Dotun Oloyede (Lagoon Breeze), Abhilash Cherian (F&B Manager), and Mrs. Doyinsola Tijani-Oginni (Restaurant Reservation).
And it was timely framed to deliver the ultimate fine dining and entertainment experience in view of the recent management re-engineering of its crack operations team to look inwards by organising special events, arts expo and live performances as part of its bouquet of product offerings.
According to the Sales & Marketing Manager, Iyadunni Gbadebo, the 4-day exquisite Valentine’s programmes, which kick off today Friday, February 10 will tomorrow witness a live entertainment show tagged: ‘Eargasm’ featuring a stellar cast of hip-hop and R&B artistes including Tuface Idibia, Sir Shina Peters, Tekno, Adekunle Gold, and Yinka Davies at the Eko Convention Centre.
The concert will also parade other acts like Niyola, Kelly Hansome, Acetune, and acapella group, Chord. Hosted by comedian Bovi, DJ Neptune will be on the wheel of steel. The show opens with red carpet and cocktails at 7pm.
However, the climax of it all is Tuesday February 14, Valentine’s Day, when families, friends and lovers will have a rare taste of six continents through a diverse country-themed dishes with avalanche of vintage champagne/cuvee cognac in an unforgettable dinning experience and sweet fantasy treat.
“The Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and commitment to our guests, corporate executives, business class and customers by promoting elite style groove and luxury accommodation with classy dining experience, to share love and relive brighter moments,” Gbadebo explains.
The Valentine groove takes choice lovers and families on a gastronomic tour of Italy, France, China, Mexico, America and Nigeria with soulful love messages couched in six foreign languages for them to unleash the magic moment or simply enjoy the frolics.
While Eko Hotels lays bare as a prime destination, elite style connoisseurs will find Eko Signature most appealing, as masterful Liguori, with the support of Zuheir Dika, will serve a 4-course continental menu in a candle lit environment for two at 1415 Restaurant.
The continental menu offering is served with exotic dessert courtesy head pastry chef, Abdallah Outa whose symbolic dessert D’amore team leader, Liguori explained was created to evoke the memory of cupid, the messenger of love as a perfect moment to renew bonds and celebrate friendship.
At the Red Chinese, Scott is set with flaming hot speciality Peking dinner to tickle lovers while Sky Terrace’s Francois Pontu gets the chance to hit the skies and get your jaws dropping with a truly international selection for the palates.
Casual dinners get the chance to enjoy the Valentine’s waterfront balmy lagoon breeze experience without emptying their wallets. The Grill and CrossRoads also offer prix fixe Valentine menus that are actually affordable – and not just for the millionaires. The frozen Magarita is one of the favourite drinks and pride of the Mexicans to set lovers in the mood and tap into the exhilarating Mexican Tequila cocktail experience.
Abhilash Cherian, gourmet and F&B controller, also highlighted the objectives of management to deliver the ultimate dining pleasures. He disclosed that arrangements are in top gear to give Easter celebration a creative entertainment touch, with a colourful Easter egg hunt treasure.
According to Gbadebo, Eko Hotels is rated for its genuinely personal attention, international standards and service details, combining beauty, wellness and Spa treatment packages for discerning lovers to experience luxurious French style relaxation and unique holistic body therapy courtesy Eko Spa managed and operated by Mrs. Beatrice Eneh of Apples & Oranges.
Commenting, Eneh said: “The Valentine’s Day package is a special offer for that life-changing retreat and stress-pausing experience to step up into our world at Eko Spa and be transformed.
“Lovers and friends are therefore invited to explore the benefits of hands-on healing and innovative beauty treatments set in an ideal, tranquil environment that is Eko Spa. I can assure that you will feel absolutely revived, refreshed, and walk away truly reinvented.”