On the 6th of December 2024, I went to Umuahia, my state’s capital, and lodged in NEW EASTERN COMFORT HOTEL. I paid for two nights being the 6th and 7th of December, 2024. Unfortunately, I started feeling unwell in the afternoon of that 6th. My daughter and my son, who came to visit me in the hotel, encouraged me to go back to Abuja, which I agreed to do.
In the evening, I went to the reception and informed the lady on duty about my decision not to stay any longer because of my ill health. She gave me two options either to apply for a refund or to leave and use the facility some other time, but that I must give two days’ notice, at least, to them. I agreed with the second option to use the hotel when next I visited Umuahia. I left about 6.00 am. so I could catch my flight back to Abuja.
On Saturday, 31st of May 2025, I put a call through to the hotel management to inform them that I would be arriving in Umuahia on Friday 6th of June 2025 and I would like to use the room I had paid for months ago. A lady picked up the call and placed me on hold so she could verify my claim. After some minutes, she said she had seen my booking on the 6th December 2024, that I could come and use the facility when I arrived in Umuahia on the said 6th of June, but she would have to clear with her manager.
I arrived at the hotel about 6 pm. and went straight to the reception. I explained to the lady who opened the system and confirmed my claim. She requested me to see the manager in 10 minutes.
After 20 minutes, I met the manager. He started apologising to me and said a client who was burying the mother booked all the rooms and they would not be able to give me accommodation anymore. While we were talking about it, about 4 coaster buses drove into the hotel. At that point the manager requested I apply for the refund of my money but because of the crowd that ran into the hotel and the need for me to go and get another accommodation for myself, I told the manager I would come back the next day and get my money back.
I went back to the hotel the next day to collect my money; they apologised to me once again and requested that I pay N22,000 in addition to the previous N28,000 to get a bigger room worth N50,000. I made the payment as advised. When I requested to have access to the room, the receptionist told me the room hadn’t been cleaned yet. She requested I drop my box with her at the reception, and when the room had been cleaned up, she would move my box to the room, I agreed. Shortly after that, I left the hotel for my village. About 4.00pm, I got a call from the manager of the hotel telling me that his MD said the room I paid for was kept for someone else. I told them they were not serious and cut off the call.
After about 10minutes, I got another call from the reception of the hotel again, informing me that they had restored my room.
I got back to the hotel about 6.00 pm. that day, only for them to deny me access to the facility, not minding the first and second payments I made to them.
While the manager was pleading with me to accept another accommodation in another hotel nearby, the MD appeared at the reception and accused me of making unfounded claims, saying that he believed I used up the accommodation I paid for when I lodged in December. In the course of argument that ensued, the so-called MD threatened to call his fellow touts to come and beat me up.
Up until now, they are still holding all the money paid to them even when I was denied access into the facility.
■ Udo Ogbu Umekwe is a staff member of National Assembly’s Directorate of Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Protocol, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
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