Hi everyone,
The Sheraton has allowed camping in their grounds for many years now - the cost was 500 niara per person per night and you had to pay a non refundable FIVE night 'deposit'. Not fair but ok.
New management took over one week ago and the prices have gone up.
BE WARNED - the cost is now 5000 niara ( 23 euro's) per person per night!!!! And the 5 night deposit still stands!!
Our jaws hit the floor. We asked to see the manager and the fitness suite manager arrived ( he is in charge of the campers). He yawned and basically said ' That's the price and it is non negotiable.'
The security manager was so embarrased by his manner that he went in private to speak to management to ask them to consider dropping the 5 night deposit. They did.
You now park in a open grass area near the tennis courts - better than the compound with the mad dogs. But the gardener burns tyres on the tree stumps right by your vehicle!!!
Get your Ghana visa and get all your visa's there - only Cameroon left and you can get that in Calabar instead of facing the miserable cow in the embassy in Abuja.
Cheers!

Sheraton has been a problem since 2012, they just don't like overlanders. And just buy the miserable cow at the Camerounian embassy some fruit juice, she'll purr like a kitten. I'm now in your spot at the sleeping camel, haha, much better than the sheraton.
Cheers, Tony

www.tony-sierraleone.blogspot.com

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http://tony-ontheroad.blogspot.com/

Last year i did not need to go to the capital, but if i did, i was in contact with the manager of this hotel
Agura Hotel Abuja Nigeria
he said to me that his hotel is very close to the sheraton and i could park up and camp for free....
its worth a try to contact the manager
i have not tryed it , but in his emails he was friendly

I stayed there in 2010 on my way and down and they had just introduced the 5 day stay with no deposit and …. wait for it.. the reason.. because Overlanders had abused the system.

So I suppose it was always going to happen and to be honest if I was the manager of that hotel what gain would I get from allowing a handful of overlanders to park of the ground next to the hotel? No doubt someone has done something one too many times and they have hiked up the prices to get people not to stay.

Hopefully there will be an alternative for everyone..

Shame. One West Coast hotelier with many overlanders coming through said the "quality" of overlanders had gone down in the last 5-10 years. I think he mean't they were less prepared, less researched and more self interested than previously. Maybe the ones who are impressed by Charlie Boorman? ;-p

Jacking up the price is usually an attempt to weed out trouble makers, attract a better class of people.

When I was there there was up to 14 of us and we provided entertainment for the expats who live full-time in the hotel - one guy had been there for 6 years! We worked hard to be good guests and thank the manager for a wonderful gesture. I'm sure most are like this, but it only takes a few as usual...

How about this:
Everybody who wants to email me 3 full sized pictures of your trip:
1. Of you camping at the Sheraton (else camping somewhere else
2. The other two of you and your bike/vehicle in Africa - doing something good for Africa.
Along with what detail you want: Name, month at the Sheraton, trip details.

I'll whack them into a Blurb book and post it to the Sheraton Manager with a letter saying thanks for all of the years of support for vulnerable overlanders etc etc. Need at least 20 to make it a nice book and effective I think?
Emails to dj {at} roamingyak /dotty/ org

Hey Tony!
Is syncro still with you and biting ankles? ha ha
In Cameroon now - very hot and sweaty.....
What are you still doing in Mali?
Say hi to Matt from us. Will send him a email with visa info to share with other folks.
xxxx

:confused1:



Good so!