Bogobiri House

Bogobiri House is a small boutique hotel on Maitama Sule Street, just off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi, and one of the best-known meeting places for artists, musicians and writers in Lagos. It was completed in 2003 and is owned by Chike Joseph Nwagbogu and Tola Akerele. The hotel is spread over two buildings, each with guest rooms, and has around 16 rooms in total, so it feels more like a creative guesthouse than a conventional hotel.

The design is the main attraction. Furniture and fittings are made from locally sourced timber, straw, jute, stone and leather, rooms have touches such as bamboo bed frames, and African reliefs, patterns and artworks fill the walls, so guests often say the whole place feels like a gallery. There is also a dedicated art gallery that focuses on Nigerian artists, a small library and quiet corners for reading.

Bogobiri is also known for its live events. Open mic nights are held every Thursday in the space known as Nimbus, with jazz, highlife and neo-soul performers, and over the years the venue has hosted poetry evenings and concerts by established Nigerian musicians. The Bamboo Bar serves cocktails, and there is a restaurant for meals. If you are staying on a Thursday, expect music into the evening.

The hotel suits creative travellers, solo visitors and couples who prefer character and conversation to marble lobbies and big pools. It is not the place for full resort facilities, and rooms are simpler than in the luxury hotels nearby, but it offers good value for Ikoyi and a real sense of the Lagos arts scene. Earlier guest information mentions extras such as a daily continental breakfast and free bicycles; confirm current inclusions when you book.

Because it is small, Bogobiri House can fill up around major arts events and festive periods, so book early. Contact the hotel directly to confirm prices, what the rate includes and the programme for the week of your stay. Light sleepers may want to ask for a room away from the performance space on Thursdays.

Maitama Sule Street is about six minutes' walk from the Falomo Bridge jetty and a short distance from Muri Okunola Park. Awolowo Road's cafes, shops and restaurants are on the doorstep, and Victoria Island, the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge and Lagos Island are all a short ride away outside rush hour. Even if you stay elsewhere, it is worth coming for a Thursday open mic night.