Lobby Bar at Transcorp Hilton

The Lobby Bar at the Transcorp Hilton is one of Abuja's classic places for a drink. Set in the lobby of the city's best-known hotel on Aguiyi Ironsi Street in Maitama, it is styled as a premium whisky and cigar lounge, and it has a steady flow of hotel guests, business people and locals meeting for a drink after work.

Drinks are the focus. The bar offers a selection of fine whiskies, cocktails and a curated range of cigars, making it a good place for an unhurried evening rather than a party. Live music plays every day, often jazz, which gives the room a relaxed, grown-up atmosphere that suits conversation.

If you want something different, the hotel has several other bars and lounges. Capital Bar is a contemporary sports bar with low lighting and live music, the Piano Lounge has a pianist in the evenings and light bites, and the thatched Fulani Pool Bar serves barbecue beside the pool. Moving between them is an easy way to spend an evening without leaving the hotel.

The Lobby Bar suits business travellers, couples and anyone who prefers a calm drink to a crowded club. Prices are at hotel-bar levels, at the top end of the Abuja market. Dress smart casual, and expect security checks at the hotel entrance, as at most large hotels in the city. Valet parking is available at the hotel for a fee.

Light bites are available in the hotel's other lounges, such as wings, burgers and sandwiches at the Piano Lounge, and spring rolls, chicken wings and gourmet burgers at Capital Bar, so you can eat without sitting down to a full dinner. For a quieter drink, go early in the evening on a weekday, as big conferences can bring large groups to the lobby.

The hotel is in Maitama, close to Millennium Park and a short drive from the restaurants and nightlife of Wuse 2. Pair a drink here with dinner at one of the hotel restaurants or at a Wuse 2 restaurant such as Marks at the Park, and use a taxi or ride-hailing car to get back to your hotel.