Culled from Businessday
If you have been to the top of its mountains, drank from the springs at its valleys or even danced with the locals, Obudu Mountain Resort still has more to offer, says OBINNA EMELIKE. Yes, you may be wondering why Obudu when there are many other breathtaking destinations to visit, especially if you have been to the resort before.
Well, the free-fall of the naira that leaves exchange rate against major international currencies undesirable makes domestic destinations imperative at this time, especially as air tickets now leave big holes in the pocket. If you consider all these, and think of a place within your reach to escape to on holiday, Obudu Mountain Resort comes to mind. If you have been there before, all you need is to see the resort with new eyes, surrender yourself to the awesome nature within, and climb to the climax of leisure man and nature combine to offer at the resort.
The mild temperature, breathtaking sights, adrenalin-filled activities, world-class facilities, the locals, serenity of the environment are top among the reasons the resort has remained the foremost tourist attraction in Nigeria. However, a visit to the resort without an experience of its accommodation offerings is not complete. Apart from the Presidential Villa, the height of excitement at the resort is a stay at the Mountain Villas. Short of words to describe the experience he had while staying in one of the improved Mountain Villa rooms, Anthony Udeh, a corporate executive, said it is simply romance on the mountain. While there, he was woken by the rays of the rising sun behind towering mountain peaks, and had a mild peck on the chin by fresh and temperate weather while stretching his body at the balcony, and was excited by the warm greeting from the Villa staff eager to take his early morning orders. Of course, it is a world of luxury and romance in any of the 20 Mountain Villas (three-bedroom units with balcony) set atop the high plains in the Obudu Mountain Resort. Overlooking the Presidential Retreat, the Mountain Villas are designed to give best of comfort and luxury to those who cherish quality accommodation option and special treat on their stay on the Mountain Resort.
Suitable for all-purpose stay, the three-room-in-one Villa accommodation is fashioned like a kingly duplex that gives guests opportunity to carry everybody along. For a family on vacation, the couple can afford to stay at the upper room undisturbed while the children, relations or house-helps share the two rooms below. A children playground adjacent the villa also keeps children busy while parents get time to get intimate as much as they want. The all-purpose setting allows for opportunity to do personal things within the villa. With the kitchenette, guests who so desire can prepare something for themselves without looking the way of the resort’s restaurant. Of course, the stylish dining invites everybody to breakfast, lunch or dinner while the large lounge can be turned into excitement ground or even bar depending on the guests’ choice. Yet, the three bedrooms are evenly furnished and stuffed with facilities that keep guests hooked in them. From the rooms, the beautiful landscape around and far in the mountains, the well-paved streets, and most importantly, the closer cloud relax the nerves and set one in the mood for fun and adventure.
Depending on the time of the day, the cloud looks so close that you imagine you can touch it from the rooms. On getting outside the room, the near-temperate climate caresses your body in a steady rhythm. The fun is also beyond the villas. One good thing about the offering is that no matter how long one wants to stay, the resort has enough attractions and activities that will keep a guest busy for as long as he/she can take. As a guest of the Mountain Villa, you have access to facilities, such as the cable car, canopy walk, the nine-hole golf course, lawn tennis courts, the spa and gym, without additional cost except on special request. Telecommunication network is strong on the mountain for communication. Guests who want something beyond calls can always take advantage of the complimentary internet service to connect to the globe. However, each of the Mountain Villas goes for N75, 000 per night, but the longer a guest stays, the less he pays – a gesture to appreciate the patronage. Also, breakfast, lunch and dinner are from N3, 000-N3, 500 per meal, while bar menu and light meals are available from N600.
Access to the resort is no longer an issue as many airlines now fly into Margaret Ekpo International Airport Calabar from where special cabs operated by Remlords Tours and other registered companies move on an appreciable speed to the four-hour journey to the resort. There is also a helipad few metres away from the Mountain Villas, while Bebi Airstrip offers safe landing and takeoff for small airplanes carrying visitors to the resort. It is shorter to driving from Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Abuja (about six hours), than from Lagos. So, keep a date with the resort, and most importantly, see the offerings with ‘new eyes’.
