Radisson Blu Buffet: Is The Magic Gone?

The Radisson Blu Hotel Ikeja, located in Ikeja GRA, is designed to stand out. They have no choice but to do so, partly because of the Radisson brand and because it is situated in an area of Lagos known for premium offerings and proximity to many similar competitors.

The first time I visited the hotel was over five years ago for a family retreat, and it was a lot of fun. The Kila Clan knows how to party; the hotel staff recognised an opportunity and earned tips by offering every possible extra treat in the private hall where we dined, knowing their clients would be generous. Champagne, wine, and cakes of all types were abundant to complement the delicious foodpure magic.

Since then, I have visited to host friends and family whenever possible until around early 2024, as work demands can cast a child aside like a stone.

This year, in March 2025, I returned to the Radisson Blu Hotel, specifically to the Iyeru Okin All Day Dining for the evening buffet. The occasion was a surprise birthday celebration for a Cambridge-based physician, organised by her enterprising husband with the conspiracy of friends and family. My fellow diners included friends and family of the celebrated, dazed doctor, her husband, and some CIAPS staff members.

This time, however, the magic was absent, and our experience was far from satisfactory. Despite the hotel’s renowned reputation, the dining experience fell short of expectations.

From the moment we arrived, the service was slow and inattentive. The staff appeared overwhelmed and indifferent, resulting in long waits and a noticeable lack of warmth. My personal and direct request to change the music in the hall to something more suitable for a dining room instead of the nightclub-like sound was met with an evasive OK. Ultimately, they did not change the music, and I took it upon myself to find out why. The reply was that the person with better songs was not around.

Although the restaurants ambience was clean and polished, it felt lacklustre and uncomfortably warm due to an air conditioning problem that diminished any potential dining enjoyment.

The menu, while promising variety, fell short in taste and presentation. Dishes arrived lukewarm and poorly seasoned, lacking the flair and authenticity one expects from a hotel of this calibre. Portions were meagre considering the high prices, leaving diners feeling short-changed. The staff seem to be rationing popular dishes and are only alert to making those they regard as taking too much food uncomfortable.

Considering the high prices, the overall quality did not justify the expense. The combination of inattentive service and subpar food quality turned the meal into a regrettable expenditure instead of a pleasant experience.

The Iyeru Okin All Day Dining I visited in March 2025 was a disappointing experience that fell short of the high standards typically associated with Radisson Blu Hotel. There was no magic whatsoever. Luckily, my fellow dinners were too happy to be distracted, and the focus was more on our conversations than the meal.

It is very possible that that day was a one-off and that the magic will return another time, and I hope so for them, but for now, my view is that Iyeru Okin needs significant improvements in service, food quality, and value. This experience has undoubtedly left me hesitant to return.

Join me @anthonykila, if you can, to continue these conversations.

Anthony Kila is an Institute Director at the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies. www.ciaps.org.