Located along Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, Ogere Resort’s high quality facilities and natural ambiance provide an excellent recreational experience.
By Sarah Dossa
Do you know what happens when you overwork and feel demotivated from working or doing anything? The feeling is almost inexplicable. You have to work, but the creativity, spirit, and motivation to do that just aren’t there. That’s exactly how I felt for weeks, and I just needed a break. I eventually got what I wanted, and I just knew I didn’t want to spend my free time in my apartment. I needed a change of environment. I took out my phone and looked up nice places to chill and relax for the weekend. I found several options, but decided on the Ogere resort.
The pictures and reviews looked nice online, so I thought, why not? There was no way I was holidaying alone; I’d probably slowly die of boredom. So, I told my mum I needed some time to reflect and I will be going out of town. I dropped the address of my destination. I live in Ibadan, and the Ogere Resort to Ibadan is just about 65 km, about an hour and a half max, so there is no rush to leave the house.
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon when we set out to the place. The funny thing is, I had passed the resort several times whenever I traveled to Lagos, but I only noticed the place twice. That speaks to its less bubbly activities at the gate. But I guess that’s because of the idea and personality of the resort.
The Ogere Resort
Anyway, I arrived at the gate in great spirit, and the main entrance’s colours were not bad, but they weren’t “shouty” too, just calm and low-key. The gate opened, and the security guys directed us to the reception. One unique feature about this place is that every building and area has a particular Yoruba name. The reception, for example, is named Ore Ofe House, which I think was nice. The receptionist was nicer. She showed us the rates and terms and conditions while we waited for the tour guide. Bookings had to be made, but thankfully, there were free rooms, so I guess it was our lucky day.
The place looked empty while we were there; it’s either not the busy season, or they just don’t get many visitors. I didn’t bother myself much about that; I was just happy to get a room. The room rates differ depending on your preference. The superior rooms are ₦50, 000, Deluxe rooms ₦60,000, and suites for ₦75,000, breakfast included per person. The good thing is that they have discounted rates for groups, family, friends, or companies that are out for team bonding.
Experiencing Ogere Resort
The tour guide took longer than expected, so the receptionist did the honour of showing us around. The place is quite spacious and seems organised, with building names, signs, and clear directions to guide you. The serenity, the recreation areas, and the rooms were satisfying, so we got a room in Ajenifuja building.
I knew the first thing I wanted to do while touring the place. After dropping my bags in the room, I went under the shower for a warm bath, looked at myself in the full-length mirror, and promised myself I would relax and have fun. So, I dashed into the pool to “swim off” my stress.
The pool area is wide, with chairs to sit on. It has a barbecue grill, swings, and children’s play area. The gym and a poker table were in the same area, but my focus was on the water. We had a fun time in the water. A quick vacation tip here: holidaying with friends is more fun. Of course, solo trips are meaningful and relaxing, but if you want fun, you better go with someone. After the swim, we found our way to the restaurant to eat and retired for the day to post pictures and just settle in the holiday mode.
Exploring Ogere Resort
Yeah, breakfast in bed. What many people want, but of course, this is different. I had my breakfast on Saturday morning, and it felt good not having to make myself breakfast even for once in a long while. The breakfast wasn’t bad. It was too early to start with activities, so I spent most of the morning switching between watching the TV in the room and browsing the internet.
I am not exactly an athletic person, so I couldn’t really use many of the sports facilities available. I can’t run to save my life, I know nothing about basketball, and I’d rather just enjoy watching people do those stuff, but the place wasn’t so busy during my visit. I checked out the different buildings there: Foluso, Jaiyeola, Ajenifuja, Oyekanmi, Kikelomo, Solanke, and Abiola. I love how traditional the buildings are named; they’re not basic hotel rooms without names.
After walking around the basketball court and other sports facilities, which should be supposedly fun and bubbling with people doing different fun and team-building activities but was empty, I walked back to the room. I packed a bag containing my gym wear and swimming suit. I sweated it out at the gym for a few minutes, took a shower, and went into the pool to relax. Someone else joined me, maybe a guest. I stayed in the water for about an hour and returned to the room. I thought if I wasn’t getting any fun out of my room, I’d better create my own fun. I played music with loudspeakers, danced into the night with my friend, and screamed my lungs out to let out the stress since I was leaving the next morning and had to be in the best mood to get back to work immediately. After singing more romantic and sad songs, I hit the sack and had one of the most refreshing sleep.
Goodbye to Ogere Resort
I woke up the next morning in the best of moods feeling better. I knew I was ready to get back to work. I know I didn’t have a fun and bubbling weekend away from home, possibly because of the time I visited, but I feel refreshed. The whole relaxation thing boosted my mood, and I was glad I came. I went back to the reception and checked out. I left the resort and joined a moving bus back to Ibadan. I left refreshed, happy and work-ready. It was indeed a relaxing weekend well spent.
Ogere Resort is surely good for relaxation and reflection. The ambiance is soothing and natural. I can’t say much about fun since I didn’t experience that, but it’s perfect for family getaways, team building, meetings, conferences, and similar stuff. Sure, you should check it out!
Sarah Dossa, a creative and freelance writer, lives in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
