Business, 5-star or deluxe hotels of U.S. or European standard should not be expected, however. Accommodation reservations must be made well in advance. Hotels demand an advance cash deposit at the time of booking for the entire period being reserved. Some hotels require a deposit to cover meals as well. Air conditioning and hot water are often a problem in hotels, in addition to the frequent breakdown of elevators.
Few hotels have working smoke detectors, and emergency exits are often sealed.
Telephone service is erratic, often making contact even within the hotel difficult, as well as creating obstacles to confirming or changing onward reservations. Room laundry service is usually offered. The Central Bank of Nigeria has embarked on strict enforcement of directives that foreign visitors to Nigeria must pay for hotel accommodations in foreign currency. Transportation Taxi service is available in Lagos and most other urban areas, but cabs are not recommended as they are old, often unreliable, and occasionally unsafe. If taxis are used, fares should be negotiated in advance, particularly to and from airports.