An Assessment of Sunlodge Hotel, Tesano

…As It Marks 40 Years of Existence in The Hospitality Industry

Life they say begins at 40. 40 years is a long time to do anything, but it is an especially long time to be in business. One of those big clichés that is always floating around is that 80 per cent of all new businesses fail within the first 18 months. This is especially true in the hospitality industry which takes a special combination of talent, vision and hard work to succeed. Sunlodge hotel prides itself as one of those businesses that beat the odds. Today, the founders, management and staff of this beautiful hotel take a look back at 40 years of Sunlodge history.
Over the past 40 years several new hotels have sprung up but without doubt a significant number of them have folded up. Many hotels which started with Sunlodge have failed, closed down and even gone into extinction. But, strengthened by their slogan “An Experience Worth Repeating”, Sunlodge has survived the test of time and is still one of the most sought-after hospitality icons in Ghana particularly in the mid-range to up-market bracket.
Forty years of running a competitive enterprise of such magnitude is worth commending and emulating. It is also heartwarming to note that Sunlodge Hotel Limited has gone through various stages of improvement from humble beginnings to its present stage and still evolving in response to the needs of modern day hospitality tourism in Ghana and beyond. The hotel would not have gotten this far without a strong commitment to environmentalism. While expanding the property was important, it was equally important to make sure that they were expanding in environmentally sound and socially responsible ways.

Strategically located inside the heart of Tesano, with its spacious environment and state-of-the-art facilities, Sunlodge Hotel has served the needs of its cherished clients by providing them with high quality and yet affordable services in terms of hotel room reservation, conferencing, banqueting and business center services among others.
It is worth noting that guests or travelers all over the world are no more interested only in the star-rating of hotels but also prefer where they can get superior service delivery. They also want value for money and Sunlodge Hotel is poised to meet guests’ needs and not only that but to go beyond that to ensure guests’ satisfaction.
Guests and tourists alike can savour the Ghanaian tradition and hospitality without compromising on the state-of-the-art conveniences. The Hotel has a friendly and dedicated team of staff, most of whom are very energetic men and women, who are always poised to provide the best hospitality services possible, while also allowing the guests and tourists to experience a taste of African culture and cuisine as part of a pleasant and wonderful stay.
Sunlodge hotel which was incorporated in August 1974 and issued with a certificate to commence business in September 1974 under the holding name Sunseekers Holidays Limited seeks to provide excellent service, value, and a superior hotel experience. It is therefore not surprising that Sunlodge Hotel, which was recognized recently by the Ghana Tourism Authority, is standing tall and rubbing shoulders with other acclaimed hotels in the country.
The journey of the hotel began when an Investment Banker (the late Mr. Richard Emmanuel Obeng-Ansong (a former Managing Director and Board Chairman of National Investment Bank), together with support from his wife – Mrs. Matilda Obeng-Ansong (the current Board Chairman) started this “unchartered journey into hospitality” – an area foreign to them as they were both bankers.
Mr. Obeng-Ansong identified the growing need for a comfortable facility for visitors to the city of Accra, Airline Crew and tourists. He successfully managed the initial eight rooms and later 12-Room facility and one Conference Room in addition to his main duties as a Banker until 1980 when he resigned from NIB to fully concentrate on his “hobby and pet project” of making Sunlodge Hotel a 1st Class facility as well as making Ghana a tourist destination.
During those days through hard work and striving for excellence, Sunlodge Hotel became the host hotel for some Airline crew such as KLM. This tourism dream of our founder did bear some dividends beyond Sunlodge and resulted in the opening of Novotel Hotel in 1988 (of which he was a Shareholder and the founding Board Chairman) and Sunseekers Tours, one of Ghana’s leading tour companies.
The dream to expand in the hospitality industry did not die with the demise of Mr. Obeng-Ansong who passed away some 14 years ago. He fully entrusted responsibility to a young and dynamic management led by Mr. Kwame Ansong, the present CEO. This breed of young managers, dared to push themselves and the small hotel to its limit to deliver the beautiful facility we see today; an infrastructure managed efficiently with courteous services actualizing its slogan; “An Experience Worth Repeating.”
Sunlodge hotel has evolved since the year 2000 and currently has 50 rooms; seven multi-purpose banqueting and meeting rooms; a restaurant, two bars and leisure facilities providing 3- 4 Star services. Today, by dint of hard work and perseverance, Sunlodge hotel has mastered the art and profession of the hospitality industry making one feel like their only guest. In the face of daunting challenges, they have been relentless and optimistic in bringing the vision to life.
The Group Deputy CEO of Sunlodge Hotel, Mrs. Jacquie Obeng-Ansong had this to say; “staying ahead of competitors and having a unique selling position has been extremely important to the ongoing success of the business. Customer service is critical to the success of this hotel. The hospitality industry is all about customer service. As we mark this milestone today, we assure our cherished customers that we are poised to position the hotel to become a leading brand in the hospitality industry in Ghana.”OR Dinner with a bottle of soft drink
• One coffee break
• Bottled mineral water and mints for participants at conference hall
• Flip chart Includes:
• Buffet lunch with a bottle of soft drink
• Buffet dinner with a bottle of soft drink
• Two coffee breaks
• Bottled mineral water and mints for participants at conference hall
• Flip chart and pad, markers, folders, notepads and pens
• Cost of conference hall and setup
• P. A .System with microphones with speakers
• Access to Buffet Lunch OR Dinner with a bottle of soft drink
• One coffee break
• Bottled mineral water and mints for participants at conference hall
• Flip chart and pad, markers, folders, notepads and pens
• Cost of conference hall and setup
• P. A .System with microphones with speakers