Detty December Costs Push Visitors Back to Hotels in Lagos
Lagos is entering one of its busiest holiday seasons, but this year’s Detty December is coming with an unexpected twist. Travellers are walking away from short let apartments in large numbers, calling the prices unreasonable, ridiculous, and no longer worth the hassle.
Across Lekki, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi, short let operators have sharply increased rates ahead of the annual influx of diaspora visitors and holidaymakers. Instead of the usual surge in bookings, many Lagosians say they are choosing hotels, suggesting that the city’s once booming short let market may be overheating.
Rates Hit Unprecedented Levels
Multiple users on X shared screenshots and personal experiences showing prices as high as 700,000 naira per night for an ordinary one bedroom apartment in Lekki Phase 1.
Reality TV star Nina Ivy publicly criticized the spike, describing the listed prices as ridiculous and warning travellers to be cautious.
Another voice dominating the conversation is Leo DaSilva, who posted that Lagos could price itself out of Detty December. He added that the infrastructure and ease of movement are not enough to justify spending 9,000 dollars on a hotel for 11 days.
DaSilva also said that some VI and Ikoyi apartments are charging more than 9,000 dollars for 11 nights, predicting that hotels will attract more guests this year because many short let hosts have pushed their luck too far.
Travellers Shift Back to Hotels
For years, short lets have been the accommodation of choice during the December festivities, especially among the diaspora seeking privacy and spaces large enough for groups.
This season, hotel managers say they are seeing more early bookings than usual, with some reporting higher occupancy projections compared to last year.
Travellers who spoke online cited three main reasons for abandoning short lets this December:
Excessive price hikes without any improvement in quality
Security and service inconsistencies
Hotels offering better value once amenities like breakfast, daily cleaning, and customer support are included
One traveller wrote that they would rather book two hotel rooms than pay for a short let with unreliable power, no cleaning, and questionable security.
Infrastructure Concerns Intensify the Backlash
The backlash has also reopened conversations about whether Lagos offers the kind of infrastructure that justifies premium holiday pricing.
Frequent complaints include:
Long traffic delays that make December movement difficult
Unreliable power supply
Water and sanitation issues in some units
Lack of consistent standards across operators
As DaSilva noted, Lagos is not providing the ease and comfort that match the kind of money being demanded during the festive period.
Bottom Line
Detty December has always been Lagos’ biggest tourism and nightlife season, but this year, affordability is the headline story. With travellers openly rejecting inflated prices and choosing hotels instead, the 2025 holiday season may be remembered as the year the short let bubble finally met serious resistance.
If the current trend continues through mid December, Lagos may see a shift in its festive season accommodation landscape, one that rewards value, transparency, and consistent service.