Whispering Palms Resort: [ Pictures and Honest Review]

Whispering Palms Resort [WPR] is a resort located at “Ajido Road, Aradagun Bus Stop, Off Lagos Badagry Express Way, Iworo 100101, Badagry, Lagos.”

WPR is one of the oldest resorts in Lagos, but what makes it interesting is the spectacular greenly environment at the place.

The environment shows off nature in a way that you are guaranteed to be impressed with.

In fact,

WPR can become one of the best places to visit in Nigeria.

But while WPR has a spectacular greenly environment, and while it also has the potential of being one of the best resorts in the whole of Nigeria, you probably won’t enjoy your stay there, as the resort has a lot of issues.

 

The paragraphs above summarize what Whispering Palms Resort is about. But if you’ll like to know some other details, including their current drawbacks, Kindly keep reading.

 

Getting in and parking your car

Whispering Palms Resort is a resort open to both —

(i) the people who just want to come to spend the day at the resort; and

(ii) the people who’ll further like to pass their nights there as well.

 

For those who’ll be spending just the day there [experiencing the great environment and also having fun], entrance fees are required.

For babies and kids,

The entrance fee is N1,000 per baby/kid, but for adults, the fee is N1,500 per adult.

Note that,

You may come across some other sources naming lesser entrance fees. These other sources aren’t necessarily lying, it’s just that the entrance fees have been increased of recent.

As regards whether there are price changes on special days [e.g. Christmas], I can’t provide an accurate answer to this; the fee collectors responded to my question about this in ways that make me find it hard to believe their words; not only did they change their words about it, they also sounded unsure.

But to be on the safer side, it’ll be better to prepare 2x the entrance fee you’ll ordinarily have to pay.

 

As regards parking space, Whispering Palms Resort is a big place, it spans across 8 acres of land, so you’ll easily find a good parking space.

I should also add that, parking requires no parking fee. Whether you’re visiting just during the day or whether you’ll be passing the night as well, there’s no need bothering yourself about parking fee.

 

 

Fun activities and facilities

Swimming pool

Swimming is one of the activities available at Whispering Palms Resort.

The resort has a quite big swimming pool.

The pool used to be in good conditions in the past, but these days, I can’t say it’s still safe to swim in it.

I should add that,

I’ve also stopped seeing lifeguards around.

This means that,

If there is ever a case of someone drowning, there may be no one to save them.

 

Bicycle riding

Bicycle riding is another activity you’ll find at Whispering Palms.

This activity involves driving a 4-wheeled bicycle which has two steering wheel [one for the main driver and the other for the assistant driver].

Bicycle riding can be of great fun, if you’re more than one, and I think it’s one of those activities you should consider, during your visit.

A single bicycle has up to 4 seats, and the cost of this activity is N500 per person, per ride.

And as regards the availability status of this activity, it is one of those few activities that are still available as of the year 2020.

 

Basketball

If you’re a fan of the basketball game and love to play it, engaging in it is also possible at WPR.

The resort has a basketball court.

But just like most other facilities at the place, the court is not in great condition.

However,

If you don’t mind the defects the court has, you should be able to catch some fun playing in it.

I should further add that, if you’ll really like to play this game, consider bringing along your own ball; there is no assurance of having a ball provided to you by the resort.

Basketball is a free activity at Whispering Palms Resort, so you don’t need to budget any money for this.

 

Volleyball

Volleyball is another activity you’ll find at WPR.

The resort has a playing area for this game.

But just like most other facilities, the playing area isn’t in the best condition possible.

However,

The playing area can still be managed.

And just like in the case of basketball, you’ll have to come along with a ball, if you’ll really love to enjoy this activity.

Volleyball is also a free activity.

 

Boat riding

Boat riding is a fun activity, especially when engaged in as a group.

If you’ve never tried it out, you may not understand how fun it can be, but I can assure that, you won’t regret it.

Good enough,

Boat riding is one of those activities available at Whispering Palms. So during your visit to WPR, it should be one of those you’ll consider.

However,

I must warn that, there’s no assurance that you’ll find any boat in a good working condition. So don’t be surprised if you’re told that no boat is available on the day of your visit.

 

Mini zoo

Yes,

Whispering Palms Resort has a mini zoo in it.

Although,

It isn’t as exciting as it used to be in the past; the mini zoo not only contains just a small number of animals, the animals also seem neglected.

At the mini zoo,

You’ll find animals like crocodiles, monkeys, donkeys, rabbits, etc.

However,

I must mention that, the donkey at the resort can be a very funny animal, and that may cheer you up a bit about the zoo.

 

Football

Football is of course among the activities available at Whispering Palms Resort.

The resort features a pitch where you can have a great football match.

The field is far from being one of the best I’ve seen in Lagos, but as a Nigerian who has played on bare sands, this shouldn’t matter much to you.

At WPR,

Engaging in football is a free activity, so there’s no need to budget any money for this.

 

Museum

WPR further has a museum.

So during your visit,

One of the things you can do, is to check out the museum.

The museum contains items showing off the history of Lagos, especially in relation to the slave trade history of Badagry.

But like many facilities at the resort, the museum isn’t that impressive.

I believe the museum has the potential of being a very interesting place, but for now, it is nothing special.

Checking out the museum comes at no cost.

Once you pay the entrance fee or get any of the accommodations available at WPR, you automatically get access privilege to the museum.

 

Gym

For those who prefer things like gymnastic activities, I’m glad to mention that, this also won’t be a problem.

WPR has a gym where you can engage in a wide range of gymnastic activities.

But unlike most other facilities at the place, the gym is somewhat in a good condition.

Using the gym at WPR comes at no additional cost, so there’s no need to budget some money for it.

 

Foods and drinks

Whispering Palms Resort features a restaurant on its premises.

So it’s possible to get some foods and drinks at the place.

They are quite hygienic at the restaurant, and I’ve never had any stomach upset from eating their foods.

And when it comes to how delicious their foods are, I will applaud the resort in this aspect.

However,

Everything isn’t glorious about their restaurant.

They may be preparing hygienic and delicious food, but these foods come at very expensive prices.

Also,

Another problem is that when you order a food, getting it to you may take a long time.

 

For those who wonder whether it’s allowed to bring in foods and drinks from outside, the answer is “Yes”.

In fact,

You don’t have to pay any corkage fee to do so.

 

Accommodation types

The classic room — N15,000

To pass a night at Whispering Palms Resort, you’ll need an accommodation.

And the classic room, which is the most basic accommodation type at the place, is something you can consider.

This accommodation type is meant for those who wish to spend the lowest amount possible on accommodation.

As regards how many people are expected to occupy a room of this type, a maximum of 2 adults and 2 kids [below 12 years] are allowed to occupy a single classic room.

 

The palm-view deluxe — N35,000

The palm-view deluxe is the more impressive accommodations, after the classic room.

This accommodation type is meant for the people who find the classic room too simple.

These accommodations not only feature more luxurious items in them, they also feature additional facilities to make your stay more comfortable.

A single palm-view deluxe is also expected to be occupied by a maximum of 2 adults and 2 kids [below 12 years].

 

The executive room — N40,000

In terms of size, luxury, and facilities, the palm-view deluxe and the executive room are very similar; the only major difference between them is that, the executive room has some little additional features.

Also,

Just like the two other accommodation types mentioned above, this room is meant for a maximum of 2 adults and 2 kids [below 12 years].

 

The Master Villa apartment — N150,000

If there are going to be many of you coming [up to 8 adults and 8 kids] and you’ll like to stay together in clustered accommodations as nice as the executive rooms, the Mater Villa apartment is for you.

This accommodation type features 4 rooms that are similar to the executive room.

There are only 10 Master Villa apartments available, and what you need to get one is N150,000.

 

More things worth knowing

Power supply is guaranteed only between 6 pm and 10 am

While the additional info provided above may seem like all the additional info you need about Whispering Palms Resort, there is still a lot more worthwhile knowing, before ever making a decision about going there. And one of these additional things to know has to do with power supply.

At WPR,

There isn’t 24 hours of power supply.

The time you can expect power supply is between the hours of 6 pm and 10 am.

However,

If power is supplied by the public grid, outside this period [6 pm — 10 am], you can also expect power supply during that period.

 

Even though I stated that, between 6 pm and 10 am is when you can always expect power supply, this doesn’t mean there won’t be some occasions when the resort will fail to provide power between this period as well.

In short,

Before deciding to pass a night at WPR [at least for now], be sure a total absence of power supply won’t be a problem for you.

 

The accommodations are generally in poor conditions

If you pay a visit to WPR’s official website, you’ll see pictures of nice rooms.

Well,

Those pictures aren’t fake, it’s just that those pictures were taken long ago.

As of December of the year 2020, the accommodations at WPR are generally in poor conditions.

Not only do the rooms now look old, also the chairs and bed look dated.

Furthermore,

The TVs are CRT TVs, not LCD TVs; in fact, not all the TVs work.

I should further mention that it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the AC in your room isn’t working.

 

Your accommodation may not be properly cleaned

The fact that the accommodations at WPR need upgrades isn’t the only problem with them.

Another serious problem also worthwhile of mentioning is that, the room you’re assigned to may not be properly cleaned.

The bedsheets are usually clean, but don’t be surprised if the floor, furniture, appliances, etc all seem like your accommodation has been dusty for months and it was only cleaned 30 minutes before your arrival.

In fact,

I should add that I have seen people leave the resort due to how poorly cleaned their accommodations were.

 

You may spot cockroaches and rats in your room

On one of my visits to Whispering Palms Resort, I was assigned to a room where cockroaches and rats came to join me when it got dark.

I don’t know how they sneaked in.

When I called one of the staff’s attention to this, he didn’t seem surprised or that concerned.

Rather,

He had this kind of expression that says, “There’s nothing new about this.”, although he later showed me to a new room where I didn’t have to welcome cockroaches and rats as my roommates.

 

Only Airtel and MTN networks are available

If you’re the kind who has to be reachable over the phone, 24/7, be aware that the network signals are poor at Whispering Palm Resort.

At this resort,

Only Airtel and MTN are available.

Glo’s network signal only pays a 4-seconds visit and comes back whenever it feels like.

As for 9mobile,

The signal of this operator has never even crossed that area.

As regards personal internet access, Airtel, MTN, and Smiles are those whose availability I know of.

 

WPR is located in the middle of nowhere

When coming to Whispering Palms Resort for the first time, a lot of people think they’re coming to an area filled with many other houses, offices, etc.

But this can’t be further from the truth. WPR is rather located in the middle of nowhere.

It’s like having a resort in the middle of an uninhabited area.

However,

I don’t necessarily consider this a bad thing. I just feel it’s worthwhile being aware of this, before setting out on your journey to the place.

 

The staffs are polite but very clueless

The staffs at Whispering Palms Resort are very polite.

In fact,

I’m yet to find a single person who can say they’ve ever been rude to them.

But this doesn’t mean I’ll consider them professional.

When it comes to being helpful, a vast majority of the staffs are clueless, especially those at the reception.

 

The road to WPR is terrible

The road leading to Whispering Palms Resort is a very terrible road.

Because of the road,

A journey that should ordinarily take about 2 hours 30 minutes do take 4 hours or more.

So before coming to WPR, prepare yourself for a rough journey.

This also means that,

If you have the option of coming with a standard car or an SUV, it’ll be much better to come with an SUV.

And when I say the road is bad, I’m talking about the condition as of December of the year 2020.

 

Consider coming by water, if possible

While most people who visit WPR by road, I’ve also heard it’s possible to come by water.

I haven’t been able to confirm this, but I feel I should at least mention it, just in case it’s true.

However,

If this is true, there is a catch — coming by water will be more expensive.

But if you can afford this cost, you should prefer it, as a water journey will be much less stressful.

As for those who wonder how safe a boat ride is, let me assure you that there’s nothing to worry about.

There are safety protocols in place to ensure that people’s lives are taken very seriously.

 

Dubious entrance fee collectors

While the statement I made earlier about “WPR’s staffs being polite” is true, the men collecting the entrance fees at the gate, can be dubious.

So when dealing with these men, you have to be very attentive and strict.

 

The intercoms do not work

Another thing worthwhile informing my readers about, is the state of the intercoms at Whispering Palms.

The intercoms at this resort are not functional.

This means that,

If you need anything, you’ll have to come out of your room and walk down to the reception.

The worst part is,

At times, you may not quickly find the appropriate person to attend to you, so you’ll have to start looking about the resort, before you finally find them.

 

Security is quite okay now

Despite the fact that Whispering Palms Resort is located in the middle of nowhere, the security at the place used to be a joke.

But of recent,

The management has made some improvements to the security, which is of course a good thing.

In short,

If you hear someone saying the place has a terrible security, the person is likely someone who hasn’t been there of recent.

 

Bring along your toiletries

When staying at a resort or hotel, it is a normal thing for you to get provided the basic toiletries you’ll need.

But unfortunately,

At WPR, this is not always the case.

There are times when you’ll be provided with those things, but you can rely on them not to disappoint and tell you those things are not available.

In short,

If you’ll like to visit the resort, consider coming with all the toiletries you’ll need.

In fact,

Come with things as simple as detergent, to avoid surprises.

 

Pets are not allowed

For the people who travel around with their pets, I think it’s worthwhile mentioning that pets are not allowed into Whispering Palms Resort.

It doesn’t matter if your pet is a small and harmless animal, it won’t be allowed.

However,

One thing I don’t know is whether guide dogs will be allowed in, but I strongly doubt it.

 

No Wi-Fi is available

One last thing I find worthwhile mention is that Wi-Fi is not available at Whispering Palms.

It doesn’t matter if you pay N150,000 for accommodation, you shouldn’t expect Wi-Fi.

In other words,

If you’ll like to make use of the internet during your stay, personally make plans for your internet access.

And like I mentioned above, Airtel, MTN, and Smiles are the internet access providers I’ve been able to confirm their presence at the WPR; so consider buying your internet access from any of these 3 entities.

 

Contact details

Whispering Palms Resort is located at “Ajido Road, Aradagun Bus Stop, Off Lagos Badagry Express Way, Iworo 100101, Badagry, Lagos”.

And to speak to someone at the resort, consider calling — +234-703-798-6284.

As for their official website, you can find it at — WhisperingPalmsLagos.com.

The beach also has an email address [booking@WhisperingPalmsLagos.com], but I won’t recommend sending an email, if you want your mail to be seen.

 

Closing

Whispering Palm Resort used to a great place in the past, just like La Manga.

In fact,

It has the potential to become one of the best resorts in the whole of Nigeria.

But as for January 1, 2021, this resort is in a poor state.

So until things change for the better, you may want to put WPR aside.