Regular visitors to Africa know that visitors of the Meridien group of inns can be certain not just of a warm welcome.

Regular visitors to Africa know that visitors of the Meridien group of inns can be certain not just of a warm welcome, impeccable service and comfortable rooms--but frequently more besides. Whether checking in at Douala or Dakar, Lagos or Lilongwe, a Meridien public-house is a byword for the extremely best of international hotel standards.

Hassan Ahdeb is the managing director for Meridien inns in Africa and the Indian Ocean, generally the largest international hotel operator forward the continent. A French citizen of Syrian origins,