Must-see hotels in Ethiopia

  • Limalimo Lodge

    Simien Mountains National Park

    Now here's something really special – one of the best places to stay in Ethiopia. The location is the best in the Simiens, with incredible views from the…

  • Bale Mountain Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    What a find! This exquisite lodge, a favourite with nature lovers, is set in the Harenna Forest at an altitude of 2400m. It features three well…

  • Doho Lodge

    Eastern Ethiopia

    If you’re looking to rehabilitate your travel-worn body and mind, a surprisingly relaxing retreat is this small lodge just outside the northeast park…

  • Itegue Taitu Hotel

    Addis Ababa

    Appear in the dream of an empress! Built at the whim of Empress Taitu in 1907, and nearly burned down in 2015 (most of the rooms survived), this is the…

  • Buska Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    By far the best place to stay in the Lower Omo Valley, Buska has well-built, stone-and-thatch green tukuls and rooms amid plenty of trees and flowers. It…

  • Aregash Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    The only thing of interest in Yirgalem (ይርጋለም), Aregash Lodge is one of Ethiopia’s most lauded lodges. The 16 Sidamo-inspired thatched huts are rustically…

  • Kanta Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Kanta Lodge is a friendly, comfortable place with lovely valley views and two types of rooms. The tightly packed tukuls are simply designed but…

  • Tim & Kim Village

    Northern Ethiopia

    Just over the hill west of Gorgora, this Dutch-run spot is in an idyllic lakeside valley. The six solar-powered thatch-and-stone cottages are cosy and the…

  • Hotel Maribela

    Lalibela

    Of all the hotels lined up along the ridges that face out over the valleys and mountains, this is the one we like best. With just 15 rooms, it has a more…

  • La Source Guest House

    Addis Ababa

    Finally, Addis has produced a guesthouse with style. It’s sparkling clean, with constant hot water, and even has that rare thing – character in abundance…

  • Sheraton Hotel

    Addis Ababa

    One of Africa’s elite hotels, the Sheraton has long been the standard bearer for luxury accommodation in the capital. Its rooms are uber-luxurious and its…

  • Asham Africa

    Eastern Ethiopia

    This boutique-style venture is the epitome of a relaxing cocoon, with 32 opulent, oversized rooms named after different African countries. All overlook…

  • Haile Resort

    Southern Ethiopia

    A project of famed distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, this lakeside place on the Addis-side of town is a tasteful, art-filled international-standard…

  • Arequ Guest House

    Addis Ababa

    With a real family feel that we found nowhere else in town, Arequ comes heartily recommended. It's like staying in someone's home, with lovely, warmly…

  • Old Abyssinia Lodge

    Lalibela

    There were just three tukul-style rooms here when we visited, but they certainly caught our eye. Stunning wood furnishings, many with intricately carved…

  • Addissinia Hotel

    Addis Ababa

    Getting consistently good reviews from travellers both for service and room quality, the Addissinia is one of the best deals in town. The corner deluxe…

  • Agoro Lodge

    Northern Ethiopia

    Easily Adigrat's best place to stay, Agoro Lodge sits high on a hill 4km south of town. The rooms and public areas are built of sandstone and are large…

  • Stay Easy

    Addis Ababa

    With its minimalist, modern design, this budget business-class hotel is hands down the best place to stay in Addis in this price bracket. It has art on…

  • Caravan Hotel

    Addis Ababa

    Travellers rave about this place for its friendly service, good rooms, strong wi-fi and all-round excellence. The carpeted rooms are far classier than you…

  • Gozamen Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    Easily Debre Markos' best, this newish hotel has large, immaculate rooms that still look as new as when they opened in 2014. Windows in some of the rooms…

  • Tsehay Dorze Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Perched on the edge of a cliff peacefully away from any village, this lodge boasts a sensational setting. It comprises four well-equipped new huts with…

  • Sabana Beach Resort

    Southern Ethiopia

    Occupying an elevated position with oh-my-god views over the lake, this sprawling property sets the standard for Langano. The modern bathrooms, refined…

  • Zion Train Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Behind the gates here hides a good surprise. Run by a French Rastafarian family, this haven of peace shelters three large Sidamo-style huts as well as…

  • Haile Resort

    Southern Ethiopia

    Popular with weekending families, this well-managed resort is widely praised for its attractive setting – in large manicured gardens that open onto a…

  • Delight Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    This supercentral multistorey abode is regarded as the best option in Dilla. It is well arranged and has tidy rooms filled with light. Freshen up in the…

  • Mekonen Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Dorze’s original lodge is set in an attractive family compound in Hayzo village, making it ideal for those looking for cultural immersion. The 15 huts are…

  • Pension Everlasting

    Simien Mountains National Park

    Our pick of the budget options in Debark, Pension Everlasting has a friendly English-speaking owner and a fine little restaurant where mostly local,…

  • Sona Hotel

    Simien Mountains National Park

    With undoubtedly the best rooms in Debark, Sona Hotel is a good choice. It has a bar, probably the town's best restaurant (mains Birr80 to Birr120) and…

  • Hawassa Lakeview Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    The Lakeside has a professional air to it, with good, modern, business-standard rooms, all with balconies and great lake views. The wi-fi works most of…

  • Simien Lodge

    Simien Mountains National Park

    At 3260m this is Africa’s highest hotel. The thatch-and-stone tukuls are large and comfy, although many travellers feel they don’t get nearly enough for…

  • Lalibela Hudad

    Lalibela

    This peaceful ecolodge in the hills above Lalibela (five hours by foot: many people use mules, and it's possible to drive to within an hour's walk) has…

  • Bishangari Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Hyped as Ethiopia's first ecolodge when it opened in 1997, Bishangari has nine beautiful godjos (bungalows), nestled privately along the lake's…

  • Radisson Blu

    Addis Ababa

    One of the top hotels in town, the Radisson lacks the Sheraton's scale but it's still one place we never hear a bad word about. Rooms are large and…

  • GT Guesthouse

    Addis Ababa

    It may be way out in the west of Addis and not really close to much, but GT is a terrific place to stay. Lee is a memorable host and the rooms are…

  • Tukul Village Hotel

    Lalibela

    The prices here haven't risen in years and that makes them even better value. While many tukul-rooms in Ethiopian hotels are dark, here they're filled…

  • Sora Lodge Lalibela

    Lalibela

    A friendly place out on the tip of one of Lalibela's many ridges, Sora Lodge has a modern main building with tidy rooms and sweeping views from the upper…

  • Bow Hotel B&B

    Addis Ababa

    Rooms here are nothing to write home about, but this place has that certain something that travellers can't get enough of. In short, it's a combination…

  • Capital Hotel & Spa

    Addis Ababa

    Vying for the title of Addis' best top-end hotel, the Capital is a classy establishment with a soothing wellness spa, good restaurants and stylish rooms…

  • Awra Amba Guesthouse

    Northern Ethiopia

    Awra Amba's simple guesthouse (earthen walls, sheet-metal doors and a bathroom out back) has about the cleanest shoestring lodging you’ll ever see. Be…

  • Eco-Omo Safari Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Jinka’s fanciest (though least friendly) address is 4km out of town on the road to Mago. Simple safari tents on thatched-roof platforms are in a large…

More destinations you need to see