Must-see hotels in Northern Ethiopia

  • Bahre Negash International Resort

    Northern Ethiopia

    High on a hill overlooking the city at the entrance to town as you're coming from Gonder, the Bahre Negash has fine views from its city-facing rooms –…

  • Selam Guest House

    Lalibela

    An all-round good deal in the centre of town, this place has recently built an entirely new wing and the rooms are spick and span and really rather good…

  • Atse Yohannes Hotel

    Mekele

    Not so much renovated as given a complete makeover, the Atsey Yohannes has excellent rooms overlooking one of the main roundabouts in town. The white…

  • Axum Hotel

    Mekele

    The hotel of choice for many tour groups and certainly the best that straddles midrange and top-end price categories, Axum has a professional air, with…

  • Lodge Fasil

    Gonder

    A stone’s throw from the Royal Enclosure’s exit, this well-run place features eager staff and spotless rooms with satellite TV that are set back from…

  • Cliff Edge Hotel

    Lalibela

    This is one of the better deals among the places lined up along the edge of the ridge, with fine views and nicely decorated rooms – the traditional…

  • Zozamba Hotel

    Gonder

    Between the piazza and Debre Berhan Selassie, this quiet, newish hotel is excellent value – the rooms are tidy and large enough to put your backpack down…

  • Blue Nile Hotel

    Bahir Dar

    Filling a niche between the real budget cheapies and pricier midrange options, the Blue Nile (not to be confused with the waterfront behemoth of similar…

  • Yordanos Hotel

    Mekele

    You’ll find decent midrange value at this central hotel that features some clever Tigrinyan decoration, although it's a little overdone in the reception…

  • Befiker Kossoye Ecology Lodge

    Wunenia & Kosoye

    This lodge at Kosoye is a fine hideaway, though rooms are much simpler than you'd expect at these prices. Three-course set lunch or dinner (Birr150) in…

  • Tsego Gebre Gergis Pension

    Rock-hewn Churches of Tigray

    One of Hawzien's better cheapies, this pension sits around a concrete courtyard and has tidy and large rooms. They're building a further storey so there…

  • Campsite

    Northern Ethiopia

    At this basic camping area out in the wild there are two campsites with no facilities. As long as you're self-sufficient in everything from food and water…

  • Sabean International Hotel

    Aksum

    The rooms at this new place are among Aksum's best: wooden floors, decent bathrooms and pretty good service. The walls are a tad thin and you've a right…

  • Qualiber Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    Exceptionally clean and well cared for, Qualiber defies the norm for older hotels. We can’t quite call it cosy, but this whitewashed spot on a quiet…

  • Tilik Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    This place paints a fairly unimpressive picture from the outside, but don't be deterred. All rooms have mini-fridges, satellite TVs, little balconies,…

  • Remhai Hotel

    Aksum

    The rooms here are fairly standard Ethiopian midrange fare – large, comfortable, a few questionable choices when it comes to furnishings and otherwise…

  • Debre Amo Guest House

    Mekele

    Although it's a bit out on a limb, this place has excellent rooms that punch well above their midrange weight. The look is modern and immaculate, although…

  • Lalibela Hotel

    Lalibela

    Nothing to write home about, but you won't mind being here while you do so. The rooms are simple but very reasonable for the price and the setting, just…

  • Hotel Melbourne

    Northern Ethiopia

    Dessie's best midrange hotel has well-appointed rooms (ask for one at the back to avoid the considerable street noise), a good restaurant and decent…

  • Consolar International Hotel

    Aksum

    This six-storey tower at the Adwa end of town has big rooms that can seem a little cavernous. They're a touch overpriced, but they're still comfortable.

  • Hikma Pension

    Northern Ethiopia

    This simple spot on the town's top traffic circle (where the road to Bati enters town) has good rooms on the top (2nd) floor, but the rest are cramped,…

  • Sunny Side Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    It takes some chutzpah to let your hotel decay over the years and still boldly raise your prices. This once-appealing hotel is overpriced, not always…

  • Gorgora Port Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    An old, rather than historic, hotel with a range of rooms, but all except Mengistu’s old cottage are tired and the epitome of government-hotel neglect…

  • Asheton Hotel

    Lalibela

    This classic budget-traveller haunt offers older whitewashed rooms – don't be fooled by the intricately carved doorways as what lies within is far simpler…

  • Menen Hotel

    Bahir Dar

    A reasonable place very near the bus station that offers clean rooms, fair value and offhand service. It's ideal if you've an early morning departure from…

  • Simien Park Hotel

    Simien Mountains National Park

    About 1km north of park headquarters, this is one of Debark's more popular hotels, but that has more to do with a lack of choice than any innate quality…

  • Damat Pension

    Aksum

    With probably the best budget rooms in Aksum, Damat does have a few drawbacks – it's over in the new town, quite a distance from the main attractions, and…

  • Logo Haik Lodge

    Northern Ethiopia

    The bungalows here, near where the road down from the village ends at the lake, are actually rather nice. But the restaurant is a fair walk away along the…

  • L-Shape Hotel

    Gonder

    Rooms here are in better shape than the hallways would lead you to believe and they're a reasonable in-town choice, especially if you score a room with a…

  • Yeha Hotel

    Aksum

    Perched atop a bluff overlooking the stelae and the Mary of Zion churches, this hotel has the most enviable location. Sadly the rooms – carpeted, tired…

  • Lwam Hotel

    Rock-hewn Churches of Tigray

    Once a very nice place to stay, Lwam is slipping fast and many of the en-suite rooms are a little on the nose; ask to see a few. However, the faranji food…

  • Mylomine Botanical Garden Lodge

    Rock-hewn Churches of Tigray

    An unexpectedly relaxing spot, Mylomine has five too-expensive but otherwise decent Sidamo-style (the owner is from Awash) bamboo huts in a quiet garden…

  • Tekla Haimanot Pension

    Aksum

    Clean, functional rooms on the west side of town, a convenient walking distance to Aksum’s main attractions. They've just built a new wing at the back, so…

  • Red Rock Lalibela Hotel

    Lalibela

    One of a number of lower-midrange places scattered around the centre of town, the Red Rock is typical of the genre – it won't win any style awards but it…

  • Hohoma Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    Probably the best of Adigrat's cheapies, Hohoma has basic, simple rooms with satellite TV and slow wi-fi. The downstairs cafe does an excellent version of…

  • Africa Hotel

    Aksum

    The word on the street is that this place is not what it was, but the rooms are simple (some are a bit cell-like) with big, clean bathrooms and OK for the…

  • Dib Anbessa Hotel

    Bahir Dar

    An older hotel with lots of carved wood giving it character. This doesn’t extend into the rooms, but overlook the frayed carpets and you’ll find that with…

  • Belegez Pension

    Gonder

    Formerly wearing the crown of best-value cheapie in Gonder, the small and simple rooms here have turned the corner towards decay. But the location is OK…

  • Time Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    Bland modern rooms at the northern end of town may not sound all that appealing, but they're fine for a night and the restaurant's one of the better…

  • Setit Humera Hotel

    Northern Ethiopia

    Setit Humera Hotel is in the town centre, not far from the bus station. It's fine for a night but if you're here because Aksum is full, you'll likely be…