Must-see hotels in Southern Ethiopia

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Paradise Lodge

    Arba Minch

    This upmarket lodge staring straight at the national park’s ‘Bridge of God’ features comfortable Konso-inspired huts (many of which have lake views) built…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Rift Valley Tourist Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    This hotel has three levels of rooms in an old and a more recent building. They’re old-fashioned and a bit overpriced, but you're paying a premium for the…

  • Kaske Mango Campsite

    Southern Ethiopia

    Thanks to a canopy of lush mango trees, there’s plenty of shade at this attractive campsite next to the Kaske River. The ablution block is cleaner than…

  • Siko Mendo Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    If fancy decor is not the question, but hygiene, location and solid amenities are high on your list, then this salmon three-storey edifice near the main…

  • Dinsho Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    Dinsho Lodge is located above park headquarters (park fee applicable) and surrounded by endemic species; a stay here is a no-brainer. It feels more like…

  • Afrika Vacation Inn

    Southern Ethiopia

    This smart resort has a spectacular location on Lake Langano's northeastern shore and is set in beautifully landscaped gardens. It comprises 29 well-sized…

  • Lewi Resort

    Southern Ethiopia

    This sprawling place serves four-star luxury in a completely Ethiopian way – think dated design and uninspiring architecture. There’s a large variety of…

  • Turmi Lodge

    Southern Ethiopia

    The pink concrete pavilions are plain and overpriced but well maintained. If you're counting the birrs, the budget rooms in a separate block are smaller…

  • Mora Heights

    Arba Minch

    The fantastic clifftop location is a big selling point here, although many rooms have obstructed views – ask for one with a lake view as they cost the…

  • Tweens Pension

    Southern Ethiopia

    The most obvious choice for tight-fisted travellers, not so much because of its inherent merits, but because of the lack of competitors in this price…

  • Orit Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    The Orit has been smartened up and is now a favourite among tour operators. The cheaper rooms are quite spartan, but the ones in the newer two-storey wing…

  • Abebe Zeleke Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    An excellent addition to Sodo’s sleeping scene, this professionally run outfit is kept in top nick and features a fine selection of cheerful rooms with…

  • Jinka Resort

    Southern Ethiopia

    Jinka Resort's best asset is its leafy grounds – it's set in a lovely section of forest just east of the town centre. Rooms are no-frills yet cleanish;…

  • Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    Long the top dog in these parts, this one-time classy place isn’t bad, but it simply charges way too much for its unadorned rooms with soft mattresses and…

  • Romi Hotel

    Arba Minch

    This well-managed hotel-cum-guesthouse has a great feel about it from the moment you enter its pretty plant-filled courtyard. All rooms have a bright,…

  • Eyob Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    The pluses at this budget set-up are its leafy surrounds and its peaceful location in a side street south of the centre. Rooms are utterly without frills…

  • Framont Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    If you want no surprises and no hassles, you'll strike gold at the Framont. Service is everything it should be – no more, no less – while the…

  • Koket Borena Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    With some simple but cute bamboo tukuls, a mix of ordinary yet perfectly serviceable concrete rooms, friendly staff and an excellent attached restaurant …

  • Simbo Beach Resort

    Southern Ethiopia

    Don't be put off by the bland exterior of the bungalows. Inside they have been spruced up and feature good beds, tiled floors and neat bathrooms. What…

  • Arba Minch Tourist Hotel

    Arba Minch

    The Tourist Hotel would not be your ideal honeymoon hotel but the amenities are fine, the location very convenient (if busy) and the oasis-like garden…

  • Yabelo Motel

    Southern Ethiopia

    The most obvious choice for NGOs and travellers, for lack of competition. Its main selling points are the leafy garden and the attached restaurant serving…

  • Rediet Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    This efficient and welcoming hotel is a popular midrange option right in the centre. It offers a broad choice of modern, well-appointed rooms and the…

  • Green Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    With quiet rooms set around a garden courtyard, the Green Hotel has the nicest budget setting. The rooms in the more recent wing cut the mustard but are…

  • Abadma Hotel

    Southern Ethiopia

    This simple pile on the Goba road 500m south of the bus station won't win any medals for design or comfort, but as far as Robe goes it's not bad for the…

  • Lewi Hotel Piazza

    Southern Ethiopia

    In a busy location off the main drag in central Awasa, this large, multistorey place has been thoughtfully spruced up and shelters a mix of neat, well…

  • Eda Pension Moyale

    Southern Ethiopia

    The Eda Pension is as no-frills as it gets but the rooms are well kept and the staff pleasing, making it an obvious choice for budget-minded travellers…