Eastern Ethiopia
This solid, no-frills four-storey option is deservedly popular with tour operators. Rooms in the main building are comfortable, serviceable and fairly…
Must-see hotels in Ethiopia
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…
Gonder
Perched on a high natural balcony providing a lammergeyer's-eye view, the stone-walled Goha has the highest perch in all the land. The pool terrace and…
Eastern Ethiopia
Spread out over three hectares along the sloping shores of Lake Babogaya, this sprawling resort features enormous stone-and-wood bungalows scattered in a…
Addis Ababa
The small, attractive rooms of this intimate business-class hotel, which come with either a deep, relaxing bath or a space-age shower far too complicated…
Harar
The big drawcards here are the balcony views over the Shoa Gate Market and the hotel’s proximity to the bus station and old town. The rooms themselves are…
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…
Harar
This Harar institution has had a much-needed facelift, and its rooms are now fresh and comfortable; the corridors, though, are as bare as ever. Room…
Northern Ethiopia
This place has four simple but almost-cosy upper-floor bedrooms, plus a lounge with fireplace and a kitchen. It’s still quite rustic, but small…
Bahir Dar
Known for its sunset views, Tana’s top selling point is the forested lakeside setting. Some funky touches, such as the goat-skin wall in the restaurant,…
Western Ethiopia
The courtyard and garden bar-and-pool complex at this old-timer are abuzz with the constant activity of people coming and going (Sunday lunchtime it’s…
Addis Ababa
Refurbished in 2012, this large business hotel is already showing signs of age. The rooms are large and we like the balconies with reasonable city views …
Eastern Ethiopia
Once the town’s flashiest digs, Dreamland has lost some of its sheen but provides some of the best Bishoftu views. All rooms have richly polished…
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…
Dire Dawa
A good deal for shoestringers, this faded glory is housed in an Italian colonial building opposite the train station. Most rooms have plenty of space to…
Harar
This large outfit up the hill on the Dire Dawa road is a solid budget choice. The odd cockroach or two aside, the rooms are cleaner, the staff friendlier…
Aksum
With quiet rooms set around possibly Aksum's loveliest garden courtyard and with a popular pizza restaurant, Kaleb has the nicest budget setting. The…
Addis Ababa
It may be part of an international chain, but this appealing hotel has sophisticated rooms with more character than most in this price range.The location…
Lalibela
Ask many locals which is Lalibela's best hotel, and they'll tell you this place. It's certainly the biggest with 100 rooms, and while it does have a…
Northern Ethiopia
This is the best available hotel. Turn into the entrance and it looks inviting, but enter and you’ll find deferred maintenance and a lack of hot water in…
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…
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…
Gonder
Once Gonder’s top in-town digs, and the choice of most NGO and UN workers, the Taye lords over the heart of the city. Some of the front-facing rooms have…
Bahir Dar
Across the road from the lake, this fine modern place has nicely turned-out modern rooms, most with a balcony. The ones in the front building are best but…
Eastern Ethiopia
This well-regarded venture provides an excellent level of comfort and service and is a more intimate alternative to a resort. The 45 sun-filled rooms…
Eastern Ethiopia
This locally recommended establishment has friendly service, well-maintained if simple rooms and a generally welcoming atmosphere. Precious perks include…
Eastern Ethiopia
Semera isn't overrun with upmarket accommodation, but this well-managed venture on the road to Logiya just about works out. It scores high on amenities,…
Harar
Enter here at your own risk: you may never feel like leaving again! This cocoon-like guesthouse occupies an old Harari house at the northern end of the…
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;…
Eastern Ethiopia
On the Mille end of Logiya, Nazret 2 is a reliable and well-managed venture. The cheapest rooms are fan cooled and very simple; the more expensive ones…
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…
Lalibela
Built by two former tour guides who received a miraculous business loan from a generous tourist, this comfortable hotel has an enviable perch with great…
Bahir Dar
Meticulous housekeepers and excellent prices make this city-centre spot popular. All rooms have satellite TV and the private showers have hot water…
Addis Ababa
This shining white place offers one of the better budget deals in Addis. It’s all very clean, though the bathrooms are a little cramped. It’s also well…
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,…
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…
Gonder
If only this place was closer to the centre (it's 5km east of town, on the road from Bahir Dar), it would be a top choice. The excellent rooms are modern…
Eastern Ethiopia
The Afaf won't inspire romance but has a low-key backpacker vibe and is deservedly popular with budget travellers. The rooms are ordinary, but a steal at…
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…
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 –…
