Eastern Ethiopia
Opened in 2016, this high-rise on the main thoroughfare is aimed mainly at a business clientele and NGO workers, but the overall package is appealing,…
Must-see hotels in Ethiopia
Harar
Opened in 2016, this efficiently run edifice benefits from a top-notch location, a stone's throw from the Harar Gate and restaurants. Rooms are bright,…
Addis Ababa
Hidden in the maze of lanes to the east of the train station, this campground, the sole overlanders’ party in the city, is a cramped area occasionally…
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…
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…
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 …
Western Ethiopia
It’s not the most exciting hotel we’ve ever seen, but we like it because it's relatively new and has begun the long descent into decay quite slowly…
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…
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…
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…
Eastern Ethiopia
This cheapie on the main road, right in the centre, has benefitted from an upgrade (read: some rooms have been equipped with air-con). The swing-a-cat…
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…
Western Ethiopia
Way out on the eastern fringes of Jimma's town centre, on the road to Addis, this place touts itself as the best hotel in town – with undeniably…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Addis Ababa
The most salubrious of the cheap Piazza-area hotels, this place has smart rooms with polished floors and good showers. On the flip side, the echoey…
Harar
Winta is a quiet, reliable, 12-room venture near the top of the hill in the new town. Rooms are clean and fine, if undistinguished, and despite the out-of…
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…
Addis Ababa
This quiet and well-run place has gained a name for itself as one of the better-value cheapies in town. All the rooms are impeccably clean. Wi-fi is in…
Dire Dawa
You'll go giddy over the ever-so-slightly OTT doubles and suites, with ornately carved beds and wardrobes. There's not a speck of dirt to be found in this…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Southern Ethiopia
Tranquil, competent and professional, the Shambalala offers one of the most relaxing experiences in Hosaina, with a vast garden, an excellent restaurant …
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,…
Eastern Ethiopia
This large, multistorey place in the centre of Awash has straightforward, spacious rooms with balconies overlooking a shady courtyard. There's also a…
Southern Ethiopia
The word on the street is that this place is not what it was, but the rooms are well maintained and OK for the price. Rooms at the back are much quieter…
Addis Ababa
For those who value a little more space and perhaps even your own kitchen, Haimi has great rooms. While the style might be a little overdone for some…
Southern Ethiopia
Right by the bus station (go out the south exit and turn right), this two-storey building is a good bet for backpackers. It features sparse yet cleanish…
Aksum
The rooms here are fairly standard Ethiopian midrange fare – large, comfortable, a few questionable choices when it comes to furnishings and otherwise…
Western Ethiopia
One of the newest places in Jimma, the Boni is probably the pick of the in-town options. Rooms are quieter than most despite the central location, the wi…
