| Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 | ![]() |
Booking Hotels/Hostels in AdvanceCountry forums / Africa / Ethiopia | ||
Hello do most of you book rooms in advance? Im planning on arriving Jan 4 but sites like booking com and hostelworld onky have more expensive options. Im traveling world; in Cambodia now and have used advance booking in every countr. Can i have a problem finding cheap lodging in Lalibela around XMas? Thx | ||
Try | 1 | |
I would definitely try to book in advance for the week around xmas, but otherwise I wouldn't think it's necessary. No recent experience in Ethiopia, but on trips to Tanzania and Uganda in the last couple of years I've had no problem finding cheap rooms on arrival in each town. The cheaper places don't tend to have websites or on-line booking anyway. | 2 | |
I was in Lalibela during Orthodox Christmas, and yes, definitely book your room in advance if possible. I stayed at Red Rock Hotel (since I was able to online book through Hostelworld), and it was fine for me (very basic, but I was out of my room most of the time for Christmas anyway). The hotels will accept "soft" reservations via email, but you will need to call them the day before to make sure they hold the room for you. I spent many hours looking for rooms in various towns when I found out the room that I thought I had booked was given away. I don't think this is normally an issue, but I was in Ethiopia during the run-up to Christmas so hotels were full. Jumia Travel (formerly Jovago), I believe, allows actual online booking of some hotels in Ethiopia. I found out about this website from other travelers in Ethiopia who had reliably booked their rooms this way. | 3 | |
I spent about five weeks in Ethiopia this past July/August and while I did arrange my first night in Addis through a booking website, I arranged the rest of my accommodations around the country via telephone either the day before or the day of my arrival in a given city, having purchased a local SIM card (extremely cheap as are in-country calls). From my perspective, this is by far the best way to proceed as I was almost invariably able to negotiate considerable discounts when I called, something that would not be possible if booking online. | 4 | |
You don't have to book in advance. Less tourist and not busy at all. | 5 | |
I agree but ill be in Lalibela for XMas. Pretty pricey | 6 | |
altho its verry quite now in toorist plases, it may stil be very busy in Januery with Genna and Timcat. german and English goverrnent websites are know not banning trip to Etiopia again. | 7 | |
Thx i found them | 8 | |
Avsfan Did you book in advance? I can't decide if I should book in advance for Christmas :/ | 9 | |
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