Empire Addis International Hotel

It was an okay place to stay, and my stay was free because my flight was postponed. The food was good, but service was average. They charged $1 for half a litre of water and another dollar for toothpaste, though I think these basics should be free. The room TV had only six channels, and none were watchable.

The service was decent and reliable, and the host was easy to talk to. He seemed intelligent and handled the questions within his control pretty quickly. The hotel was assigned by Ethiopian airline during my layover after Skyline was full, which reflects poorly on EA’s management. The entrance and surrounding area felt unsafe and were in terrible shape. My room was awful: dim lighting throughout, one broken bulb that wasn’t replaced, damaged walls, and a whole section without light. The so-called balcony looked out onto a clothesline and a wall. The bathroom was also in bad shape, with a loose toilet roll holder, damaged walls, and careless silicone around the windows. Amenities amounted to one bar of hand soap and a 250ml bottle of water. I also couldn’t see any fire detection equipment in the room. The four star rating is undeserved. The photos make the place look better than it is. I’d call it a two star hotel with three to four star service, and Ethiopian air should reevaluate working with them. As I write this, I can hear eerie, ominous noises outside that nobody seems to be addressing.

The entrance is on a dirt road, but it’s only a short walk from the main road, and I didn’t mind walking along it. I had an overnight layover before my flight to athens, and ethiopian airlines put me up here for free. The staff were very friendly and assigned rooms to passengers easily. My room was spacious and clean, though not modern. The bathroom was basic but everything worked. They served three meals a day, with a limited selection, but I appreciated the homestyle local food and getting to try Ethiopian dishes. I enjoyed my overnight stay, and the coffee is worth trying.

I was in Addis for a layover. The room, sheets, and towels were clean, there was hot water, and the food was okay. It can be noisy, and you might hear cats crying, so bring ear plugs if you’re sensitive to that. They didn’t provide body wash, shampoo, or lotion, so pack your own.