Messay Hotel

The checkout charge for a cracked saucer was the final straw. They asked us for 2500 BIR, about $14 USD, for one inside the microwave, even though we hadn’t used it. A saucer like that might be worth $1.5 USD, and staff hadn’t spotted it before we arrived, which left us wondering whether the appliances get cleaned. We felt like walking ATMs throughout our 10 nights in room 706, their most expensive room, at Mesay Hotel. We came from Europe hoping to support a local business, but it was a big mistake. The room was noisy every night because of a loud disco, and church sounds woke us early. The owner talks about double-glazed windows, but gaps between the balcony frame and wall let dust and outside noise in. Breakfast was awful too. We asked for tea for two and got hot water, then after complaining received one tea bag to share. The omelet was swimming in grease. The pancakes the next day were cold, hard, dry, and tasted like they’d been made the day before. Power cuts are common in Addis, but many hotels have generators. This one saves fuel, so we had to take the stairs to the 7th floor. The daytime outage also left food in the fridge spoiled, and after two days the rotten cheese smelled horrific. We went to Best Western Plus, 600m away, for breakfast because the food at Mesay was inedible. The service there was fantastic, and they showed us clean, quiet rooms of a high standard. We’re coming back to Addis in February 2026 and will choose Best Western then. Avoid Mesay at all costs.

The location and value were both great, and the people were lovely. There’s a small bar and restaurant with tasty traditional food. I’ll be back.

The hotel felt very safe and is close to Bole Street. The rooms can be used for cooking, and when we asked for kitchen utensils, they provided them. The manager welcomed us and helped with everything, and the receptionists were friendly and attentive too. I’ll come back when I return to Addis Ababa.

The location near edena mall is perfect, and the breakfast was outstanding. The staff were very friendly, and the hotel is really nice. I highly recommend it for the value compared with the prices.