Atse Yohannes Hotel

Housekeeping are the only ones who still feel professional. They keep the room clean and tidy and always go above and beyond. Since 2019, though, the service has gone downhill badly. The WiFi is a joke, the young woman at reception is rude, and most of the waitresses look depressed or like they’re daydreaming. Security always seem angry and hostile.

The food was quite okay, but the service didn’t match the price at all. This was the most expensive hotel we booked while traveling in Ethiopia, and it was a big disappointment. With power blackouts happening daily across the city, we chose it because it had a diesel generator, yet the whole hotel often went completely dark. There was no hot water, the toilet stank, and the room wasn’t clean. We had no toilet paper or towels, and the internet was a disaster.

Pigeons were on the balcony, and when we opened the windows they came into the room. The hot water didn’t work and the WiFi was almost nonexistent. For this price, you can get better hotels in Europe, which is crazy. We later stayed at a $13 hotel that gave us the same level of comfort, so this place costs far too much for what it offers.

The rooms and beds were really nice, and the hotel has had a lovely refurbishment. The breakfast buffet was the best, with plenty of fresh choices. We wanted to leave early for Lalibela, though, and breakfast only starts at 6:30. Even at 6:40, not everything was ready yet.