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Tags: Ethiopia Hotel Reviews / Hotel Hell / → All Tags

Ethiopia's Ghion Hotel A Disappointment for One Guest

Where: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

We have a very special review today from a tipster named Chris. Chris went to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and back and lived to email us his review of the Ghion Hotel. Which was really nice of him because now we don't have to travel to Ethiopia to find out how bad the Ghion Hotel is.

Here's his take on the place:

The Ghion, where do I start? Even a month after returning home, the name "Ghion" evokes all sorts of feelings within me, some humorous, others less enjoyable.

When I look at our experience at this Hotel I have to try to drop my Western view and look at it in context with the cultural, social and historical landscape of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is struggling, even in Addis. Nevertheless, by international standards this place is a hospitality industry basket -case. This is a five star that hasn't had a cent spent on maintenance or staff training since it was built, resulting in today's 3 star Hotel that has the audacity to charge USD$120 per night.

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Tags: Hotel Heaven / High Tea Hotels / → All Tags

High Tea at the Sheraton in Addis Ababa

Where: Woreda 14 Kebele 24, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

[Publisher's Note: Hotel Maven ananda k lets us in on her stay at the Addis Ababa Sheraton. Enjoy]

We ate three different kinds of cake iced in butter cream, sipped Earl Grey tea with milk, sat across the table from an executive from the African Development Bank. We attended high tea in a room full of international dignitaries in the decadent Sheraton Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Ethiopia? Yes. Just days before checking in, Brad, Angelina and new baby Jolie checked out of a poolside villa. With a winding heated swimming pool, lavish Italian style décor, as in huge stone columns and marble floors, its no wonder Ethiopia's upper crust and celebrity guests frequent this place.

Here's what other guests have said about the place:

Apart from the very beautiful surroundings and the good food the staff could not be more accommodating. On a recent stay I requested my favorite dish by room service which was only available at the pool restaurant, so there was a very slight delay on the arrival of my food.

A few minutes later the manager himself brought my food up to me on a table and arranged it so beautifully with flowers and candles. He could not have done enough. I can only hope this sort of behaviour is recognised and rewarded by top end managers. People like this are NOT trained or managed by high ranking mangers who desparately want to claim credit for the success of a hotel rather these people are born.

The level of service from the staff at the Sheraton can only be partially credited to hotel. Ethiopian people themselves are truly a warm people that understand that class has nothing to with material wealth but rather in the strength of character.

Related Stories:
·   Sheraton Addis Hotel Reviews [TripAdvisor]

Tags: Miscellaneous / → All Tags

Amazing Race 6 Hotel Report: Hotel Roha in Ethiopia

There is always a strange sting of sadness when a villain is jettisoned from a reality television show, and last night when John & Victoria "had a moment" at Lalibelia lookout in Ethopia, we felt that strange sadness. Those two always hit the panic button with a sledgehammer and it finally came back to bite them in the ass. Ha. Did you get the play on words? Ok, ok, so when we look into our crystal Firefox where did we see the cast and crew shacking up in the vast country of Ethiopia?

Our guess is Roha Hotel in Laliblia, which is furnished and decorated with artifacts inspired by the rock-hewn churches. Roha Hotel is the most up-market hotel in Lalibela, and by that we mean it will run you around $15-$20 a night, or as Amazing Race contestant Kendra would say "it is a different kind of poverty", could you believe she launched into that little soliloquy, how sad was that. We think Kendra may be the new villain now that John is gone. Anyway, back to the Roha Hotel, which is part of the government Ghion chain, and about 2km out of town. You will be close enough to the town, and all the dug out churches, such as the St. George's, yet far enough away to enjoy the natural beauty of Ethiopia.

Often called the Eight Wonder of the World, Lalibela is home to many towering churches that were carved out of soft, volcanic rock, like the church you saw on the episode last night. Furthermore, did you see how friendly those folks were on last nights show?  It certainly does appear that this section of Ethiopia is spiritual, friendly, and beautiful.

One caviat--when we looked into contacted the Roha Hotel things got a little dicey.  The Roha does not appear to have a website (if you find one for it please send it our way), and the property does not seem to have a telephone either.  If you want to get in touch with the Roha you can find them on the radio, by calling 515381 AA. Not sure what the hell that means? Niether are we, so if you want to look into traveling to the Roha as part of a larger, organized trip to Ethiopia you might want to check out iExplore. The website runs a package trip.

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