Best hotels in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa sits higher than almost any other capital on earth, and Cassiopeia occupies a corner of Bole, the city's most modern district, a few minutes' drive from Bole International Airport. It's named for the mythical queen of Ethiopia, and is a contemporary 120-room hotel built for airport access (so no pool or spa). You'll get no more than a clean room, Ethiopian hospitality and a convenient airport shuttle - but certainly no less.

Stay at this serene urban oasis, a dignified yet peaceful spot in the middle of downtown Addis Ababa. The hotel has been proudly built with elevated yet understated ambiance to accommodate your stay, whether it's to host an event for a few hours or a long stay in one of the elegant suites, AYA is the perfect fit for your needs.

Recharge your batteries in the tranquil accommodations, nourish yourself at the decadent restaurant, Curly Kale, meet friends in the quietly graceful lobby, and host your events in one of the venue halls. The staff awaits, eager to tailor fit any of the multitudes.

The Golden Tulip occupies a city block near the heart of Addis Ababa's business district, close to several diplomatic embassies and a kilometre from Bole International Airport. Classy and modern, the hotel's facilities are freshly minted and extremely well constructed. Designed to serve international and business travellers, it contains several convenient amenities for business and leisure: a handful of restaurants and bars, a gym, a 24-hour shuttle service and a top-notch concierge service. This is the kind of place you don't have to second-guess.

The only one of its kind, Lale’s Camp is located in the Omo Valley, on the eastern banks of the Omo River. The camp comes with a mess area and a maximum of seven sleeping tents. It also serves as an excellent base for day and overnight trips. The food is hearty fare, with cooked breakfasts, picnics and three-course dinners, while the service is lovely. A first-class piece of adventure accommodation, Lale's Camp links traditional destinations with areas rarely visited. Lale's Camp opens up corners of the country in comfort and in style.

Arba Minch means "forty springs" in Amharic, and the name gives you the gist — this is a town built on water. It sits on a ridge above two of Ethiopia's great Rift Valley lakes, Abaya and Chamo, with Nechisar National Park stretching between them on a grassy plain locals call God's Bridge. Chamo has one of the densest Nile crocodile populations in Africa; you can see them sunning themselves at the Crocodile Market, a stretch of shoreline where they gather in numbers that take a moment to process. Up in the hills behind town, the Dorze people weave cotton and grow enset in villages built around tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses. Arba Minch is also the jumping-off point for the Omo Valley and Konso further south, which makes it a natural stopover on any southern Ethiopia itinerary.