Gheralta Lodge

Ten hectares of rock and scrub in Ethiopia's Tigray region, shaded by four centuries-old ficus trees and facing the jagged Gheralta massif: this is where an Italian family, Enrica and Silvio Rizzotti, have built five bungalows, a restaurant and a leisure area, using stone walls, timber ceilings and thatched roofs the way Tigrinya farmers always have. Mebratu, who once farmed this same land, still works on the property. Expect a family-run resort with a professional's eye for finish and cleanliness, honest cooking from local produce, and rock-hewn churches, some dating to the 7th century, within close reach.