I just found out about a new guesthouse in Addis and thought other adoptive families might like to know about this option as well. The New Flower Guest House is located in the Bole Road area of Addis not too far from the Bole Airport. The facility was opened by a woman with a strong interest in adoption. Because of this, the staff has been specially trained to be supportive to adoptive families.

The guesthouse has two floors and six bedrooms. There is a shared living room and dining room on the main level, as well as three bedrooms. The first bedroom has a king sized bed, a private bathroom and a balcony. The second bedroom has... more

I've written about some of the most common lodging options for families visiting Addis. Here are some more places to consider, especially if you end up traveling in August and September during the influx of visitors celebrating the Ethiopian New Year.

Name: Desalgne Hotel location: Bole Rd. Contact information: (011) 251 11 662-4524 Cost per night: $60 Details: This hotel is in an area of town where a lot of embassy workers live. Families report that the hotel and staff are great. Rooms are a good size and there are refrigerators in the rooms.

Name: National Hotel Location: Menelik Ave Contact information:... more

A budget hotel that many people have been very happy with in Addis is the Yilma Hotel. It is located in the Mechanissa area of Addis not far from the Vatican Embassy and the Adoption Advocates International children's home. A shuttle from the airport is available. The Yilma has single, double and suite rooms, though the suites are small. Cost per night: $25 for a double room and $30-35 for a suite. You will need to pay in birr, since credit cards and US dollars are not accepted. Money-changing is not available at this hotel.

There are phones in the rooms. To call out you must call the front desk and have them dial the number for you. No internet access is available,... more

I was thrilled today to get a report from Shana about the hotel where she and her husband stayed while they were in Ethiopia in January to pick up their baby. The hotel is called The Damu, and is located on Bole Road not far from the airport. It opened less than a year ago. Along with a great travel story currently being written on the installment plan, Shana wrote me this excellent and very helpful review of the hotel:

We rented a "superior" room, which I think just means it had one king bed versus two twins. I really can't say enough good things about the hotel. It is much... more

I'm guessing that most of you who read my blog have also been following Erin's also lately. She is our Transracial blogger and she just brought home her second child from Ethiopia. I especially wanted to point out a post she wrote today comparing the Hilton and the Ghion hotel, as it nicely lays out the differences between the two in a way that is sure to be helpful to travelers trying to decide where to stay while in Ethiopia.

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Also don't miss this lovely post over at Anne's blog. She went to... more

I've already talked about some of the major hotels where people can stay when they are in Addis, including the Hilton, the Sheraton, the Yilma, and the Ghion. Another option to consider is one of several guest houses in Addis. Many people have said they felt a lot of support staying at a guest house instead of a hotel, and enjoyed getting to know others who were also adopting.

Your... more

The Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa is said to be the finest hotel in all of Africa. Basic (nicely-equipped) rooms cost $230-$250 a night and suites can be much more expensive than that. That was a little too pricey for me, and so I never actually stayed there. But I did walk through the lobby on the way to and from the bank and can tell you it is amazing. High ceilings, marble pillars, an upper balcony, a fountain. This place is posh.

Thanks to my 3 year old needing to use the restroom, I even got to check out one of the public restrooms. Black marble. Real towels, gold fixtures, and-- get this--... more

The Hilton Hotel in Addis is on of the two nicest hotels in Addis, topped only by the Sheraton. Many people say its amenities are nearly as nice as at the Sheraton, but at a more affordable price. Rooms at the Hilton are around $150 a night, as compared to the Sheraton's $230-$260 per night for a room.

Though we did not actually stay at the Hilton, we did spend one morning there, and I have to say I was quite impressed with the hotel. Staff was friendly, things appeared to be very clean, and it was a pleasant place to spend some time.

There are 5 restaurants, 3 bars, a gym, an internet cafe, a clothing shop, a duty free shop, a supermarket selling imported Italian... more

When I traveled to Ethiopia in February of 2004 to get my first Ethiopian daughter, my daughter and I stayed at a hotel called the Ghion. It is a mid-range hotel in the center of Addis not far from Churchill Road, not too fancy, but not bad either. Our suite was in a long building detached from the main hotel. The bungalows were two stories high, with walls that looked like they should be part of a castle-- small square windows set very high, and beautiful thick decorative block walls.

Our room was on the main level and there was one room above ours. In... more