The Desalegn Hotel chain has three facilities in Addis. We stayed in #3, which is in the sub-city of Bole. (There are no street addresses in Addis, so the sub-city system is important to navigating the city. Bole is closest to the airport.) From the outside it looks like Cellblock #15. But inside, it is quite charming. It is built on an atrium design, which is its downfall for soundproofing. But it is appealing to the eye. It has one lift/elevator for its five floors, which only works when the hotel has power. Be aware that Addis cycles power through sectors of the city on an every-other-day basis, so from about 8 to 6 (English time) on certain days, the lift won't work. However, due to the roaches, you will want to stay on the higher floors (at minimum floors 3 to 5). Bugs are a fact of life in Africa--no need to get squeamish. Breakfast is included here and it's pretty good. Lunch and dinner can be order at the "snack bar," but it is a standard restaurant. It is not fast, but it is serviceable and healthy for the business traveler. The internet was the most reliable here out of all the nations we toured in Africa. Even so, we had to reset the router on occasion. The shuttle system is quite reliable and prompt, with plenty of hands to help with the luggage. Settling the bill won't be a quick affair, however, especially if you are going to pay with Visa, so don't wait until the last minute to check out. You can't book this hotel online, so if you want to book a very comfortable and large suite room for about $66 USD, you will need to either email or call the hotel directly. I wrote Yalew Desalegn directly in hotel management at {--]. The hotel's number for #3 is (from the U.S.) [--]. A much better value than the Sheraton (way overpriced!) and the Hilton (a bit down at the heels) and easier to access from the airport than either of those hotels.
