I spent five nights at the Haile Resort in Hawassa, Ethiopia and loved it…it was a great experience at a new hotel chain (for me), one that is, interestingly, owned by a famous athlete.
Haile Resort Hawassa Review
The price of my room was about 100 USD/night and included breakfast. That’s high for Ethiopia, but it was a very nice hotel (not five-star, but a solid four-star) and a perfect base for our work in the region.
Background
Haile Gebrselassie, renowned as “The Emperor” in the world of distance running, has successfully transitioned from his athletic career to become a prominent businessman. Rather than a quiet retirement, Haile has focused his energy on developing a significant business portfolio, with a particular emphasis on the hospitality sector. The establishment of Haile Resorts in 2010 marked the beginning of this venture, starting with the location in Hawassa.
The brand has since grown substantially throughout Ethiopia, adding resorts in various locations such as Shashamene, Ziway, and Arba Minch, with an ambition to become a leading hotel group in East Africa. This initiative represents a significant investment by a national hero in his home country, generating substantial employment opportunities and contributing to regional economic growth.
Airport Shuttle
We were picked up at Hawassa Airport (AWA) by the hotel in a van and taken (me and two colleagues along with another family) to the resort, a drive of about 20 minutes.
I’d never been to this part of Ethiopia before and found the drive around Lake Awasa quite beautiful.
The hotel is quite secure with gates and armed guards.
Check-In
There was not a (frankly uncomfortable and kitschy) “cultural” greeting as you see in some hotels on the African continent. Instead, we were warmly welcomed and offered a cup of Ethiopian coffee, which had freshly been prepared in the lobby. Perfect.
The lobby area featured a bank and gift shop, plus two of the hotel’s restaurants.
Downstairs, a large seating area was technically an extension of the lobby, but there was a bar with coffee available.
There’s even a 98-year-old Fiat in the lobby that was given to a Banda (an Ethiopian loyal to Italy, which, if you know your colonial history, was certainly the losing side) that had to be hidden for more than three decades over fear of destruction when Emperor Haile Selassie returned to power.
Guest Room
My room, 2212, had a great view of Lake Awassa.
The room included a king-sized bed, two chairs with a round table between, a dresser, and a desk.
The balcony had two more chairs and a great view:
The bathroom tile was dated, but everything was clean and functional.
My only complaint was that there was a mosque near the hotel and my sleep was interrupted each night by the adhan (call to prayer) in the middle of the night. (Islam makes up a bout 1/3 of Ethiopia’s population). I can’t recall ever being interrupted like this even in Muslim-majority nations, but it seems the Isha and Tahajjud prayers were designed to inflict maximum sleep loss…
Dining
The hotel’s main restaurant is called Sholla Grill. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and includes both a buffet and a la carte option. I had breakfast here each morning and sevearl lunches and dinners, all delicious. I stuck to my usual breakfast of omelets and coffee in the morning, but had Ethiopian food for other meals…the spicy seafood soup was the best thing on the menu!
One night we ate in the “Traditional Restaurant” (traditional in terms of seating).
More delicious soup, but I ordered lamb and it was served in a sickly-sweet sauce that tasted like Chinese food…
Delicious coffee and great conversation, though:
One night I ordered room service…a burger and fries. Not bad!
Coffee
If you know me, you know I love coffee. This hotel does coffee very well, including espresso-based drinks available around the clock in the lower lobby area, plus Ethiopina Coffee in the upper lobby and both hotel restaurants.
Every single coffee was delicious…
Bar
I didn’t drink anything, but the hotel had a nice-looking bar.
Fitness Center
While the fitness center did not have the latest equipment, it was adequate with a good mix of older TechnoGym and LifeFitness cardiovascular and strength resistance machines, plus a spin room. It did get crowded (it appeared that some locals work out here, not just hotel guests).
Massage + Wellness
My friend who arranged this trip said, “You’ve got to try the massages here…they are so good and so cheap!” Indeed, they were. A full-body massage costs about $15/hr and I had one each day…every one was excellent, professional, and left me feeling great (each day progress was made on the persistent knots in my upper back that come from sitting in front of a computer all day).
The spa also offers a full-service barber shop and hair salon, plus a sauna and steam room, which I also used every day.
Pool
As far as I could see, a pair of outdoor pools was the most popular place on the resort grounds. I had to get up very early in the morning to take these pictures, as the pools proved quite popular with guests.
Speaking of the pool, there was also a room with pool tables (billiards) near the pool…
Lake Awassa
You saw the view from my balcony above, but you could walk right up to the lake and it was a beautiful site to behold, a natural treasure that made this property even more unique.
Service
Ethiopians share a hospitable culture and the staff at this hotel was uniformly excellent. In fact, over five days I don’t think I had one bad service encounter. But a special thank you to Rediet, who was so hospitable in the hotel’s main restaurant.
CONCLUSION
I really enjoyed my stay here and time in Awassa. This is a very nice hotel that I hope to return to for more ministry trips in the years ahead and also bring my family to…I know my wife and kids would love it too (too bad it costs so much to get here…).
If you’re looking for a comfortable resort in an off-the-beaten-path location, this is your place. It may not be a Four Seaons, but it is very nice.
What the Haile!
(Beautiful photos, Matt. Epic lake!)
The cucumber carvings are unique and I fully intend to try this myself. Thank you for sharing this visit with us.
Isn’t that watermelon?
I think it’s cucumber with shaving for texture. I will practice on cucumbers as they are less expensive than an out of season melon!
Thanks for the great review! Very nice to read a balanced and fair review of an independent hotel.
I find it likely I will go there (Lake Awassa) at some point in the next two years. It looks sublime. I look forward to more Ethiopia content.
I also love that one of the treadmills is just straight up from a Planet Fitness in the USA. They didn’t even bother taking the decals off.
LOL, didn’t notice that.
I can’t wait to explore more of Ethiopia. As you’ll soon read, Addis was great as well.