A Great Lodge In The Northern Region

About Old Abyssinia Lodge, Lalibela

The idea for this family run lodge came when a French TV crew arrived to film ‘Rendez-vous en terre inconnue’, a documentary about distant peoples and cultures starring Slovak supermodel Adriana Karembeu. Malkamu, who facilitated the making of the programme, was inspired by it to start his own hotel.

The 8 en-suite rooms are built in the style of traditional tukuls using locally sourced materials, and traditional tools and techniques. Each room is round, and has locally crafted furniture, a thatched roof and a balcony.

The restaurant, also in the shape of a tukul, has panoramic views of the valley and the mountains beyond. It serves Ethiopian cuisine and some international dishes, using locally grown organic produce. Ethiopian cooking classes, traditional music and dance, coffee ceremony and tours of the sites of Lalibela can all be arranged.

Melkamu, originally a farmer, is keen for his hotel to be self-sufficient and to live off the land. He and his family work to minimise the negative aspects of tourism on the environment: they provide employment for local people, and sustainable economic development. They strongly believe tourism should contribute to the conservation of the environment, the preservation of historical and cultural resources and the well being of the local communities.