A Great Hotel In The Eastern Region

About Ras Hotel, Harar

Named for Ras Mekonnen, father of famed Emperor Haile Selassie, Ras Hotel is a popular meeting place for locals and visitors alike. The courtyard bar shows international sports matches and is stocked with local and international drinks. It also has a good selection of Ethiopian and international dishes, and a convivial atmosphere.

The 47 en-suite rooms are made up of singles, doubles and suites. The suites are equipped with fridge, TV and intercom telephone.

The walled city of Harar was founded by Sheik Aba Dir, who came from Arabia in the 10^th century, bringing the ways of Islam. Despite being the youngest of the 43 holy men who came, he was recognised as their leader because of his spirituality and the many miracles he performed. This lovely walled city has no cars in its cobbled alleys, and is home to 110 mosques and a surfeit of shrines. Places of interest include the bustling market, the traditional houses and several museums. The first non-Muslim to visit was the explorer Richard Burton in the 19^th century; the French poet Arthur Rimbaud made the town his home in the mid-20^th century.

Outside the city walls, a tradition of feeding meat to spotted hyenas has been established; visitors are welcome to participate. Notable exports of Harar are coffee and beer.