Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa
Jan 7, 2019, 7:12 am
#1
formerly a193991
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,578
Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa
The HR Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, announced the official opening and is accepting reservations as of today.
https://newsroom.hyatt.com/news-releases?item=123776
Hyatt announced today the opening of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa, the first Hyatt branded hotel in Ethiopia and the seventh in Africa. The 188-room property is centrally located on Meskel Square, near shopping centers, restaurants, bars, and tourist attractions, including the National Museum.
“We are excited to celebrate the opening of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa and to introduce the brand to Ethiopia,” said Heddo Siebs, general manager, Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa. “We are confident that our loyal World of Hyatt members and global travelers will feel welcomed the moment they arrive and we look forward to serving them delicious blends of local flavors, while also offering an array of live entertainment.”
With the United Nations Conference Center and African Union Headquarters only a short walk away, the largest conference facility in the country, the hotel serves as the ideal stay for business travelers. Those visiting for leisure can enjoy local attractions including the National Palace and Africa’s biggest open market in the lively Mercato district. The Holy Trinity Church, one of the most important places of worship in the country, is only 2.5 miles (four kilometers) from the hotel. Additionally, undoubtedly rich in culture and within a 15 minute drive sits the Anwar Mosque, Ethiopia’s largest mosque.
Carefully designed to provide guests with everything they need, the hotel boasts six unique dining outlets, perfect for a quiet meal, lively drinks or for those on the go.
Accommodations
The 188 spacious guestrooms include 12 luxury Regency suites, two Executive suites, one Presidential suite and one Royal Presidential suite with four bedrooms. Regency Club room and suite guests can enjoy complimentary use of the boardroom and exclusive access to the Regency Club lounge, which serves continental breakfast, evening cocktails and snacks.
Drinking and Dining
With six restaurants and bars to choose from, Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa offers something for every taste. Guests can enjoy delicious Levantine signature meals in the hotel’s The Kitchen or a wide array of coffees and cocktails in Cascara Coffee & Cocktails, while taking in the stunning courtyard views. For business meetings, The Lobby Lounge allows guests to indulge in fresh fruit and delicious pastries from The Market. The hotel also features a Pool Bar and Lounge overlooking the inner courtyard. The Oriental serves western style barbeque and fine Asian cuisine in a casual yet contemporary setting. In addition, The Metro Bar, located in the basement, offers live music.
https://newsroom.hyatt.com/news-releases?item=123776
Hyatt announced today the opening of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa, the first Hyatt branded hotel in Ethiopia and the seventh in Africa. The 188-room property is centrally located on Meskel Square, near shopping centers, restaurants, bars, and tourist attractions, including the National Museum.
“We are excited to celebrate the opening of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa and to introduce the brand to Ethiopia,” said Heddo Siebs, general manager, Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa. “We are confident that our loyal World of Hyatt members and global travelers will feel welcomed the moment they arrive and we look forward to serving them delicious blends of local flavors, while also offering an array of live entertainment.”
With the United Nations Conference Center and African Union Headquarters only a short walk away, the largest conference facility in the country, the hotel serves as the ideal stay for business travelers. Those visiting for leisure can enjoy local attractions including the National Palace and Africa’s biggest open market in the lively Mercato district. The Holy Trinity Church, one of the most important places of worship in the country, is only 2.5 miles (four kilometers) from the hotel. Additionally, undoubtedly rich in culture and within a 15 minute drive sits the Anwar Mosque, Ethiopia’s largest mosque.
Carefully designed to provide guests with everything they need, the hotel boasts six unique dining outlets, perfect for a quiet meal, lively drinks or for those on the go.
Accommodations
The 188 spacious guestrooms include 12 luxury Regency suites, two Executive suites, one Presidential suite and one Royal Presidential suite with four bedrooms. Regency Club room and suite guests can enjoy complimentary use of the boardroom and exclusive access to the Regency Club lounge, which serves continental breakfast, evening cocktails and snacks.
Drinking and Dining
With six restaurants and bars to choose from, Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa offers something for every taste. Guests can enjoy delicious Levantine signature meals in the hotel’s The Kitchen or a wide array of coffees and cocktails in Cascara Coffee & Cocktails, while taking in the stunning courtyard views. For business meetings, The Lobby Lounge allows guests to indulge in fresh fruit and delicious pastries from The Market. The hotel also features a Pool Bar and Lounge overlooking the inner courtyard. The Oriental serves western style barbeque and fine Asian cuisine in a casual yet contemporary setting. In addition, The Metro Bar, located in the basement, offers live music.
Jan 14, 2019, 6:18 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: usually somewhere between 30000 and 40000 feet...but actually the English countryside
Programs: BA GGL/Lifetime Gold, EK Gold, Lowly M&M, Marriott tit, Hhonors Diamond, numerous others
Posts: 1,156
I popped in here for lunch today and have to say was very impressed with the look and feel of the place, makes the Sheraton look positively shabby. Done out in fresh grey and white. Lunch has a focus on avacado at the moment, some different items on the menu with plenty of vegan options (if you are into that sort of thing!) food fresh and very tasty.
its next to the main airport road but wasn't too noisy. A little bit of construction next door at the Marriott and a new Spar, but there's construction everywhere here!
im not staying this time but will be here in March.
its next to the main airport road but wasn't too noisy. A little bit of construction next door at the Marriott and a new Spar, but there's construction everywhere here!
im not staying this time but will be here in March.
Feb 17, 2019, 10:59 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AC SE100K, AA EXP, SPG Plt, HH Dmnd
Posts: 1,507
Wanted to add some information as just completed many nights here:
Hotel is quite nice, and likely ranks #2 or #3 for hotels in Addis (#1 Sheraton, #2 /3 Radisson, a very distant #4 Hilton).
You will find many people working in the lobby every day as luxury hotels are one of the few places to get reliable wifi in Addis. The wifi had a 90% uptime while I stayed.
Rooms are modern, with plenty of USB and charging outlets, but not particularly spacious as the property is crammed onto a major intersection. Make sure to ask for a pool facing room as these are quieter and do not face the intersection/highway.
Please note that Ethiopia is extremely homophobic and checking into any hotel with two people of the same gender in the same room will always raise eyebrows. We were booked with two adults into a room with two separate beds and the check in agent said "you have two room reservations, right?". Extremely unprofessional but goes with the territory in Ethiopia and is the standard in all of Ethiopia; however I was hoping that a brand like Hyatt would not promulgate such behaviour, I was wrong. Most tourists visiting Ethiopia are unlikely to have a problem with this as the country attracts more than it's fair share of conservative Americans and Europeans.
As of this post only one restaurant with an Arabic/Mediterranean menu, and a cafe with a limited menu. Both are acceptable quality-wise for Addis, and priced reasonably (300 ETB for a pasta). However there is a much larger menu for room-service and pool-service, strangely, with many more options. A second restaurant is being opened in the coming months, as is the spa. The hotel is currently still in it's soft opening phase. Service is quite mixed; staff are probably 20% friendly and competent, 50% friendly and need more training, and 30% ambivalent and in need of training. For example, every room/pool service ordered was consistently assigned cutlery with the formula (# of patrons/entrees - 1 = # of cutlery sets). Room was not cleaned for three days despite three separate requests.
The pool is quite nice, though not cleaned adequately. Was able to write my name in the thin layer of green grime accumulating on the pool, despite daily (ineffectual) cleaning. Likely due to poor training, pool temperature kept comfortably warm, and inadequate chlorine. Would not advise young children swimming. Has poolside seating for approx 20 individuals, and can get busy on weekends from expats with memberships, with extra lounge seating for another 40 directly behind. Gym is very nice, spacious, and well appointed.
Hotel does not provide free airport transportation, unlike most hotels in Addis, which is a shame considering the extremely high room rate (200 USD per night), shuttle is $7 USD pp. Despite the high room rate you will find that most hotels in Addis provide extremely poor value in terms of hotel accommodation to the price compared to other destinations in Africa. However there is a serious lack of choice/competition until the Four Points (under construction) and other hotels are added in the next few years.
Hotel is quite nice, and likely ranks #2 or #3 for hotels in Addis (#1 Sheraton, #2 /3 Radisson, a very distant #4 Hilton).
You will find many people working in the lobby every day as luxury hotels are one of the few places to get reliable wifi in Addis. The wifi had a 90% uptime while I stayed.
Rooms are modern, with plenty of USB and charging outlets, but not particularly spacious as the property is crammed onto a major intersection. Make sure to ask for a pool facing room as these are quieter and do not face the intersection/highway.
Please note that Ethiopia is extremely homophobic and checking into any hotel with two people of the same gender in the same room will always raise eyebrows. We were booked with two adults into a room with two separate beds and the check in agent said "you have two room reservations, right?". Extremely unprofessional but goes with the territory in Ethiopia and is the standard in all of Ethiopia; however I was hoping that a brand like Hyatt would not promulgate such behaviour, I was wrong. Most tourists visiting Ethiopia are unlikely to have a problem with this as the country attracts more than it's fair share of conservative Americans and Europeans.
As of this post only one restaurant with an Arabic/Mediterranean menu, and a cafe with a limited menu. Both are acceptable quality-wise for Addis, and priced reasonably (300 ETB for a pasta). However there is a much larger menu for room-service and pool-service, strangely, with many more options. A second restaurant is being opened in the coming months, as is the spa. The hotel is currently still in it's soft opening phase. Service is quite mixed; staff are probably 20% friendly and competent, 50% friendly and need more training, and 30% ambivalent and in need of training. For example, every room/pool service ordered was consistently assigned cutlery with the formula (# of patrons/entrees - 1 = # of cutlery sets). Room was not cleaned for three days despite three separate requests.
The pool is quite nice, though not cleaned adequately. Was able to write my name in the thin layer of green grime accumulating on the pool, despite daily (ineffectual) cleaning. Likely due to poor training, pool temperature kept comfortably warm, and inadequate chlorine. Would not advise young children swimming. Has poolside seating for approx 20 individuals, and can get busy on weekends from expats with memberships, with extra lounge seating for another 40 directly behind. Gym is very nice, spacious, and well appointed.
Hotel does not provide free airport transportation, unlike most hotels in Addis, which is a shame considering the extremely high room rate (200 USD per night), shuttle is $7 USD pp. Despite the high room rate you will find that most hotels in Addis provide extremely poor value in terms of hotel accommodation to the price compared to other destinations in Africa. However there is a serious lack of choice/competition until the Four Points (under construction) and other hotels are added in the next few years.
Mar 22, 2019, 3:32 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: NYC/PHL/HKG
Posts: 210
Just had a 4-night stay here mid-March, used a TSU to upgrade to a Regency King suite. Suite was on the smaller side, but good enough—a look at the floor plan would suggest that all rooms are quite small. No further upgrades, but it's my understanding that the hotel only has around 12 suites in total (?), so upgrades might be difficult here.
As a Globalist, we had the choice of breakfast in the Regency Club or at the restaurant. Regency Club was small with ~7 tables and 2 couches, and only had a cold spread for breakfast, but you could order eggs/omelets with the super helpful staff. Happy hour was also cold spread only, some dips, fruits, and finger sandwiches. Definitely not dinner substitute for those who care, but the Club was totally empty the few times we visited. Alcohol selection was upper mid-range to premium (think Grey Goose).
We did get pickpocketed literally right outside the gate of the hotel—some guy suddenly came up and grabbed the arm and the other guy took the phone from the opposite pocket. The hotel was helpful, immediately had security come to talk with us and helped notify the police, but I would just say to be careful. Of course, these things can happen literally anywhere anytime.
A note about airport pickup arranged by the hotel as well. I was told apparently they are new and not allowed to enter the terminal, so you have to exit the terminal and look for the driver holding a Hyatt sign outside the terminal (but before you get to the parking lot). Interestingly a very helpful gentleman from Golden Tulip (another hotel) helped us find our driver. $7 per person from airport to hotel, and hotel somehow told us the return was free. It was a strange interaction so I'm not sure if it's courtesy or standard, or if they were already heading that way to pickup newly arriving guests.
Definitely echo the above review that the pool was murky. Gym was nice, but two attendants seem to hover over guests as they workout. Trying to be helpful, I suppose.
As of my visit both "The Kitchen" (Arabic/Mediterranean) and The Oriental were open, and we had a nice dinner at the Oriental and a decent lunch at The Kitchen. Room service also available with an extensive menu as mentioned above, and orders came quickly. Prices are reasonable by North American standards. Spa and salon still under construction.
I mentioned all the potential negatives and things to watch out for, but overall this really was a nice stay IMO. Staff was helpful and knowledgeable in my experience, the design of the public spaces were absolutely gorgeous and the most memorable thing about our stay.
As a Globalist, we had the choice of breakfast in the Regency Club or at the restaurant. Regency Club was small with ~7 tables and 2 couches, and only had a cold spread for breakfast, but you could order eggs/omelets with the super helpful staff. Happy hour was also cold spread only, some dips, fruits, and finger sandwiches. Definitely not dinner substitute for those who care, but the Club was totally empty the few times we visited. Alcohol selection was upper mid-range to premium (think Grey Goose).
We did get pickpocketed literally right outside the gate of the hotel—some guy suddenly came up and grabbed the arm and the other guy took the phone from the opposite pocket. The hotel was helpful, immediately had security come to talk with us and helped notify the police, but I would just say to be careful. Of course, these things can happen literally anywhere anytime.
A note about airport pickup arranged by the hotel as well. I was told apparently they are new and not allowed to enter the terminal, so you have to exit the terminal and look for the driver holding a Hyatt sign outside the terminal (but before you get to the parking lot). Interestingly a very helpful gentleman from Golden Tulip (another hotel) helped us find our driver. $7 per person from airport to hotel, and hotel somehow told us the return was free. It was a strange interaction so I'm not sure if it's courtesy or standard, or if they were already heading that way to pickup newly arriving guests.
Definitely echo the above review that the pool was murky. Gym was nice, but two attendants seem to hover over guests as they workout. Trying to be helpful, I suppose.
As of my visit both "The Kitchen" (Arabic/Mediterranean) and The Oriental were open, and we had a nice dinner at the Oriental and a decent lunch at The Kitchen. Room service also available with an extensive menu as mentioned above, and orders came quickly. Prices are reasonable by North American standards. Spa and salon still under construction.
I mentioned all the potential negatives and things to watch out for, but overall this really was a nice stay IMO. Staff was helpful and knowledgeable in my experience, the design of the public spaces were absolutely gorgeous and the most memorable thing about our stay.
Jun 22, 2019, 11:22 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,198
Was supposed to arrive here tomorrow but got scared because of coup attempt. Hotel kindly cancelled my reservation and refunded my money. Awesome service (they had pre upgraded me to a suite too). I will definitely stay here when the political situation stabilizes
Feb 3, 2024, 9:44 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 30
Just had a recent stay at HR Addis. It was very pleasant stay.
The lobby is very extensive and looks luxury. I do not see anything negative about this hotel.
I inquired about Globalist room upgrade. Hotel gave me a nice Regency Suite on the top 6th floor. Room overlooks the Meskel Square. Suite is fairly large, none of the "small" like some others mentioned. It feels just like the Grand Hyatt Amman Jordan I recently stayed.
The Regency Club is on ground floor. Hot appetizer in evening. Good selection of beer, wine and simple hard liquor. Not crowded. Total about fewer than 20 guests for the entire evening.
At about $160 to $230 and 15,000 Hyatt points, it is a nice hotel. But with the local economy and income level, it is expensive for local population. Clearly hotel is more for foreigners, business people, officials etc.
The lobby is very extensive and looks luxury. I do not see anything negative about this hotel.
I inquired about Globalist room upgrade. Hotel gave me a nice Regency Suite on the top 6th floor. Room overlooks the Meskel Square. Suite is fairly large, none of the "small" like some others mentioned. It feels just like the Grand Hyatt Amman Jordan I recently stayed.
The Regency Club is on ground floor. Hot appetizer in evening. Good selection of beer, wine and simple hard liquor. Not crowded. Total about fewer than 20 guests for the entire evening.
At about $160 to $230 and 15,000 Hyatt points, it is a nice hotel. But with the local economy and income level, it is expensive for local population. Clearly hotel is more for foreigners, business people, officials etc.