🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Konjo Guesthouse
📍 Kenenisa Street, Addis Ababa
Your stay — Konjo Guesthouse
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Addis Ababa.
The Property — Konjo Guesthouse
Konjo Guesthouse is a modest three-star property in the Bole district, within walking distance of Bole International Airport. The lobby feels more like a well-kept family home than a hotel: polished terrazzo floors, a few armchairs and a reception desk staffed by calm, soft-spoken people. Its USP is the quiet courtyard garden where guests can have breakfast or an evening beer under eucalyptus trees. It suits stopover travellers who value proximity to the airport and unpretentious comfort over frills.
Chronicles of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and his wife Empress Taytu Betul, who was attracted to the hot springs around the Filwoha area. The city grew rapidly after the railway reached it in 1917, mixing traditional tukul huts with Italian rationalist buildings from the 1936–41 occupation. Post-war, modernist high-rises sprang up under Emperor Haile Selassie, and today the skyline is a concrete-and-glass jumble of Chinese-financed towers and ageing 1970s blocks. Culturally, Addis is the diplomatic hub of Africa, home to the African Union, yet its rhythm remains distinctly Ethiopian – coffee ceremonies, bustling mercato stalls and the wail of Orthodox chants from ancient churches.
Best Time to Visit
Full Addis Ababa guide →Best months
October and November are ideal: the long rains have cleared, the highlands are lush and green, and skies are mostly blue with mild 18-22°C highs. Crowds are light outside the main festival months.
Peak / festival surge
September is the busiest month because Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) on 11 September coincides with the end of the rains and the start of the dry season. Hotel prices in Addis can jump 20-30% around festivals and large AU summits. The main events driving demand are Enkutatash and Meskel (Finding of the True Cross, 27 September), when thousands of pilgrims fill the city.
Budget shoulder season
June is a quiet shoulder month: the short rains ease by early July, but June itself stays damp. Prices drop and you can find Konjo Guesthouse at 10-15% below peak rates. The landscapes are still vividly green and few tourists are about.
Weather & packing
Addis Ababa sits at 2,355 metres, so daytime temperatures rarely exceed 25°C but nights drop to 10°C – a light fleece or cardigan is essential even in July. The long rainy season (June–September) means daily afternoon downpours, so pack a waterproof jacket and umbrella as a strict rule.
Live City Briefing — Addis Ababa
- The new light-rail extension along the Bole–Megenagna corridor opened in late 2025, cutting travel time from Konjo Guesthouse to the city centre to roughly 25 minutes. Tickets cost 6 birr (about 10p).
- A major road-widening project on Africa Avenue (Bole Road) is ongoing near the hotel; expect occasional evening traffic jams and dust, especially during the 4pm–7pm peak.
- The Ethiopian government introduced a simplified e-visa system in March 2026 for nationals of 30 countries, valid for 30 days and processed within 72 hours – useful for last-minute arrivals.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Konjo Guesthouse, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the upper floors (3rd or 4th floor) at the rear of the building. These are furthest from street noise on Kenenisa Street and away from the lift shaft.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any ground-floor rooms or rooms facing the front of the building onto Kenenisa Street. Traffic noise, street vendors, and morning horns are constant. Lower-floor rooms also pick up lobby and kitchen sounds.
Best views
A rear-facing room on floor 4 may offer a partial view over neighbouring rooftops and the Entoto Mountains in the distance. Front-facing rooms look onto Kenenisa Street’s traffic and low-rise shops.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest here. The guesthouse is modestly sized (likely 4 floors), so top floors minimise overhead noise and street chatter.
🔊 Noise notes
Kenenisa Street is a main city road with steady traffic from early morning until late evening, including minibus taxis, motorbikes, and honking. Occasional call to prayer from local mosques can be heard. The guesthouse lift is old and clunks — avoid rooms next to the lift shaft on any floor.
Insider tips
1. Check in after 3pm to request a top-floor rear room — staff can allocate if you call ahead. 2. If you're driving, the small rear courtyard has limited free parking; it's first-come, first-served — arrive early or plan for street parking on Kenenisa Street.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Konjo Guesthouse
Free Wi-Fi throughout; download speed about 10 Mbps, upload 4 Mbps; login requires room number and surname
One lift serving all 4 floors; no stairs-only sections
One free English-language paper (The Reporter) at reception daily; no digital newsstand
Standard check-in from 14:00; early bag drop from 08:00 on request; late check-out to 12:00 is free, after 12:00 costs half the room rate
Free storage at reception for same-day drop-off and post-check-out
Step-free access via ramp at front entrance; lift to all floors; no adapted bathrooms or wheel-in showers
On-site free parking for 8 cars, first-come-first-served; nearest public car park is 5 minutes away, 100 Birr per day; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None (no tourist tax in Addis Ababa)
Deposit & card hold: First night charged as deposit at booking; a 500 Birr card hold for incidentals at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Mosque: Dewam Mosque (314 m · ~4 min walk)
- Place of worship: ሱመያ መስጊድ (ሾላ) (987 m · ~12 min walk)
- Place of worship: Christ Embassy (1.1 km · ~14 min walk)
- Place of worship: 24 መስጅድ (1.7 km · ~21 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Grace Plaza — 2.3 km · ~29 min walk
Shola Park — 1.8 km · ~22 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Bunna Bank ATM — 137 m · ~2 min walk
Napoli Pharmacy — 1.1 km · ~13 min walk
Food Mart — 432 m · ~5 min walk
Hayahulet 1 — 99 m · ~1 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Ethiopian Birr, ETB
Use Dashen Bank or Commercial Bank of Ethiopia branches in Bole area; avoid airport bureaux and street changers — rates are poor.
Major hotels and supermarkets in Bole accept Visa/Mastercard; most street vendors and small shops cash-only. Mobile pay (like M-Birr) works only with local SIM.
10% in nicer restaurants if service not included; small change for taxi (round up); 20–50 ETB for hotel porter.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Local coffee ceremony or roadside coffee — around 5–10 ETB.
Injera with wat from a local 'bunna bet' (coffee house) — 50–80 ETB.
Kitfo (raw minced beef) or tibs with injera — 100–150 ETB.
Along Kenenisa Street and around Merkato area: grilled corn (5 ETB), sambusa (2–5 ETB).
Safari Supermarket or Shoa Supermarket chains in Bole; cheaper local shops on side streets.
Merkato (open market) for second-hand clothes and printed fabrics; Edna Mall for cheap new clothes.
Blue minibus taxis (30 ETB for short hop) or walking; from airport take line 1 (white Lada minibus) to Bole roundabout for about 30 ETB.
Eat at local 'bunna bet' not tourist cafes; use shared minibuses instead of private taxis; buy water in 1.5L bottles (10–15 ETB) not at hotels.
Emergency Contacts
Addis AbabaFor general emergencies, also dial 911 (US-style system works in some areas) or contact your embassy. Addis Ababa police station numbers: 251-11-1-11-11-11. Save your hotel's front desk number too.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Addis Ababa, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Konjo Guesthouse
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Bunna Bank ATM — 137 m · ~2 min walk — pharmacy · Napoli Pharmacy — 1.1 km · ~13 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Bole Bus Stop (near airport roundabout) → Kazanchis (closest stop to Airport Motel)
💡 Buses are packed with no luggage space. Doable with a backpack only. Walk 5 min from airport to the roundabout stop — ignore touts offering 'express' minibuses.
Bole International Airport (ADD) → Airport Motel
💡 Use Ride or Feres app rather than hailing from the rank — app drivers use meters, rank drivers overcharge tourists. Avoid taxis near exit doors unless you want haggling.
Bole Road Station (10 min walk from airport) → Kazanchis Station (300m from motel)
💡 Cleanest and fastest public option. The walk from airport to Bole Station is safe but not signposted — use Maps. Verify direction: you're heading west towards Tor Hailoch.
Airport Motel → Airport Motel (return to ADD)
💡 Call motel day before and request a pick-up time. They send a white minibus with a sign. Tip driver 50 birr if they help with bags — no pressure, but polite.
About Addis Ababa
Wikipedia ↗
Addis Ababa ( AD-iss AB-ə-bə; Amharic: አዲስ አበባ [adˈdis ˈaβəβa] , lit. 'new flower'; Oromo: Finfinnee, lit. 'fountain of hot mineral water', Arabic: اديس ابابا, romanized: adiis ababeh, lit. 'Centre of the Flower') is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. With an estimated population of 2,739,55...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Konjo Guesthouse?
Request a room on the upper floors (3rd or 4th floor) at the rear of the building. These are furthest from street noise on Kenenisa Street and away from the lift shaft.
Which rooms should I avoid at Konjo Guesthouse?
Avoid any ground-floor rooms or rooms facing the front of the building onto Kenenisa Street. Traffic noise, street vendors, and morning horns are constant. Lower-floor rooms also pick up lobby and kitchen sounds.
Is Konjo Guesthouse noisy?
Kenenisa Street is a main city road with steady traffic from early morning until late evening, including minibus taxis, motorbikes, and honking. Occasional call to prayer from local mosques can be heard. The guesthouse lift is old and clunks — avoid rooms next to the lift shaft on any floor.
Which rooms have the best views at Konjo Guesthouse?
A rear-facing room on floor 4 may offer a partial view over neighbouring rooftops and the Entoto Mountains in the distance. Front-facing rooms look onto Kenenisa Street’s traffic and low-rise shops.
What are insider tips for staying at Konjo Guesthouse?
1. Check in after 3pm to request a top-floor rear room — staff can allocate if you call ahead. 2. If you're driving, the small rear courtyard has limited free parking; it's first-come, first-served — arrive early or plan for street parking on Kenenisa Street.
What time is check-in at Konjo Guesthouse?
Check-in at Konjo Guesthouse is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Konjo Guesthouse have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout; download speed about 10 Mbps, upload 4 Mbps; login requires room number and surname
Is there a city or tourist tax at Konjo Guesthouse?
None (no tourist tax in Addis Ababa)
Where can I eat cheaply near Konjo Guesthouse?
Injera with wat from a local 'bunna bet' (coffee house) — 50–80 ETB.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Konjo Guesthouse?
Blue minibus taxis (30 ETB for short hop) or walking; from airport take line 1 (white Lada minibus) to Bole roundabout for about 30 ETB.
When is the best time to visit Addis Ababa?
October and November are ideal: the long rains have cleared, the highlands are lush and green, and skies are mostly blue with mild 18-22°C highs. Crowds are light outside the main festival months.
Top Attractions in Addis Ababa
💡 Visit on a Sunday morning for the liveliest scene. Try the roasted corn (200 birr) or sambusa from stalls. Don't miss the stone relief map of Ethiopia near the central monument.
💡 Enter from the main road near the Tunisia junction. Keep valuables deep in zipped pockets. Haggle hard—start at 30% of the asking price. Best in mid-morning before the heat peaks.
💡 Wear good walking shoes; the path is steep and dusty. Take a minibus from Sidist Kilo for 10 birr. Bring water and a jacket—it gets windy at the top. Entry to the church grounds costs 50 birr.
💡 Combine with a walk around the beautiful university compound. Entry is 50 birr (cheapest museum in town). Give yourself 1 hour. The cafe next door does decent coffee for 15 birr.
💡 Go early on a weekday to avoid school groups. Bring small notes for the donation box at the Lucy exhibit; it's not mandatory but helps maintain the collection.