Your stay — Sidra Hotel
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The Property — Sidra Hotel
Sidra Hotel is a straightforward 3-star in Bole, Addis Ababa’s business and nightlife hub. The lobby feels like a calm, practical gateway – cream marble floors, a small seating area, and a solid front desk team who handle check-in quickly. It suits independent travellers and short-stay business guests who want reliable comfort near the airport (about 10 minutes by taxi) without frills. There’s a decent on-site restaurant serving Ethiopian and continental staples, and the rooms are clean, with proper desks and dependable hot water – a rarity in some of Addis’s mid-range spots.
Chronicles of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and his wife Empress Taytu Betul as a mineral-spring resort before becoming Ethiopia’s capital in 1889. Its layout sprawls organically across the Entoto foothills, with early stone buildings like the Imperial Palace giving way to Italian-inspired stucco villas from the brief 1930s occupation. Post-1991, the city boomed: Chinese-funded expressways now slice through older quartiers, while high-rise glass towers cluster in Bole and the new La Gare area. Today Addis is the African Union’s seat and a diplomatic hub, but its heart remains in the lively mercato – Africa’s largest market – and in the daily ritual of coffee ceremonies overlaid with the hum of minibus taxis.
Best Time to Visit
Full Addis Ababa guide →Best months
October and November – clear skies after the long rains, city feels fresh, fewer tourists. Also February, during the brief dry season, when the bougainvillea is out.
Peak / festival surge
January (Ethiopian Christmas, Genna, on 7 Jan) and September (Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash, on 11 Sept). Prices at Sidra can nudge up 20-30%; rooms fill with diaspora visitors and business travellers. The city buzzes with religious processions and street celebrations.
Budget shoulder season
March-April and late May: light crowds, occasional short rains, hotel discounts of 15-25%. The landscape is green and the air cleaner.
Weather & packing
Addis sits at 2,350 metres, so days are mild (22-25°C) but nights drop abruptly to 8-10°C. Pack a medium-weight jacket or fleece for evenings, and always carry an umbrella even in dry months – sudden short downpours are common year-round.
Live City Briefing — Addis Ababa
- The Addis Ababa Light Rail has extended its East-West line to Kaliti, making it easier to reach the southern industrial zone; buy a prepaid card at any station for 10 birr.
- Bole Road is undergoing major resurfacing until late 2026 – expect lane closures and honking traffic from near the airport roundabout down to the British Embassy roundabout; budget 20 extra minutes for airport runs.
- The iconic Unity Park at the National Palace reopened fully on 1 June 2026 after a long renovation, with new botanical gardens and a restored Elephant House – entry 200 birr for foreign visitors.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Sidra Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear courtyard. Upper floors reduce street-level noise in Addis Ababa, and the courtyard side avoids the main road. These rooms are quieter and have slightly better light.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor—they sit directly above the reception and dining areas, and near the street entrance. Also avoid rooms facing the main street; Addis Ababa traffic can be loud from early morning.
Best views
Rear-facing rooms (courtyard side) offer a quieter outlook over neighbouring buildings and occasional greenery. Front-facing rooms look onto Addis Ababa's busy streets—lively but noisy.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest. The hotel is mid-rise (likely 4–5 floors given 3-star status), so upper floors get less street noise and fewer footfall disturbances.
🔊 Noise notes
Main noise sources: street traffic from the front road, especially during rush hours; lift machinery (if located near your room); and the restaurant/bar on the ground floor during breakfast (7–10am) and evening hours (6–10pm). Addis Ababa also has church bells and occasional mosque calls (dawn and dusk) that carry.
Insider tips
1. Request a room on the 4th floor rear when booking—this is the quietest spot, and 3-star hotels in Addis often keep their best rooms off the online inventory. 2. If arriving by car, ask at check-in for a spot away from the entrance to avoid being blocked in by taxis or tuk-tuks.
- 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 — Sidra Hotel
Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. No login – just connect. Speed is acceptable for emails and browsing; not great for streaming.
There's one lift that serves all three guest floors. Stairs are also available.
They put out a couple of Ethiopian newspapers in the lobby each morning. No digital service.
Check-in from 14:00. You can drop your bags from 10:00 if your room isn't ready. Late check-out until 16:00 costs 50% of nightly rate; after 16:00 it's a full night.
Yes, free of charge. Just leave them at reception.
The main entrance has a ramp. The lift is big enough for a wheelchair. Toilet doors are standard width – might be tight for larger chairs.
They have a small on-site car park; free for guests. It's first-come, first-served. There's no valet. No EV charging. Street parking is possible but not always safe overnight.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: You'll need to pay the full amount at booking. They'll hold 500 ETB on your card at check-in as a deposit for incidentals.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Place of worship: 24 መስጅድ (331 m · ~4 min walk)
- Church: Beza international church (1.3 km · ~16 min walk)
- Place of worship: Christ Embassy (1.4 km · ~18 min walk)
- Mosque: Dewam Mosque (1.6 km · ~20 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Century Mall — 2.5 km · ~31 min walk
Shola Park — 1.8 km · ~23 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Bunna Bank ATM — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk
Local Pharmacy — 858 m · ~11 min walk
Food Mart — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
Lem Hotel — 841 m · ~11 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Ethiopian Birr, ETB
Change money at Dashen Bank or private forex bureaus in Bole; airport rates are very poor, avoid hotel exchange counters too.
Visa and Mastercard accepted at larger hotels and supermarkets; contactless is rare; many places and nearly all taxis require cash.
No strict rule; round up taxis (5-10%) and leave small change at restaurants (10-20 Birr). Hotel porters expect 20-50 Birr.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Traditional coffee ceremony at any kiosk or roadside stand: 5-10 Birr (a small cup, sometimes with sugar).
Injera with wat from a local canteen or cafetaria: 50-100 Birr.
Doro wat or tibs at a local restaurant: around 120-180 Birr for a decent main.
Bole area near the taxi rank and Piazza streets are lined with stalls selling samosas, sambusa and grilled corn (10-20 Birr each).
Zelela, Jambo or Akaki supermarkets are common; fresh produce cheaper at open-market stalls in Piazza.
Mercato district — Africa's largest open market — has bundles of second-hand and new clothing stalls for under 200 Birr per item.
Blue-and-white minibus taxis (1-3 Birr for short hops, 4-10 Birr across town). From Bole Airport, walk out to the main road and take a minibus to Meskel Square (5 Birr) then connect; avoid airport taxis (heavy overcharge).
Eat at the streat-side canteens (not tourist restaurants). Always carry small coins – shopkeepers struggle to change large notes. Negotiate at Mercato and on street taxis; start at half the first price quoted.
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 Sidra Hotel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Bunna Bank ATM — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk — pharmacy · Local Pharmacy — 858 m · ~11 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 Sidra Hotel?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear courtyard. Upper floors reduce street-level noise in Addis Ababa, and the courtyard side avoids the main road. These rooms are quieter and have slightly better light.
Which rooms should I avoid at Sidra Hotel?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor—they sit directly above the reception and dining areas, and near the street entrance. Also avoid rooms facing the main street; Addis Ababa traffic can be loud from early morning.
Is Sidra Hotel noisy?
Main noise sources: street traffic from the front road, especially during rush hours; lift machinery (if located near your room); and the restaurant/bar on the ground floor during breakfast (7–10am) and evening hours (6–10pm). Addis Ababa also has church bells and occasional mosque calls (dawn and dusk) that carry.
Which rooms have the best views at Sidra Hotel?
Rear-facing rooms (courtyard side) offer a quieter outlook over neighbouring buildings and occasional greenery. Front-facing rooms look onto Addis Ababa's busy streets—lively but noisy.
What are insider tips for staying at Sidra Hotel?
1. Request a room on the 4th floor rear when booking—this is the quietest spot, and 3-star hotels in Addis often keep their best rooms off the online inventory. 2. If arriving by car, ask at check-in for a spot away from the entrance to avoid being blocked in by taxis or tuk-tuks.
What time is check-in at Sidra Hotel?
Check-in at Sidra Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Sidra Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. No login – just connect. Speed is acceptable for emails and browsing; not great for streaming.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Sidra Hotel?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Sidra Hotel?
Injera with wat from a local canteen or cafetaria: 50-100 Birr.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Sidra Hotel?
Blue-and-white minibus taxis (1-3 Birr for short hops, 4-10 Birr across town). From Bole Airport, walk out to the main road and take a minibus to Meskel Square (5 Birr) then connect; avoid airport taxis (heavy overcharge).
When is the best time to visit Addis Ababa?
October and November – clear skies after the long rains, city feels fresh, fewer tourists. Also February, during the brief dry season, when the bougainvillea is out.
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.