Your stay — Raimbaud Hotel
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 Harar.
The Property — Raimbaud Hotel
The Raimbaud Hotel in Harar occupies a converted French colonial mansion, all verandas and high ceilings, with a courtyard garden that catches the morning sun. It suits independent travellers after something solid and characterful rather than flashy; the staff are direct and helpful, not fawning. In the lobby you'll smell coffee from the brew station and see a well-worn stack of guidebooks on a side table. It's that sort of place.
Chronicles of Harar
Harar is one of Islam's holiest cities, founded in the 7th century as a trading hub linking the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula. Its walled old town, Jugol, dates largely from the 16th-century Emirate era, when some 368 alleyways and 82 mosques were packed inside the defensive walls. The French poet Arthur Rimbaud lived here in the 1880s, trading coffee and arms; his former house is now a museum. Today Harar is famous for its ancient hyena-feeding ritual, still performed nightly just outside the gates, and for its distinctive four-door city wall, said to represent the four cardinal directions.
Best Time to Visit
Full Harar guide →Best months
October–November and March–April: these are Harar's driest, mildest months, with daytime highs around 22–26°C, low humidity, and very few tourists. You can walk the alleys without being baked or rained on.
Peak / festival surge
The main peak is July, which overlaps with the big summer rains. August is also crowded for internal Ethiopian tourism, when the country's annual 'Irreecha' festival (Oromo thanksgiving, usually late September) brings visitors into the region. Hotel rates at Raimbaud can rise 20–30% in July and August; advance booking is essential.
Budget shoulder season
May and June offer a good budget shoulder: rains haven't fully started, crowds are thin, and room rates drop to near off-peak levels. Temperatures sit at a pleasant 25–28°C.
Weather & packing
Harar sits at 1,850 metres, so nights can drop to 12°C even in July – pack a fleece or light jacket for evenings. Daily rain showers are common in July; bring a waterproof shell and quick-dry trousers, not an umbrella (it gets windy inside the old city).
Live City Briefing — Harar
- The Harar–Dire Dawa road is undergoing major resurfacing work through mid-2026; expect delays of 30–60 minutes for the 55-km journey. Taxi unions are advising visitors to allow an extra hour.
- A new coffee-roasting cooperative opened in the old town's Gidir Magala market in March 2026, offering guided tastings – a good alternative to the standard tourist coffee ceremonies.
- The hyena-feeding ritual has resumed daily at 7.45pm sharp, but numbers are capped at 30 spectators; book through your hotel a day ahead to avoid disappointment.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Raimbaud Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor facing the inner courtyard (away from the street). These floors are high enough to avoid ground-level noise but still accessible if the lift is unreliable.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms (especially near the reception or any street-facing side) as they pick up foot traffic, staff activity, and street noise from Harar's narrow, busy streets.
Best views
Ask for a courtyard-facing room on the 3rd floor—you'll see the hotel's inner terrace and perhaps a sliver of old Harar rooftops, rather than a blank wall or busy alley.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3 are the quietest—set back from street-level commotion and above the main lobby bustle.
🔊 Noise notes
Harar's old town streets are narrow and active from dawn—donkey carts, motorbikes, and local market chatter. The hotel itself may have a small bar or dining area on the ground floor that can be loud until around 10 pm.
Insider tips
1. The lift may be small or occasionally out of service—if you have heavy luggage, request a lower floor (2nd) just in case. 2. Ask reception for a room away from the stairwell; the thick stone walls in old Harari buildings block noise surprisingly well if you're not near the core corridor.
- 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 — Raimbaud Hotel
Free WiFi in common areas; speeds adequate for email and browsing but not streaming.
No lift; two-storey building with stairs only.
No complimentary newspapers or digital newsstand.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag-drop available at no cost; late check-out until 12:00 for 50% of room rate.
Free storage at reception after checkout.
Step-free access to ground floor only; no wheelchair-accessible rooms above ground floor.
No on-site parking; street parking available nearby, generally free but limited. Nearest public car park: 300 metres, 50 ETB per night. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full amount may be charged at booking; incidental hold of 500 ETB at check-in.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Mosque: Amer Uga Mosque (50 m · ~1 min walk)
- Mosque: Shaish Toa Mosque (check) (58 m · ~1 min walk)
- Mosque: Shaish Toa Mosque (89 m · ~1 min walk)
- Church: Cathedral of Holy name of Mary (129 m · ~2 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Tewekeltu Business Center — 1.2 km · ~16 min walk
Nur Plaza — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Harari Community Museum — 166 m · ~2 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk
Kalkas pharmacy — 1.2 km · ~16 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Ethiopian Birr, ETB
Use Dashen Bank or Commercial Bank of Ethiopia branches in town; avoid the airport and tourist bureaux for poor rates.
Cards accepted in some hotels and bigger shops, but cash is king for nearly everything in Harar.
Not expected but appreciated; round up taxi fares and leave small change (10-20 Birr) for good service.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Local coffee shops serve fresh brewed coffee for around 10-15 Birr.
Injera with shiro or meat from a local eatery costs about 40-60 Birr.
A main dish at a small restaurant or cafe runs 50-80 Birr.
The main market area near the old city gate has stalls selling sambusa, roasted corn, and grilled meat skewers.
Small general stores and open markets are everywhere; there is no large supermarket chain in Harar.
Jubilee Market and the old city market for second-hand and traditional fabrics.
Shared minibuses (bajaj) cost 5-10 Birr per ride; from the airport, a shared minibus to town is about 20 Birr.
Eat at local eateries not tourist spots to save. Haggle at markets but not at food stalls. Use shared bajaj for short trips instead of private taxis.
Emergency Contacts
HararFor police in Harar, dial 991. Ambulance: 907. Fire: 903. These numbers may be patchy outside town; keep a local contact. The main hospital is Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, but for serious issues, consider evacuation to Addis Ababa. Save your embassy's number too.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Harar, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Raimbaud Hotel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk — pharmacy · Kalkas pharmacy — 1.2 km · ~16 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Dire Dawa Bus Station → Harar Bus Station (near Jugol gate)
💡 Minibuses leave when full; sit on the left side for the best views over the escarpment. Tana Hotel is about a 15-minute walk from the Harar bus station.
Any point in Harar → Tana Hotel
💡 Short, cheap hops — flag one down for the steep walk up to Tana Hotel from the old town. They won't go outside city limits.
Dire Dawa City Centre → Tana Hotel, Harar
💡 Agree the fare before you get in — many drivers will try to quote double. Rough road after the tarmac ends; small cars struggle with the potholes.
Dire Dawa Airport (DIR) → Tana Hotel, Harar
💡 Pre-book with the hotel or a local driver; shared taxis from the airport to Dire Dawa city are cheaper but you'll still need another taxi for the final leg to Harar.
About Harar
Wikipedia ↗
Harar (Harari: ሀረር / Old Harari: هَرَرْ; Amharic: ሐረር; Oromo: Adare Biyyo; Somali: Xarar/𐒄𐒖𐒇𐒖𐒇; Arabic: هرر), known historically by the indigenous as Harar-Gey or simply Gey (Harari: ጌይ, Old Harari: ݘٛىيْ, romanized: Gēy, lit. 'the city'), is a walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is also known...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Raimbaud Hotel?
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor facing the inner courtyard (away from the street). These floors are high enough to avoid ground-level noise but still accessible if the lift is unreliable.
Which rooms should I avoid at Raimbaud Hotel?
Avoid ground-floor rooms (especially near the reception or any street-facing side) as they pick up foot traffic, staff activity, and street noise from Harar's narrow, busy streets.
Is Raimbaud Hotel noisy?
Harar's old town streets are narrow and active from dawn—donkey carts, motorbikes, and local market chatter. The hotel itself may have a small bar or dining area on the ground floor that can be loud until around 10 pm.
Which rooms have the best views at Raimbaud Hotel?
Ask for a courtyard-facing room on the 3rd floor—you'll see the hotel's inner terrace and perhaps a sliver of old Harar rooftops, rather than a blank wall or busy alley.
What are insider tips for staying at Raimbaud Hotel?
1. The lift may be small or occasionally out of service—if you have heavy luggage, request a lower floor (2nd) just in case. 2. Ask reception for a room away from the stairwell; the thick stone walls in old Harari buildings block noise surprisingly well if you're not near the core corridor.
What time is check-in at Raimbaud Hotel?
Check-in at Raimbaud Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Raimbaud Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi in common areas; speeds adequate for email and browsing but not streaming.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Raimbaud Hotel?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Raimbaud Hotel?
Injera with shiro or meat from a local eatery costs about 40-60 Birr.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Raimbaud Hotel?
Shared minibuses (bajaj) cost 5-10 Birr per ride; from the airport, a shared minibus to town is about 20 Birr.
When is the best time to visit Harar?
October–November and March–April: these are Harar's driest, mildest months, with daytime highs around 22–26°C, low humidity, and very few tourists. You can walk the alleys without being baked or rained on.
Top Attractions in Harar
💡 Go just after Friday prayers (around 1pm) when the courtyard empties—locals are happy to chat then. Dress conservatively: arms and legs fully covered, remove shoes before stepping onto any mat area.
💡 Bring your own water and snack; the park has no vendors. Best visited late afternoon when the heat drops.
💡 Start at the Iron Gate (Gate of the Afar) early morning, around 6am, to see local herders bringing in goats and camels.
💡 Get there by 6pm to claim a spot near the hyenas. Don't wear strong perfume—the hyenas have an incredible sense of smell and will avoid you.
💡 Ask the curator to show you the secret room hidden behind a false bookshelf—holds a rare collection of 19th-century swords.