Sabean International Hotel

1016 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

2/5

Review type

Accommodation

Location

Date of travel

January, 2016

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Partner

Reasons for trip

Culture / Sightseeing

“Sabean International Hotel”:http://sabeanhotel.com/index.php is centrally located in Axum, Ethiopia’s first royal capital city.

Although it had a lift, it wasn’t working, so we were pleased to find we were on the second floor.

Our room was of average size with interesting views: a huge pile of plastic water bottles and an even larger pile of steel cables. There was no AC, but there was a free standing fan. The left hand side bedside table drawer faced the wall because the table wouldn’t fit if it was the right way round and the person sleeping nearest the window had to negotiate clambering over an ornately out of place Queen Ann style arm chair to get into and out of bed.

Still the bathroom was light and bright with loo, basin, shower and hairdryer. The shower cubicle was so small and I couldn’t bend down in it to clean feet which were filthy from having to take my shoes on and off at churches. The water trickled somewhat but at least it was warm, unlike in the sink. Once again, there was a single pair of rubber flip flops in the bathroom.

Although there was a safe it was at the bottom and back of the wardrobe, requiring hands and knees and good eyesight – we settled on locking valuables in our suitcase. There was an empty fridge that wasn’t on and emergency battery powered lighting.
After a day’s sightseeing we went down to the ground floor bar at 4.30pm for a chilled Walia beer, to find a TV blaring out with a group of men drinking coffee and watching first of all a soap opera followed by a cookery programme.

The restaurant was on the first floor. Breakfast was a fairly desolate affair, with ready made toast, a very thin scraping of scrambled egg, and thick, gloopy papaya juice. Lunch was a la carte and good but huge – Roy only manage a third of his pasta but liked the fact the tomato sauce was served in a separate sauce boat. My fail safe dish of tuna salad also defeated me. Dinner was a buffet: tomato soup followed by a number of main dishes including tender chicken pieces, beef with a mix of vegetables, small fish goujons etc. Pudding was a banana. As with many of the Ethiopian hotels we stayed in, there were lots of groups, but the buffet never got overcrowded.

Having left the bathroom light on overnight for excursions, we both woke in the night to find the electricity had gone off (so everything on charge had stopped charging). However, at 5am when a cock crowing woke us up, we realised that there was a chink of light under the door and the small red button was glowing on the TV. We tried the lights and low and behold they were all working.

The hotel had one of the most uncomfortable beds of our entire trip (16 hotels) and probably in my entire life – to say it was like sleeping on a billiard table is not an overstatement. To ease the hardness, we took the duvet off and slept on it in an attempt to ease the hardness. However, I still left with fabulous memories of the sights of Axum but with a stiff back.

Helen Jackson

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.