Enrica and Silvio Rizzotti have created their beautiful lodge overlooking the Gheralta Mountains. The staff are friendly and helpful, the indoor garden an oasis. We enjoyed the library.
Our room was nicely designed - and we had plenty of hot water. Most rooms have wonderful views. Beware however the noise from the adjoining room - felt they were in bed with us! The connecting door is not sound proofed at all.
The food in Ethiopia is interesting but an acquired taste. (Some never acquire it). We were told to expect the best food in Ethiopia. But it must have been cook's night off. So disappointing.

Absolutely fantastic. Well worth the cost and the effort to get there. Meals were great too. A nice base for hiking into the the Tigray scenery.

This lodge is situated in an elevated position with great views of the rugged scenery in this area. The rooms are built in the style of the local stone built houses, set in the grounds of the lodge. The room are well equiped and comfortable, with modern efficient bathrooms, but they have nice traditional decor and furniture, that gives them character.

The restaurant bar and lounge areas are again traditional in style, with simple but attractive furnishings. Meals are served at set times and they are simple, but wholesome, and use local produce. They can be repetitive if you stay more than a couple of days.

Most of the clients are with group tours and they tend to stay only one or two nights. So there is a lot of coming and going, and it can be hectic at meal times, but during the day time it can be very peaceful. The staff are friendly and helpful, and bearing in mind the dusty surroundings, things are kept very clean.

Unfortunately, at present this is the only 'tourist class' accomodation in this wonderful area, and in season it can be difficult to get a room, as they are mostly booked by tour groups.

After working in Ethiopia for two years and visiting most parts of the country, Gheralta Lodge was my absolute favorite place to stay, without question. Not only is it clearly the best hotel in Tigray, but for short-term visitors to Ethiopia, I would suggest including Tigray on your itinerary largely because of this lodge. The scenery is amazing, the churches are magnificent, the people are wonderful, and (for most visitors) the lodge will be a breath of fresh air in terms of service.

With small bungalows, a lovely common lodge building, high-quality meals, and wonderful service this establishment is truly raising the bar for the tourist industry in Ethiopia. Of the dozen or so small lodges I visited in the same market in Ethiopia, it was without peer - and it could easily compete with more established, upscale lodges in neighboring Kenya, for example. I couldn't recommend it more highly.