Ethiopian Skylight to become the largest hotel in Africa

Ethiopia Airlines to launch US $65m five-star hotel

The Ethiopian Skylight Hotel will become the largest hotel in Ethiopia once fully completed. It is owned by Ethiopian Airlines the national carrier. Currently the hotel has 373 rooms and boasts 3 restaurants. It also has a 2000 sitting capacity ballroom.

In Phase two that is nearing completion, the hotel will have a total of 1013 rooms making the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel the largest hotel in Africa.

Reported earlier

Ethiopian Skylight, the US$ 65M five-star hotel in Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Airlines is set to launch the US $65m Ethiopian Skylight Five Hotel this month. This is according to the Airline’s Head of Infrastructure Planning and Development, Abraham Tesfaye. The latter said that the million-dollar hotel will be officially opened to the public on the 28th of January 2019.

The hotel, the construction of which began back in 2016, is located five minutes from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It covers 42000 square meters with a parking lot that can accommodate more than 500 cars.

“We are striving to make Addis Ababa the main gateway to Africa. The hotel will play a significant role in boosting the tourism sector and making Addis Ababa a conference hub,” said Abraham Tesfaye.

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A look inside the Ethiopian Skylight five star hotel

The Ethiopian Skylight Five Hotel has 373 guest rooms and three restaurants – a Chinese restaurant, an Ethiopian restaurant, and a European restaurant. The hotel also has three bars – lobby bar, executive (rooftop) bar, and Jazz club. Twenty-seven of the guest rooms are spacious suites.

The hotel also encompasses a grand ballroom. The room has been designed to accommodate 2,000 persons convenient for conference and wedding parties. Moreover, it has five meeting rooms that can accommodate 20-30 people. This is in addition to a health center that provides spa, massage, and gym services. In addition, there is an outdoor swimming pool with a pool bar and mini golf court on the premise.

Other recreational services such as a coffee shop, ticket office, and souvenir shop are also offered in the Ethiopian Skylight Five Hotel. A large kitchen, laundry, and cold room are ready services.

Expectations for the project

Ethiopian airlines are reported to have provided 35% of the financing while EXIM Bank of China provided 65% of the project’s financing. In addition to promoting Ethiopian tourism, this hotel will also welcome passengers during transits, stopovers, or technical delays. It is expected to generate over 400 jobs.

“Ethiopian Airlines will have a sufficient number of internationally standard hotel rooms to create an environment conducive to tourists in addition to receiving passengers during transit, stopovers, or technical delays,” said Mr. Abraham Tesfaye.

Moreover, the Ethiopian carrier is also preparing to launch the construction of a second 5-star hotel. The entry into service is scheduled for 2021. It will be built on an area of 22410 meters, the hotel will have 637 rooms.