Continued from the last post...

Ok, as far as the Hilton goes, no, I absolutely do not think that it spoiled the cultural experience.

From my husband... "It is a 60 year old building that Haile Selassie had built for visiting dignitaries, etc. That makes it a pretty cool place history-wise."

The last time we went, we stayed at the Ghion, which we really liked. Think 1970’s James Bond movie…(that’s how Josh describes it!) Everything was fairly worn and shabby, although the bathroom and beds were sparkling clean. We had tons of space though…it was quite a large suite, which was great for the three of us. We could put Ben to bed in the little separate bedroom and still be able to watch TV or whatever without disturbing him.

At the Hilton everything was much “nicer” in an American way. Things were cleaner, newer, more modern. The room was also much smaller than what we had at the Ghion (but worked out just great for Belane and me). The Hilton had more amenities…broadband internet access in your room instead of dialup at the café or business center at the Ghion...small grocery store, Ethiopian airlines desk, etc. right downstairs. Both hotels had great food available, reliable hot water and decent water pressure, wonderful laundry service (although the Hilton’s was MUCH more expensive), beautiful swimming pools, places to exchange money and some small shops. The Hilton had more “American food” available to eat at its three restaurants.

The staff at both places was great, but I found the staff at the Hilton to be a lot friendlier (and maybe that is just because I spent more time there). They all spoke English fairly well, and were very outgoing and friendly. I am sure it is part of their job to be that way, but it also seemed very genuine, and was one of the better aspects of our stay there. Everyone from the doormen to the ladies that cleaned the room were just wonderful to talk with…they remembered my name and Belane’s and were always asking how things were going, etc.

I did not feel that we had any less culture at the Hilton than we did at the Ghion…in both places we had our room, we ate in the restaurants and we saw lots of other tourists/visitors. Neither place will give you the experience of how Ethiopians really live. Both places are full of Ethiopians!

There were however significantly less bugs at the Hilton…I took that as a plus! (In fact I only saw one bug at the hotel the entire time!)

The Hilton was quieter…(you could sleep through the call to prayer!) and it felt somehow safer to me. I don’t think I would have stayed at the Ghion alone…the suites are not connected to the main hotel and there is a bit of walking back and forth outside. Josh and my family really wanted me to stay at the Hilton once Josh left, because with all of the security it was a very safe place to be.

The Hilton was a lot cleaner, and I never got sick eating there for two whole weeks. I did really enjoy the privacy…it was really nice for bonding both with Ben and with Belane to have a room we could go back to and be alone.

If a family was traveling with both parents and more than one child, I would probably recommend the Ghion. The playground is MUCH bigger and there is lots of room inside and out to run around. The grounds are beautiful, and it has a very kid-friendly and family atmosphere (the Hilton was a very friendly atmosphere, but there was a lot more “business people” and “money people” around). If a family was traveling and was “pickier” and wanting things as “American” as possible, I would recommend the Hilton.

I loved the Hilton and our stay there...it really became a home away from home for me and Belaney. I think that for me, having the convenience of a variety of places to eat, the Ethiopian Airlines office, a bank, a grocery store, etc. all under one roof, and having reliable and consistent internet access in the hotel room was all awesome. I couldn’t type much at all when Belane was awake, and trying to do so in a business office or café would have been rough going for sure. It was great to be able to blog and email when she was asleep.

The price for the room per night was exactly the same (with the adoption rate at the Hilton, otherwise it would have been quite a bit more pricey), however the services…food, laundry, internet, phone, etc. were considerably more expensive at the Hilton.

Both places are great.

More from my husband... "If you want to really experience Ethiopia, if you stay at a hotel, you need to get out. Go shopping, go to the orphanages, walk on the streets, make friends with a driver, etc. The culture is out there and very easy to find."

I know people who have stayed at guest houses and staying somewhere like that I am sure is much more of a cultural experience. Everyone needs to decide what type of place to stay is right for their situation.