ሆቴል ፕላኔት መቐለ / Planet Hotel Meqelle — Hotel in Mek'elē

Do not stay here. In fact, do not contemplate staying here for a second or even a millisecond. We did so and it was one of the most gruesome experiences we’ve ever had in a hotel. All the bad things other people have written about Planet Hotel are correct. I sorely regret not having listened to them. Do not make the same mistake!||||I actually didn’t wish to stay in Mekele at all because none of the accommodation options seemed up to scratch. But, we wanted to visit the Tigray Region and unfortunately the Gheralta Lodge there only had availability for one night. So, I reckoned we’d fly in to Mekele in the evening, spend one night there and leave early the next morning. We’d only be there for a few hours. So, surely it couldn’t be so bad. It turned out to be gruesome. And it was not only gruesome, but also expensive. After reading all the so-so reviews of the different hotels in Mekele, I stupidly and naïvely plumped for the Planet Hotel because the rate was more or less $200 per night. I thought to myself, “If they are charging that much, it must be OK, surely’” Just how wrong and dumb can you be!||||Take a look in a thesaurus for “disgusting” and you’ll find numerous appropriate words to describe the hotel. It’s rundown and dirty. So dirty that we didn’t dare take off our socks or actually undress to get into bed. There was also work going on while we were there. So, it felt very much as if we were in the middle of a building site.||||There is also no hot water. The safe deposit box didn’t work and they didn’t even deign to offer us any free drinking water. Every space in the hotel smells, whether it be the corridors, rooms, restaurant… In the restaurant, the table cloths and napkins were dirty and the food inedible. We ordered spaghetti with tomato sauce. How wrong can you go with that? After a couple of mouthfuls, we decided to submit to the fact that it’s possible for it to be totally repulsive. We asked for the bill, which was not forthcoming and as we were tired, we asked for it to be put on our room. Instead of that, we were awoken about 30 minutes later by an insistent knock on our door. It was the waiter insisting that we sign the bill for the meal!||||The breakfast buffet was even worse… lots of yukky, industrial food. After looking at everything, I decided to play it safe and to just have two hard-boiled eggs. That was not a good idea. When I cracked them open, the yokes were completely black and they emitted a nauseous smell. Fortunately, one of the waiters saw my distress and offered to make me an omelette… a godsend! And I must say that if there is a saving grace, it’s the fact that some of the staff are quite pleasant. Still, the best moment… in fact, the only moment that was not really agonizing… was when we step out the door never to return. The rest was...

Planet Hotel Mekelle, in my opinion, stands out as one of the best places to stay in the city. Here's a breakdown of my experience:

Rooms: ★★★★★ The rooms at Planet Hotel are deserving of a 5-star rating. They are not only spacious but also thoughtfully designed, featuring multiple sofas, a well-appointed closet, comfortable slippers, and a luxurious hot bath. The bed linens were among the finest I've encountered in the country, ensuring a restful night's sleep.

Guest Treatment: ★★★★★ I must commend the exceptional treatment my guests received during their stay. The staff, including Lwam at the front desk and her manager on the day of check-in, went above and beyond to make them feel welcome and valued. The hotel chauffeur who provided me with transportation to the airport also deserves recognition for their professionalism and courtesy.

Wi-Fi: ★★★☆☆ While my overall experience was excellent, the Wi-Fi was somewhat unstable during my stay, which led to a 3-star rating in this category.

Breakfast: ★★★★★ The breakfast experience at Planet Hotel Mekelle was undoubtedly 5-star. It was a delightful culinary journey with a diverse array of options to choose from, offering a perfect start to each day.

Security and Safety: ★★★★★ I felt entirely secure during my stay, with both security and safety measures deserving of a 5-star rating.

Local Coffee and Amenities: ★★★★★ The jebeba coffee served at the hotel is some of the best I've ever had in the country. The amenities, including the gym, steam room, and sauna, were available for use, although I didn't have the chance to visit them personally. However, I heard positive feedback about these facilities from fellow guests.

Location and Accessibility: ★★★★☆ While the hotel is near prominent sites like Hawilti, it is not as close to shopping areas. Nevertheless, the availability of tuktuks (locally called bajaj) made it convenient to explore various attractions throughout Mekelle. The friendly and welcoming locals added to the appeal of the location.

Overall, my stay at Planet Hotel Mekelle exceeded my expectations, earning a 4-star rating. I am already looking forward to future trips to Mekelle, and I plan to make Planet Hotel my go-to choice for accommodation. Thank you for providing a memorable and enjoyable stay in this vibrant city.Show less Date of stay: December 2023 Room tip: Planet Hotel Mekelle, in my opinion, stands out as one of the best places to stay...

Nice, extreme large & clean rooms, large and excellent quality beds. The Tv is pretty old, so tbere is no screenshare option for laptop neither recognises USB stick formated other than FAT32 (which is rarely used nowadays) The bathroom (especially the bad) is weared and because of the extremly low water pressure the jacuzzi function is just a fiction, even takeing a shower is a hard job (at least at the 7. floor). The restaurant is rather a comedy than an eating place: From tree order two was simply forgotten, there is a menu but after the fourth try it became evident that there is no lamb, no beef and no French fries at the kitchen at all. There was no butter for breakfast and absolutely no drinking options... I would far more expected... The "jewellery" shop in the lobby (the old man selling fake silver stuff) is selling fake silver items (silver coated copper) stated as a silver one. It is not to expect in a valuable international hotel. The whole business should be stopped, since it makes a very bad reputation of the hotel and the...