Rooms

A tukel is the name that Ethiopians give to a house. In the case of Simien lodge, the tukel forms two rooms with two bathrooms. Each room is of a good quality Insidewith 2 large single beds (2m x 1m). There is a bathroom with shower. All rooms have under-floor heating by solar (which of course works when there is sun). Each room has a sheltered balcony. All rooms have fibreglass insulation to the ceiling, walls and floor. Remember we are a mountain lodge and nights can be chilly. So come prepared with warm clothes.

There are 26 main rooms. Twenty four roomshave twin beds and two have double beds. The bedding is quilts with pure white cotton sheets and extra blankets if needed.

The bathrooms have a shower (we do not have baths because of the scarcity of water in the dry season). Hot water is by solar with electricty backup.

Inside the main rooms look like this. They are semi-circular, essentially half a tukel. Each room has a bathroom. The rooms all have tiled floors which are heated a few degrees by a solar system. In between the rows of tukels is a bank of forty square meters of solar panels. When there is sun, then hot water is automatically pumped through pipes underfloor, heating the room by a few degrees. However this is not intended to be a full central heating system. The lodge is at 3300 metres altitude and of course it is cold at this height, especially at night. But the system is enough to take off the chill, making the lodge a comfortable way to visit the Simiens.

All rooms have traditional Ethiopian decor. No 'chinese furniture' as so often found in Ethiopian hotels. There are original oil painings and traditional weave. Tea and coffee machines, wall safe and full length mirrors come as standard.

The family rooms comprise of two rooms and a bathroom. The first room is a lounge with two single beds. This leads to the master bedroom which has one double bed. The bathroom is accessed from the master bedroom.