A flagship property in the former imperial capital
Haile Hotels and Resorts Group has unveiled its new flagship property in Gondar, a historic city in the Amhara region. The group describes it as a luxury hotel combining modern comfort with cultural heritage.
The hotel’s design takes its cue from the aesthetic of Fasil Ghebbi, the fortified city built from the 17th century onwards by Ethiopia’s emperors and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The group is promoting “royal” hospitality, in a nod to Gondar’s imperial past.
At this stage, the group has not disclosed the hotel’s final name, its capacity, its opening date or the amount of the investment.
A group already established in Gondar
Haile Hotels and Resorts is no newcomer to the market. According to the Ethiopian business press, the group arrived in Gondar in late 2018 with Haile Resort Gondar, the result of a renovation of the former Landmark Hotel, taken over under a five-year lease.
This new project, however, carries the flagship label, reserved for the leading properties in the portfolio. The group has not specified how it will fit alongside the existing hotel.
Accelerating growth from Hawassa
Founded in 2010 in Hawassa, on the shores of the lake of the same name, Haile Hotels and Resorts has gradually built a network of hotels and resorts spanning the Rift Valley, Addis Ababa and the north of the country. In April 2026, the group opened its eleventh property in Debre Berhan, a 123-room four-star hotel representing an investment of 1.9 billion birr, according to Ethiopian Business Review.
At that opening, the local press cited Gondar, Dire Dawa and Harar as the group’s next development stops. Its CEO, Gaddisa Girma, also said the group is preparing for COP32, expected in Addis Ababa in 2027, notably by adding 80 rooms to the Haile Grand Addis Ababa, which had 137 rooms when it opened.
Haile Gebrselassie, for his part, spoke of his ambition to take the brand beyond Ethiopia’s borders, into the rest of East Africa.
An Ethiopian market gathering pace
The announcement comes as Ethiopia establishes itself as one of East Africa’s most dynamic hotel markets, driven by preparations for COP32 and the arrival of major international brands, as La Tribune de l’Hôtellerie analysed in its report on the Ethiopian hotel pipeline ahead of COP32 in Addis Ababa.
Analysis – By betting on Gondar, gateway to Simien Mountains National Park and a major stop on the northern historic route, Haile Hotels and Resorts is strengthening its position in cultural tourism. Its choice of an architectural narrative rooted in local heritage also sets the national brand apart from international chains, which still focus largely on the capital.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Haile Hotels and Resorts unveils new flagship in Gondar, Ethiopia
Ethiopian group founded by Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie
New flagship property inspired by Fasil Ghebbi, UNESCO-listed royal enclosure
Group already present in Gondar since 2018 with Haile Resort Gondar
11th property opened in Debre Berhan in April 2026 (123 rooms)
Further growth targeted in Dire Dawa, Harar and East Africa
