FikirandRay Lodge

From what I saw of other hotels in the vicinity this is probably one of the better hotel options in Lalibela. The rooms are clean and modern, the internet is good, the breakfast’s are excellent and the staff are friendly and accommodating. There were one or two disappointments: No dinner available on my second evening because the cook had gone home and no water on my last morning. A large bucket of water with a jug was left outside me room to use for washing and flushing the toilet but as with the restaurant closure no proper explanation was given let alone an apology.

We stayed at Fiker and Ray for 2 nights. Staff were excellent and go above and beyond to help you out if needed. My husband and I were sick from the Simien Mountains and the lady receptionist was so accommodating and brought tea and food up to our room when we were too sick to go out to have dinner. Hot water is touch and go. Our first room had no hot water but we asked to move to another room on the second night and that room had hot water and stunning views. Breakfast was delicious! You can choose from a range of items such as scrambled eggs, omelette, porridge etc. You are also given bread and some spreads, and a really nice smoothie too. Just take note that it takes a while to come out so I would suggest ordering breakfast at least 35 minutes before your tour starts. We also organized our 11 churches tour through the hotel which turned out to be cheaper than what other tour companies were offering. We received guide Fikremariam a friendly young man with excellent English who was passionate about Lalibela and it’s churches. He was lively, energetic, and extremely knowledgable - we learnt so much from him, not just about the churches, but the history, and general information about Ethiopia. As per our request, he took us to eat at a local restaurant in between visiting the churches and then to a nice coffee/tea place as well. The 11 churches tour with him was by far our favourite tour in Ethiopia. I would recommend him to anyone and would rate him 10/10!!

Great view of the mountains from our room. Excellent location away from all the noise in the town center. Very close to Ben Abebe restaurant, which has amazing views (and good food). Friendly and helpful staff, simple (but very good) breakfast. Excellent value for the price.

My experience in this lodge was amazing ! The staff were super friendly and helpful and very accommodating to anything I asked for. The rooms are clean and exactly what I needed. It’s situated just few minutes walk from the center of the town and from a great restaurant that is known with its splendid sunset views; Ben Abeba. The food at the hotel itself actually exceeded my expectations. It’s a hidden gem in Lalibela. Once in, they will make you feel like family. I highly recommend it!

The staff was very friendly and attentive to my needs. The omelettes and coffee were very delicious every morning. The property is very nicely decorated and views are amazing. I really enjoyed talking with everyone learning about the local culture. I highly recommend FIKRE MARIAM as your tour guide in Lalibella. This young man knows the history and tells it with great enthusiasm. My last night in Lalibella we went to a local lounge Torpedo for honeywine and traditional music and dancing. I had an amazing time and I never had wine that taste so good. Choose this property for your stay in Lalibela youbwill not be dissapointed.

Loved this place. Great location. Friendly. Knowledgeable staff and great price.

Receptionist overcharges and lies about charges, I.e takes money for taxi to airport but doesn’t pay driver so you have to pay twice. Charges guests for eating 1 banana and 1 orange. THTe room is advertised as spacious with a window and view. In reality, no window at all, poky room.

I had a wonderful stay at the Fikir&Ray Hotel. The service here is INCREDIBLE! They provided free airport pickup AND drop off, and readily attended to every request. Breakfast was good and filling. Dinners were delicious and very cheap ($2-4 USD). Beer was cold and plentiful. I would highly recommend this hotel above any other in Lalibela. Simply a wonderful stay. Rooms and beautiful and spacious, with huge windows facing out to the hills below. The cons? Slow wifi and weak plumbing (but these are true of EVERY hotel in Lalibela - the town has horrible infrastructure). Given that you will face the same problems at ALL hotels in the city, I’d happily stay here again in a heartbeat.

We were well looked after by the friendly staff. They arranged our guide, Kalehiwot Zena, who was very friendly and helpful, and took care of all the negotiations. The room was comfortable and the services all worked. The restaurant breakfast was good as was the evening meal.

Our stay at Fiker & Ray was great. Everyone went out of their way to make our stay pleasant. Although ther was shortage of water in the city they made sure we were taken care of. Food was great. The wait staff was very attentive and helpful. Special thanks to Nati. He made our stay memorable. Keep up the good work. It is located very close to the the famous Ben Abeba restaurant . Great stay. Keep up the good work !!