Hilton is the first international hotel operator in Mekelle, Ethiopia, as of last month. Construction is currently underway for the property’s 15-story tower. The new build is located in downtown Mekelle, within walking distance of the famous Martyrs’ Monument and an easy drive to Alula Aba Nega Airport. Two hundred guestrooms, 19 suites, several on-site dining options and a rooftop restaurant are planned.

“We’re approaching our 50th anniversary of operating in Ethiopia and in recent years we’ve put significant focus on building our presence here. With the addition of Hilton Mekelle we now have five hotels in development across the country. This growth comes as a result of relationships we are building with strong local partners and we’re proud to be working alongside Mr. Tadele Abraha, who is one of Ethiopia’s leading exporters, in developing this hotel,” said Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president of development, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Hilton.

“It is very exciting for us to be diversifying our business interests into the hotel sector and when making the choice to do so, we wanted to ensure we partnered with a world-class international operator with experience in the Ethiopian market. We are proud to be bringing the first internationally branded hotel to Mekelle under Hilton’s flagship, Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand,” added Tadele Abraha, owner, Green Coffee Agro Industry PLC.