Embasoira Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture opening a hotel-room door and finding genuine 1960s teak furniture sitting exactly where it has stood since the building opened — not "styled vintage" pieces bought later, but the real thing, handled by countless diplomats, businesspeople and travelers over the decades. That's the charm of Embasoira Hotel, the kind people remember for life. This place is the new name for what was once the Imperial Hotel, undisputedly the best hotel in Asmara from the 1960s through the 1990s. Its roughly 60 rooms are laid out noticeably wider than the modern city-centre standard, with ceilings over 3 metres and the original herringbone parquet still in place. Many rooms have small balconies facing Liberation Avenue, perfect for stepping out into the cool morning air of a city that sits 2,300 metres above sea level; the upper-floor suites look out onto the mountains behind. The beds are old-school sprung mattresses — not chain-hotel firm, but warm in the way your grandmother's well-used bed was. Hinged wooden wardrobes with brass handles, a small writing desk, a lamp with a turn-knob switch — these are the small details you simply can't find in newer hotels.

Food and amenities

If one thing sets Embasoira apart from the usual old hotel in a developing country, it's the shaded beer garden behind the building, under big trees planted around the courtyard decades ago. This isn't a garden dressed up for tourists — it's a genuine gathering spot for diplomats from the surrounding embassies, plus civil servants and locals who meet here for an Asmara Lager after work, unchanged since the Imperial days. Same wooden tables, 1970s patio chairs, a long string of bulbs hung under the branches. That living atmosphere is why this is a hotel that breathes with the city, not a dead museum. The main restaurant inside serves a blend of Italian and Eritrean food — classic spaghetti bolognese the way Italians taught locals during the colonial era, a signature grilled-meat plate cooked with East African spices, and, not to be missed, the dense macchiato in a small glass that the baristas here have pulled consistently for years. Eritrean coffee is world-renowned, and many people rank Embasoira's macchiato among the best in the city.

Location and getting there

Location is the big reason serious travelers pick Embasoira over the newer options in town. It sits on Liberation Avenue (formerly Harnet Avenue) in the heart of Asmara's CBD, in a quarter ringed by several countries' embassies — better-policed than other districts and the best starting point for walking the city. Asmara was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017 for its intact 1930s-40s Italian modernist architecture, frozen in time, and most of those icons sit within walking distance. The Fiat Tagliero, the futurist aircraft-shaped petrol station, is about a 6-minute walk; Cinema Impero, the 1937 Art Deco cinema still showing films, is 4 minutes; the Catholic cathedral and the Asmara Opera are 5 to 8 minutes away. Asmara International Airport is about 15 minutes by taxi for a few dollars. In the evening the quarter hums with old Italian cafes where locals still sip coffee and read the paper, much as they have since colonial times. Walking out from Embasoira at first light, when golden sun hits the Art Deco facades, is an experience you can barely find anywhere else on earth.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — Embasoira's charm comes with trade-offs you have to accept. The clearest weak point is the bathrooms, many still fitted with the same fixtures as when the building opened. Hot water that comes and goes is normal across Asmara, not just here; some showers don't run with enough pressure, and a few reviews flag stained, musty old grout. If you need a spotless bathroom, brace yourself or look at other options. Second is general upkeep lagging behind the building's charm — chipped paint, faded curtains in some rooms, worn carpet in corners of the corridors, and a few air-con units that rattle (though Asmara is cool year-round at 2,300 metres, so opening a window often does the job). In-room Wi-Fi is weak; it's strongest in the lobby and the beer garden, so plan around it if you have online meetings. One more thing, not strictly about the hotel but worth knowing: Asmara has rolling power cuts, and the hotel's backup power doesn't yet cover every floor — bring a small flashlight and a power bank. Finally, 1st-floor rooms facing the beer garden may catch the evening chatter; ask for the 3rd floor or higher for much more quiet.

Our take

After a day spent reading real reviews and the building's history, Embasoira Hotel is a place that sells experience over standards. If the trip in your head is walking World Heritage Asmara in the morning, stopping for a macchiato at an old Italian cafe, returning to a room with genuine mid-century furniture, then heading down to drink a beer in the garden under the trees with diplomats in the evening — this is the most complete answer you'll find. No hotel in Asmara delivers the "feel of the Imperial era" this closely. But if you expect a spotless international 4-star bathroom, full-strength Wi-Fi in every corner, or modern-chain service, this place will disappoint you. Overall we give it 7.2/10, best suited to history buffs, architects, photographers, and couples chasing a one-of-a-kind experience over universal comfort — and at a starting rate of about $94 a night, it's worth it for an experience you can't get anywhere else.