A sprawling mushroom city with a population of four million, Addis Ababa has no aesthetic appeal, growing at high speed in a veritable urban chaos. The huge avenues are lined with new buildings under construction, many of them unfinished, forming great ghostly concrete skeletons in the landscape.

In the Mercato and Piazza, in the centre of the city, an ancestral African market is held every day in a clutter of colours, smells of spices and incense, Chinese bric-a-brac, but also traditional crafts and fabrics. It's an authentic immersion in Addis, but an exhausting one, in the midst of extreme poverty.

But you don't come to the Ethiopian capital to contemplate its architecture or its modest museums, but above all to discover its fascinating new face. Kazanchi, the traditional business district, boasts an increasing number of luxury hotels amidst cars that play at the touch of a button. Even though the new Chinese-built tramway is attracting the middle class who come to work in the offices, relieving the overcrowded minibus network.

However, the real revolution is to be found in Bolé, a district that has sprung up in the middle of fields in just five years and is located between the city and the airport. Home to Addis Ababa's wealthy families, the area is very popular with business travellers, but also with the Ethiopian diaspora, with Bolé teeming with good places to dine and go out. New four-star hotels open every year, the streets are lined with ATMs, which are very rare in the city centre, and luxury boutiques display their gleaming windows. In Bolé, elegant ethio-jazz clubs dim their lights to welcome the best Ethiopian classical singers and the most experienced jazz musicians. It's a mix of modernity and tradition, just right for the city.

Address book

HOTELS

Sheraton Addis, A Luxury Collection Hotel

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The Sheraton Addis (A Luxury Collection hotel) is by far the most luxurious address in the capital. Nestling in a 47-hectare park, close to the offices of the UN and the African Union, it offers a full range of services: 11 well-equipped conference rooms with a capacity of 1,500 people, high-performance Wi-Fi, a business centre, a cosy lounge for confidential meetings, etc. Among the 293 rooms, the Sheraton Addis offers a wide range of services. executive and Suites executive are located on the first floor of a VIP lounge. To relax after a long day: swimming pool, spa, jacuzzi, hammam, sauna, sports courts, as well as several restaurants, with occasional jazz evenings.
Taitu Street - Phone: +251 11 517 1717 - reservations.addisethiopia@luxurycollection.com - www.sheratonaddis.com

Golden Tulip

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The Golden Tulip, which opened in 2014, is a good four-star hotel in the Bolé district, close to the airport. This means you can avoid traffic jams, while still being at the heart of a lively area of upmarket restaurants and bars for those who like to soak up the local life in the evening. Inside, there are four conference rooms for up to 200 people, 90 bedrooms, 15 of which are fully equipped. executive with large desks and French TV channels. A Havana Bar is located on the first floor, with VIP access for business travellers. On-site: two restaurants and a gym.
Cameroon Street, Bole - Phone: +251 11 618 3333 - gm@goldentulipaddisababa.com - www.goldentulipaddisababa.com

Radisson Blu

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The Radisson Blu hotel is the only one designed in a sophisticated Western style. Located in the heart of Kazanchis, the hotel boasts a number of strong points: luxurious finishes down to the smallest detail, the "Experience Meetings" service, which combines breakout rooms, connectivity, a "Brain food" service for meetings, a large oval lunch or dinner table conducive to business confidentiality and 9 ultra-equipped conference rooms, the largest of which can accommodate 400 people. There are also two restaurants, one with a buffet including an 'Ethiopian corner' and the other with a panoramic view. In terms of rooms, the suites and suitesxecutive are designed with business in mind, adjoining a VIP lounge. The gym and spa offer excellent massages.
Kazanchis Business District, Kirkos Subcity Kebele 17/18. - Tel: +251 1 15 15 7600 - www.radissonblu.com/Addis-ababa - www.radissonblu.com

Capital Hotel and Spa

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This five-star hotel is the best in the 'made in Ethiopia' category. Located near Kazanchis, it combines a wide variety of conference rooms (up to 700 people for the largest), restaurants and bars suitable for business meetings. Decorated in the Ethiopian style, the rooms are of a very high standard, and those in the superior category are also very spacious. Its strong point: a building dedicated to well-being, making it a bleisure address par excellence, with swimming pool, spa, hammam, sauna and men's lounge.
22 Mazoria, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kazanchis - Tel.: +251 116 672 100 -  info@capitalhotelandspa.com - www.capitalhotelandspa.com

Marriott Executive Apartments

Kazanchis Business District, Kirkos Subcity Kebele 19 - Tel.: +251 11 518 4600 - reservations.addisababa@radissonblu.com - www.marriott.com

RESTAURANTS

Bahir Zaf

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Ethiopian fusion restaurant created by the NGO Tree Alliance. Hard to find, this small house near Kazanchis has been transformed into an excellent fusion restaurant. On the menu, a twist on local specialities with gourmet tapas made from local seasonal produce. A real taste experience. This unique concept is ideal for business lunches, with discreet background music, good wifi, fast service and a lovely garden for outdoor lunches in the dry season. The dining room is in fact the old living room of the house, with its fireplace, old wooden floor and local charm.
665 Haya Hulet - Tel.: +251 11 618 6531 - www.tree-alliance.org

Mama's Kitchen

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This restaurant, renowned for its ethiojazz evenings, has recently moved to the centre of Bolé, in new, remarkably decorated premises. At lunchtime, it offers an interesting all-you-can-eat buffet of Ethiopian specialities, all delicious. It is the most popular address for Ethiopian businessmen. The restaurant is always full, so reservations are recommended. In the evening, the menu is more varied and the atmosphere subdued, but the music is loud. Sunday and Monday evenings are best for an Ethiopian jazz jam featuring some of the best musicians on the Addis scene.
Near Edna Mall in Bole - Tel: +251 93 009 9356

Lucy Gazebo

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Traditional cuisine in the gardens of the National Museum of Ethiopia.
This restaurant is an institution in Addis Ababa, especially for tourists and locals. But as the choice of good restaurants offering local specialities is fairly limited, it is also popular with business travellers for its authenticity. Its biggest drawbacks: no wifi and a fairly long wait. Its advantages: delicious Ethiopian food à la carte, including the famous Kifto tartar, restaurant rooms beautifully decorated with wood panelling and Ethiopian cultural objects, a pretty garden and a bar that comes alive in the evening, ideal for a drink over a confidential chat in the centre.
King George VI Street. - Tel: +251 91 260 2706

Kuriftu Diplomat

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Ethiopian and fusion cuisine in an original setting with a view.
The out-of-town luxury resort Kuriftu recently opened this gourmet restaurant in Bolé, along with an adjacent spa. On the menu: fine Ethiopian cuisine, traditional and fusion, in an original setting decorated in the Ethiopian style, including large solid wood chairs. Its trump card: a beautiful view of the city from the top floor of a large building. Before or after a business meal, you can treat yourself to a relaxing 30-minute massage before returning to your conference - an original concept. Wifi access.
King George VI Street, Boston Day Building, 5th floor, Bole Road - Tel: +251 11 618 43 63 - www.kurifturesorts.com/diplomat