My family and I stayed at Garamuleta Luxury Apartments for just under 25 days, paying 431,000 birr. From the outset, the experience was deeply disappointing. Despite the significant amount paid, we never received a receipt for our stay, raising serious concerns about the business’s operational transparency.
We also paid a 216,000 birr security deposit, which was not returned for over six weeks after our departure. Repeated requests for our refund were met with delays and excuses. This felt less like a standard business transaction and more like management was deliberately withholding funds that were rightfully ours.
After the issue remained unresolved, we filed a breach of contract complaint in Alexandria, Virginia. Immediately following the complaint, the management finally released the deposit that had been withheld for more than six weeks.
While we appreciate the eventual return of the deposit, the circumstances were deeply troubling. Payment was only made after legal action was initiated outside Ethiopia, which raised serious concerns about management’s commitment to contractual obligations and Ethiopian consumer and business laws. No guest should have to pursue an international legal complaint to recover a promptly due security deposit.
The apartment’s condition was another major issue. Our three-bedroom unit was infested with cockroaches. We were assured it would be fumigated and ready within two days, but this was inadequately addressed, and the problem persisted upon our move-in.
After one week, we were forced to change apartments. However, as no other three-bedroom unit was available, our family was split between a two-bedroom apartment and a one-bedroom apartment on different floors.
This was far more than a minor inconvenience; it significantly disrupted our stay and fell short of what was advertised. The company’s website promises “luxury, comfort and Ethiopian hospitality.” Our experience, however, was marked by sanitation concerns, poor communication, and inadequate accommodation. The reality starkly contrasted with the promise.
The handling of other complaints was equally frustrating. We were accused of damaging certain items in the apartment, despite having purchased and replaced some items ourselves. A staff member even confirmed that some of the alleged damage existed before our arrival, making the attempt to attribute these problems to us particularly concerning.
I also observed daily laborers at the reception repeatedly asking for their unpaid salaries. While I cannot comment on their employment details, witnessing this added to my concerns about the property’s management and its treatment of both guests and workers.
Overall, my experience left me with the impression that Garamuleta Luxury Apartments lacked accountability and showed insufficient respect for its customers. A professional hospitality business should issue receipts, maintain clean and habitable accommodation, honor its bookings, communicate transparently, and promptly return security deposits.
The eventual return of the deposit does not erase the six-week delay or the inconvenience and uncertainty it caused. Nor does it resolve the broader concerns about the apartment’s condition, the handling of complaints, and the significant gap between the company’s marketing and the actual service delivered.
To me, Garamuleta Luxury Apartments failed to live up to its name. Instead of a comfortable family stay, we endured sanitation problems, financial frustration, and poor management. Based on my experience, I would not describe the service as luxury hospitality.
Henock Tekle
One of the victims
