Pools and Gyms in Addis Ababa

Swimming Pools (see below for gyms)

• The Hilton has the nicest pool and garden area in my opinion, especially for kids. The pool is naturally heated, the area is nice and green, and there is a kids play area. The food is also more than reasonable and can be served by the pool. A day pass tot the pool costs 950 birr on weekdays and 1250 on weekends for pool access only (gym etc is separate)

• The Sheraton pool is even nicer than the Hiltons; it makes you feel like you are on holiday. However, the water is not as warm so you only want to go when it’s hot. The Sheraton used to have an awesome kids club but it has been “under renovation” for a year already and the staff have no idea when (or if) it will reopen.
  • Weekdays = 900 for adults and 600 for kids.
  • Weekends = 1400 for adults and 1000 for kids

• The Hyatt pool is nice to look at but there is no garden and is it not heated. However, the Hyatt does feel the most exclusive of the lot and so if you’re alone or in a couple on a hot day, it would be an excellent place to kick back with a cocktail.
  • 40 USD per day (24 for diplomats), which includes gym and sauna access.

• The Skylight hotel has a lovely indoor swimming pool which is ideal for actual swimming, but it’s very expensive. For a day pass it’s 2,500 birr per person, with no discount for kids of any age. They also have an outdoor pool which is much cheaper, but also not that nice.
  
  I did take a photo of the price list but unfortunately it’s not clear. However, the prices are available online here, and the prices here did correspond with those given me by the reception staff. Roughly speaking, it’s 200 USD for 3 months for the outdoor pool and old gym, and 500 USD for 3 months for the indoor pool and very nice gym (see below).

Gyms

There are lots of gyms in Addis. So many, in fact, that you might be best off finding the one that is closest to you, especially if you work and have limited time for working out.

Local Gyms

For example, if you happen to live around Bole Atlas, there is a really nice little gym in the basement floor of the Magnolia Hotel. It’s well equipped and has a heated, indoor swimming pool, but it’s in the basement so you wouldn’t want to drive across town to get here.

If you live near Zoma Museum or in Bole Atlas, you might want to check out Sweatbox Addis. They do have two branches even though it doesn’t say it on the website. They are the only Crossfit accredited gym in Ethiopia. It’s a really nice place but, in my opinion, better suited to proper gym bunnies than middle aged men trying to lose weight, like me. Apparently, Mr Ethiopia trains there!

The Best Western Dynasty has an ok gym, swimming pool, and saunas, but i would only go there is you happen to live nearby. There were a lot of people in the pool when I went, even on a weekday, and the gym is nothing special. Some cretin was playing his music on a speaker, which would have majorly cheesed me off if I had been working out.

International Hotel Gyms

The Hyatt Regency has the poshest gym. Swimming Pool access is included in the gym pass so you can enjoy a quick dip afterwards. It feels the most exclusive, but it is also the most expensive.

The Hilton Gym is a bit old but the equipment is good quality and all works. They sell gym, pool, spa, and tennis/squash membership separately so if you are a gym member only, you can’t use the swimming pool. However, the membership fees are quite reasonable.

I haven’t seen the Sheraton Gym but I guess it would be nice.

The Skylight Hotel Gym is really nice and the best equipped gym that I’ve seen in Addis. It’s got all the machines, including a machine that checks your health via sensors. They also have staff on hand to provide advice. It feels very exclusive. For example they provide watermelon juice in the changing rooms for after your work out. However, it’s completely inside. As mentioned above in the swimming pool section, the prices are available here.

Conclusion: I very nearly joined the Skylight gym as it has a great feel to it but at the last minute I changed my mind and joined the Hilton gym. Although the gym itself is not the nicest, I couldn’t resist having squash, tennis, and outdoor pool all in one place.

Others

• Bole Rock Wellness Centre is well equipped, offers classes, and is cheaper than others (E.G. Sweatbox). Some of the equipment might be a bit dated but is probably the best option at a slightly lower price point.
• The Ramada hotel gym is not open to the public.