Review: Ethiopian Airlines Sheba Cloud Nine Lounge Addis Ababa

May 9, 2025

Star Alliance carrier Ethiopian Airlines operates the Sheba Cloud Nine Lounge in Addis Ababa. This is the main business class lounge for passengers at Bole International Airport.

After arriving from Cairo in Cloud Nine and spending the day at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, it was back to the airport. I passed through the formalities quickly enough and found the lounge half way down the concourse.

Sheba Cloud Nine Business Class Lounge

I visited here twice, once each way on my trip. The lounge is very busy before the banks of flights leave, but is nicely quiet otherwise. There are various seating areas available to suit your requirements.

On the first visit, my first stop was the Ethiopian coffee area. This was staffed by a lady in traditional dress and I sat and had a gorgeous coffee and some nibbles.

a room with a large coffee pot and a large sign — The traditional coffee area.

a room with tables and chairs — Seating near the entrance.

a room with many chairs and tables — Plenty of seats.

a large room with tables and chairs — Tables if you wish to eat.

a room with black couches and tables — Another view from my seat at the window.

a room with a tree in it — The plant feature.

a man standing in a room with food on the counter — Salad serving area.

Air conditioning at the airport is weak to say the least and this continues in the lounge. Right against the big long window at the very back is where it is strongest. That is where I sat both times to cool off.

There is a TV room, a smoking room, and plenty of seating but it does get busy. It’s a decent enough space, and does a fair job as the premier lounge at the airport.

Food and Drink

I didn’t bother attempting any booze, so I had water or Coca-Cola. The real fun was the food area, which had an array of Ethiopian dishes. There is also a vegetarian section as well as some more familiar western classics.

a salad bar with different types of vegetables — Various salads.

a table with different food on it — More and more salads.

a buffet table with plates of food — Salad and I spy some meat like Salmon.

a trays of desserts on a counter — Dessert options.

a basket with a white towel on it — Injera.

a pot of food on a stove — Miser kike Wot.

a bowl of food on a stove — Cauliflower and Peas Masala.

a pot of food with a spoon — Herb Roasted Vegetables.

a bowl of pasta on a stove — Pasta Marinara with Herbs and Olives.

Being a big fan of Ethiopian food, I grabbed some injera and bits of everything. Food quality was very good and extremely tasty. You’d be well advised to sample the goodies before flight.

Overall Thoughts

The Sheba Cloud Nine business class lounge in Addis Ababa is a credit to Ethiopian Airlines. Not only is there plenty of food to choose from, it’s a pleasant and comfortable place to relax.

Plates and glasses are regularly cleared away and the staff are quite friendly. Toilets are also clean and constantly maintained, so there is nothing to fault here.

What do you think of the Sheba Cloud Nine lounge? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

Like planes? See my “Does anyone remember” series.
Flight reviews your thing? Mine are all indexed here.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

2 comments

NZ says:

May 14, 2025 at 9:57 am

Its one of the worst business class lounges in the area. Early morning and late evening it’s crowded and the food is terrible. You always feel like you need s shower once you leave it.

Reply
1. The Flight Detective says:
  
  May 14, 2025 at 10:10 am
  
  I wouldn’t go that far, but you are right in that it’s really rammed during the busy banks. I thought the food was okay to be honest. Never felt the need for a shower – but each to their own. Thanks for the comment!
  
  Reply