Asia - Yangon Hotels

Any recommendations for comfortable hotels in Yangon ? PLEASE don't suggest the Strand - $450 a night would blow my budget, (but it would be nice to know just how much they discount.....).

Any other hints on getting the most from a 4-day break will be very welcome.

For the best location ,the "Traders" is right in the middle of the city and is also the tallest building in Rangoon (sorry I prefer the old name !). Its part of the Shangri-la hotel chain.

For the best value for money, The Grand Plaza Parkroyal do sometimes offer very attractive rates.

The Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon is not to be missed and is worth visiting twice, in the morning and in the evening. Instead of spending all 4 days in Rangoon, maybe you should spend 2 days in Bagan which is truly amazing.

Instead of spending all 4 days in Rangoon, maybe you should spend 2 days in Bagan which is truly amazing.

Thanks, but I've done it before and I'd poke my eyes out with a stick before I put up with the hassle, heat and expense again. "Trophy" tourism is best left to National Geographic.

But Traders sounds just fine for Yangon - thanks again.

The Nikko Hotel seems to be nice too (nice pool area) and usually someway cheaper. Someone told me that the Sedona Hotel is the only 5-star (?) in Yangon which isn't a government-owned hotel if you want to prevent that. The Kandawgyi Palace Hotel has a nice location at the Royal lake and offers some very nice suites.. but you souldn't be afraid of snakes ;-).

About a year ago i was able to get the Strand for a little above 200 USD. Great hotel, very charming, very personal. One of the nicest places i have ever been.
Sorry for not recommending this one.

I was there in winter (end of december) and it was COLD! Around 5 C during the night on the inle lake, overwater bungalow, no heating, open to the water. It was COOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD.

Someone told me that the Sedona Hotel is the only 5-star (?) in Yangon

I have stayed at the Sedona earlier this year. While the hotel was very nice, where it failed was service.

I called them a few days earlier to inform them that our flight from Bagan had been rescheduled to an earlier time but they failed to turn up at the airport to pick us up at the correct time.

During check-in they refused to believe that I had prepaid my room rate through their SIN HQ and was not allowed to go up to our rooms. Even a faxed copy of the credit card payment was not good enough and they wanted to reconfirm with their SIN HQ which was not possible since it was late in the evening. I had to knock some sense into the duty manager that she could check with their HQ the next morning but I needed a room to sleep !

The porters were also very aggressive on insisting that they should carry our bags which were mere cabin sized bags !

Nice rooms and breakfast was good.

Queen's Park Hotel
132 Anawrahta Road (corner of Bo Myat Tun Street)
+95 1-296 447; fax: +95 1-293 596
qphotel@mptmail.net.mm

My understanding is that the hotel is not affiliated with the government.

I think I paid US$15/night, cash, including breakfast (November, 2004). Air con. Western, ensuite bathrooms. HBO (!) No credit cards (same as everywhere else in Myanmar).

Good location a bit to the east of downtown Yangoon. Good hotel restaurant. Friendly staff. Cheap laundry. US$3 to/from airport. Also close to 50th Street Bar and Grill (under same management as Foreign Correspondents' Clubs in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh).
Rich

Don't give up on the Strande. I was there last summer (off-peak, yes) but the walk-up rate was less than $200. I don't think anyone ever pays the rack rate you quoted.

There's also the Governor's Residence, which is part of PANSEA-Oriental Express. I haven't been there but I've heard very nice things about it form others.