Accommodation
Price guide
Prices are for a double room in high season.
$$$$ = over US$150-200
$$$ = US$75-150
$$ = US$30-75
$ = under US$30
Places to stay
Despite the decades-long tourism boycott of the country, Myanmar offers a wide choice of accommodation in all its principal tourist centres, while the number of beds available has continued to rise rapidly following end of the NLD-declared tourist boycott. During the peak season from mid-November through January, vacancies in the most popular hotels can be hard to come by.
Accommodation ranges dramatically in cost, but is generally expensive by Southeast Asian standards. A basic en-suite room in a backpacker guesthouse generally goes for around $25 (although cheaper, and grubbier, rooms with shared bathroom are available in some places). A double in a decent mid-range hotel will cost anything from $50 to $100, while at five-star places you’re usually looking at $200/night, and sometimes considerably more.
Budget guesthouses
The cheapest accommodation in Myanmar tends to be guesthouses tacked on to family homes. Standards vary wildly. Some places are homely, spotless and sociable; others are grubby, dark and depressing. Most rooms in lowland areas now come with a/c, a small TV (albeit it might not work, or receive only a few local channels) and often WiFi (although again this is often erratic). It’s worth bringing a mosquito net and length of string to fasten it with as you’re sure to encounter plenty of nocturnal insect life and also a torch for use during the country’s frequent power cuts. A universal sink plug can also be handy, as can a roll of toilet paper.
Lower mid-range hotels
Basic hotels, costing $30–50 per night, tend to be in the Chinese mould: multi-floored concrete blocks with plain en-suite rooms off galleried walkways. Space tends to be at a premium; the more you pay, the larger the room, and more comfortable the facilities. There’s generally some outside space. If you spend upwards of $50, however, you can expect a spacious en-suite room with air-con, a proper balcony or verandah, comfy mattress and tiled bathroom – and maybe the odd piece of Burmese handicraft or local textile to enliven the décor.
Upper mid-range
Things perk up considerably at around the $75 mark. Rooms at this price tend to be larger and more stylishly equipped, and you may also get a pool. There’ll be private sitting space on a spacious verandah or balcony, furnished with wicker chairs. Some places may also have laundry and room service, a decent restaurant and a travel desk.
Expensive
Set in landscaped gardens, large and luxurious four- or five-star hotels account for the bulk of high-end accommodation in Myanmar, and they tend to try to accommodate both business visitors and foreign tourists; many are designed in traditional Burmese style, with plenty of carved wood décor and local handicrafts on display, while accommodation is often in individual villas or chalets rather than in large hotel blocks. Standards (and prices) are generally on a par with other countries in Asia, they offer with spacious, well-furnished, air-conditioned rooms, and large pools with sunloungers and shaded sitting areas. There’ll be a fitness room or gym with modern equipment; and probably a spa offering massage and herbal therapies. Dressed in semi-traditional Burmese uniforms, the staff will be courteous, well trained and speak good English. There should also be at least one good restaurant, plus bars. Most places also lay on nightly culture shows featuring local classical musicians, dancers and puppet troupes.
Most such places have rooms in various categories, differing in style and comfort according to their price. Views tend to cost extra (and can sometimes add dramatically to the price).
An alternative to the luxury, purpose-built five-star resort or city business hotel is offered by the country’s growing number of more individual boutique hotels. These places tend to be smaller and less impersonal. The emphasis is on the look and heritage atmosphere created by the choice of fittings and furniture, drawing on local architectural styles. Think teak floors, carved railings, hand-made silk throws and brass Buddhas rather than imposing, marble-lined lobbies and bell boys in suits.
Über luxury
The very finest hotels in Yangon, Mandalay, and the major resorts such as Inle Lake and Ngapali, command room rates that sometimes approach $500 per night, and they’re every bit as ritzy as you’d expect. Some, such as the Strand and Governor’s Residence in Yangon, appeal to customers with their time-warped colonial feel, others pile on the regal Burmese style, with multi-tiered pagoda roofs and superb arts and crafts re-creating the feel of a Konbaung palace. Either way, you’ll be offered a choice of at least half a dozen kinds of room and suites, plus the use of international-grade leisure facilities and gourmet restaurants.
Also in this category are a small number of exclusive boutique establishments such as Malika Lodge in the far north of Myanmar, and a few of the designer resorts at Ngapali Beach, where guests pay through the nose to stay at a very special location in the greatest of luxury.
Ethical concerns
Many of Myanmar’s smarter hotels are owned by companies with close links to the military regime, and some travellers prefer to avoid these so as not to put money into the pockets of the generals and their business cronies. Unfortunately, finding out exactly who owns what can be problematic. The best source of information currently are the hotel listings provided by Tourism Transparency at www.tourismtransparency.org. These are far from complete, but provide at least some guidance. We’ve generally avoided listing hotels with clear government connections, although in some instances – where a government-linked hotel is the only option, for example, or offers something unique – we’ve featured it with a note flagging its connection to the former military dictatorship. If you’re travelling on a package tour and have a choice of hotels, use the Tourism Transparency listings to make an informed decision and, above all, don’t be afraid to press your tour operator into using an alternative if you fear your money might end up in pockets you’d rather it didn’t.
Taxes and service charges
Wherever you stay, you can’t avoid paying the mandatory 10 percent tax levied on all hotel bills, which goes straight to the government. Luxury places may also be required to make an additional 10 percent service charge.
Payment
Growing numbers of upmarket hotels now accept credit cards – although they may levy a 4 or 5 percent administration charge. If you pay cash, most places will accept either dollars or kyat. Some places prefer dollars but will probably accept kyat if you don’t have dollars to hands – if you only have kyat it’s a good idea to check when you arrive to see if this is likely to cause a problem. As always, dollar bills must be crisp and unblemished.
Booking
With the pressure on hotel and guesthouse beds as intense as it is these days, it’s always a good idea to book ahead, ideally a week or more in advance. A phone call or email will usually suffice; follow up with a call the day before your intended arrival date, just to make sure they still have you in their reservation chart – reservations seem to get lost with surprising frequency, particularly in lower-end places.
Yangon
There’s a decent spread of accommodation in all price ranges in Yangon, although burgeoning tourist numbers means that pressure on rooms can be hard to come by – this is one place where you’ll particularly need to book ahead. The places listed below represent the pick of a largely unremarkable crop. Apart from the Governor’s Residence, Strand and Savoy, few hotels or guesthouses in the city offer much in the way of local or heritage character, most being geared towards visiting business clients. But you should be able to find somewhere clean, comfortable and reasonably priced, even if you travel a little way uptown to find it. Credit cards are accepted at most top-end places and some mid-range places too.
Alamanda Inn
60b Shwe Taung Gyar Road
Tel: 01 534513; www.hotel-alamanda.com
Set in a neatcolonial-style villa amidst lush gardens, this is Yangon’s most characterful accommodation, in one of the city’s most peaceful and exclusive uptown neightbourhoods. The spacious rooms are nicely done with colonial-style furniture and the occasional artwork and there’s also an excellent garden restaurant out front. $$$
Central
335-357 Bogyoke Aung San Road
Tel: 01 241 001
An old favourite that’s showing signs of wear and tear, but still offers good value in its bracket, with large rooms and welcoming staff, while the location right in the centre of downtown is hard to beat. Owned by a company with government links, however. $$
Chan Myaye Guest House
256 Mahabandoola Garden Street
Tel: 01 380855
Superb new guesthouse in the heart of downtown. Rooms are bright, modern and relatively spacious (cheaper ones share unusually clean and spacious communal bathrooms) and there are also two state-of-the-art dorms with single and double ($20) beds, all individually curtained and equipped with individual a/c units. Service is friendly and professional and prices are highly competitive – including excellent single rates. $
Chatrium Royal Lake
40 Natmauk Road, Tamwe
Tel: 01 554 500; www.chatrium.com/chatrium_hotel_yangon
Although it’s a bit out of the way, this luxury five-star on the shores of Kandawgyi Lake offers all the comforts you’d expect of its class, including a decent-sized pool and air-conditioned gym. $$$$
Classique Inn
No. 53 B, Shwe Taung Kyar Street
Tel: 01 525557; www.classique-inn.com
Buried deep in the smart Golden Valley neighbourhood, the Classique is an impeccably run, friendly boutique hotel offering spacious, attractively furnished rooms with white walls, teak beds and silk throws. The staff couldn’t be more attentive, and there’s a relaxing garden terrace to lounge on. Well placed for the airport, though you’ll need a taxi for trips downtown. $$$
Clover Hotel City Center
217 32nd Street
Tel: 01 377720
This small but surprisingly chic hotel squeezes plenty of style into its cramped premises in the heart of downtown, with almost capsule-style rooms freshly decorated in pure-white minimalist style and mod-cons including TV, safe, fridge and in-room Wi-Fi. $$
East
234-240 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada
Tel: 09 7313 3511; www.east.com.mm
Dependable mid-range option right in the city centre, close to the Sule Pagoda and Bogyoke market area. Some of its rooms are on the small side, but they are well furnished and with quality bedding. Service is reliable, and there’s also a good ground-floor restaurant offering up above-average Burmese, Asian and international cuisine. $$$
35 Taw Win Road
Tel: 01 229 860; www.belmond.com/governors-residence-yangon
If your budget can stretch to it, this British-owned boutique hotel in the heart of the embassy enclave is the most commendable high-end option in Yangon. Housed in an elegant 1920s mansion, it oozes colonial-era chic. The rooms have polished teak floors and slatted windows opening on to lawned grounds dotted with lotus ponds. Relax on the wrap-around verandah as paddle fans whirl overhead, waited on by staff in traditional anyi jackets and longyis. $$$$
Inya Lake Resort
Kaba Aye Pagoda Road
Tel: 01 966 2856; www.inyalakehotel.com
Located midway between downtown and the airport, this was originally one of the city’s flagship hotels. It’s now looking rather dated and a little worn around the edges, although the pool is huge and the sprawling lakeside grounds amongst the nicest in Yangon. OK for a night or two in transit, but not for longer stays. $$$$
Kandawgyi Lake Palace
Kanyeiktha Road
Tel: 01 249 255; www.kandawgyipalace-hotel.com
Located on the site of the former Rangoon Boat Club and city museum, the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel has a lot more character than most of the upscale hotels in Yangon, with plush Burmese style and lots of traditional architectural touches, while its prime position looking across the lake to the Shwedagon Pagoda is another major draw. Close government links, however. $$$$
Loft Hotel
33 Yaw Min Gyi Street
Tel: 01 372299; www.theloftyangon.com
This funky new boutique hotel offers something a bit different amongst the city’s largely run-of-the-mill downtown accommodation options. The urban, loft-style décor feels more New York than Yangon, with rooms sporting lots of brick walls and minimalist décor enlivened with colourful contemporary furniture and equipped with writing desks and big flatscreen TVs. $$$$
Motherland Inn II
433 Lower Pazundaung Road
Tel: 01 291343; www.myanmarmotherlandinn.com
Yangon’s top budget option – although it’s a bit of a hike (or a short taxi ride) from the centre. The large, bright and quiet rooms are a cut above anything else available at this price in the city, while facilities include in-house internet café, free airport pickup for international arrivals (plus free morning and afternoon airport bus shuttles), an excellent range of travel services, and a good little restaurant. Rates include a top-notch breakfast, including some good Burmese options. $
Parkroyal
33 Alan Paya Lan
Tel: 01 250 388; www.parkroyalhotels.com
Visiting businessmen comprise the bulk of the Parkroyal’s clientele, though, lying close to downtown and the Bogyoke Market it’s well situated for sightseeing too. As with most upscale hotels in the city, the décor could do with an upgrade, but the staff are eager and facilities include quick WiFi. $$$$
Orchid Hotel City Hall
169–71 Mahabandoola Garden Street
Tel: 01 370920
Run-of-the-mill mid-range hotel, although the location, tucked away behind City Hall is as central as you can get (but surprisingly quiet after dark), prices are super-competitive, and rooms are spacious and comfortably furnished, albeit a bit dated. $$
Savoy
129 Dhammazedi Road
Tel: 01 526 289; www.savoy-myanmar.com
The least assuming of Yangon’s trio of colonial-era hotels, less lavish and luxurious than the Strand and Governor’s Residence, but much more intimate and homely, and offering a significantly more authentic taste of colonial Yangon – and at a considerably more affordable price than its flasher cousins (although it’s still far from cheap). Set in a genteel colonial-era building close to the Shwedagon Pagoda the hotel has bags of character, with an airy raised verandah overlooking a small courtyard pool. The furnishings are in-period, the bathrooms sumptuous and staff unfailingly helpful. The most agreeable boutique option in the city. $$$$
92 Strand Road
Tel: 01 243 377; www.hotelthestrand.com
One of the city’s premier hotels, often mentioned in the same breath as Raffles of Singapore, though not everyone thinks it lives up to its sky-high room rates. Originally built in 1903 by the Sarkies brothers, the property hosted the likes of Somerset Maugham, Noël Coward and Rudyard Kipling in its heyday, but slipped into disrepair before undergoing a massive overhaul ahead of a gala re-opening in 1995. With its whitewashed, colonnaded facade, polished teakwood, marble floors and antique-filled interiors, it has fin-de-siècle splendour in abundance – though there’s no pool, and heavy-handed renovations have muted its old colonial character. Note too that the current owners have close ties to the military. $$$$
Sule Shangri La
223 Sule Pagoda Road
Tel: 01 242 828; www.shangri-la.com
Known until recently as the Traders Hotel, Yangon’s Shangri-La is one of the very few international chain hotels in Myanmar and a good choice if you want to be in the thick of the action downtown. Rooms boast superb views of the city skyline and river, while facilities include two good restaurants, a nice pub-style bar and a snazzy curvi-form pool, all backed up by some of the city’s smoothest service. $$$$
Summit Parkview
350 Ahlone Road
Tel: 01 211 888; www.summityangon.com
One of the first modern hotels in Yangon, and still a popular option with business visitors, as well as tourists in transit. Facilities include a good-sized outdoor pool, health club, coffee shop and a shopping arcade. Some of the rooms at the front have terrific views of the nearby Shwedagon Pagoda. $$$
Three Seasons Hotel
83–85 52nd Street
Tel: 01 901 0066; Email: threeseasonshotel7@gmail.com
A bit pricier than most other budget guesthouses in Yangon, but worth the extra for the welcoming family atmosphere and superior rooms, with plenty of old-fashioned character. Superb mohinga breakfasts served in second-storey dining hall. $$
Delta Region
Pathein (Bassein)
There a decent spread of accommodation options in Pathein, at below-average prices – although most travellers only spend a night here in transit before continuing to the beach resorts further west.
Htike Myat San Motel
8 Mahabandoola Rd
Tel: 042 22742
Run by a charming Chinese family, this bright modern hotel is the nicest place to stay in Pathein. The cheerful and spotless rooms all come with air-con and WiFi; cheaper rooms share a bath, more expensive ones have en-suite with hot water. Breakfast (included in the rate) is served on the roof with enjoyable views of the colourful Dani Tan Monastery nearby. $
Taan Taan Ta
7 Merchant Street
Tel: 042 22290
Super-cheap guesthouse with professional and very friendly service. Rooms look pretty grotty but are actually a lot cleaner and more comfortable than they first appear, if you don’t mind the ragged furnishings, and almost all come with air-con too. $
Chuangtha
Belle Resort
Main Road, opposite Shwe Ya Minn hotel
Tel: 042 42112; belleresorts.com
Ritzy, international-grade resort set right behind the beach, with traditional gable-roofed buildings and a good-sized pool amid manicured lawns and palms. The rooms are beautifully furnished in Thai boutique style, and open on to breezy verandahs. Surprisingly good value, given the standard. $$$
Hotel Max
Main Road
Tel: 042 42346; www.maxhotelsgroup.com
Along with the Belle Resort, this is Chaungtha’s nicest place to stay, and superb value as well (if you don’t mind that fact that its owned by a company with strong government links). The attractively furnished white chalets are spread around idyllic gardens right on the beach, and facilities include a decent-sized pool, plus spa and upmarket restaurant. $
Shwe Ya Minn
Tel: 042 42126
Chaungtha’s only real foreigner-friendly budget guesthouse, although it attracts a fair number of locals too. The tiled rooms, in well-shaded single-storey concrete blocks with tiled roofs, are clean and comfy, if a bit past their best, and the helpful English-speaking staff can arrange all sorts of local boat trips and tours. $
Ngwe Saung
Bay of Bengal
Myo Ma Street, 2km north of the village
Tel: 042 40304; www.bayofbengalresort.com
This gorgeous designer resort at the north end of the beach is the perfect place for a wind down, with spacious, breezy bungalows, beautifully styled with exposed-stone walls and dark wood floors running to huge verandahs (garden or sea-facing). The pool is huge, the staff enthusiastic and location spot-on. $$$$
Emerald Sea
2.5km south of the village
Tel: 042 40247; www.emeraldseahotel.com
Chic little beach-side resort offering excellent value for money. Its bungalows come in four grades but are all pleasantly styled and furnished, and provide plenty of privacy. There’s a generous-sized pool and restaurant, plus a spa and massage room. $$$
Myanmar Treasure Resort
250m south of the village
Tel: 042 40224; www.myanmartreasureresorts.com
One of Ngwe Saung’s plushest options, designed like a miniature Burmese village set amongst lush gardens, plus an attractive pool. The fancy rooms are beautifully equipped with wooden furniture and four-poster beds. Appealing and good value – although note that it’s owned by a company with strong government connections. $$$
Palm Beach Resort
2km south of the village
Tel: 042 40233
Chic but enjoyably low-key resort, with thatched villages dotted between magnolia trees, plus fine infinity pool and rustic bar and restaurant. Rooms are nicely equipped for the price with wooden furnishings and four-poster beds. $$$
Shwe Hin Tha
North side, Ngwe Saung
Tel: 042 40340
Ngwe Saung’s best budget option, ranged around a palm grove right next to the sea. The cheaper backpacker accommodation is in characterful palm-thatch cabanas, with chunky wood beds, thick mattresses and colourful bedspreads, and there are also some slightly more expensive, although rather plain, bungalows right on the sands. $–$$
Bago Division
Bago
With Yangon only a little over an hour away by road, there’s no real reason to spend a night in Bago – you can easily visit the town in a half day en route to Kyaiktiyo. The main disincentive, however, is that its hotels are uniformly downbeat and grubby.
Bago Star
Kyaikpun Pagoda Road, Oatha Myothit (4km from town)
Tel: 052 30066
Though not much of an accolade, this is the ritziest place to sleep in Bago, hence its inflated room rates. Accommodation comes in high-pitched wooden bungalows, crammed together in a leafy garden, but without outside space. Inside, they’re dingy and not all that spacious, and the air-con units are noisy. Don’t even think about a dip in the murky hotel pool. $$
Emperor
8/2 Main Street
Tel: 09 4282 02757
Pick of the budget bunch – better maintained than the competition and with fine views from its rooftop of the city’s pagoda-studded skyline. $
Taungoo
Myanmar Beauty II, III & IV
Pauk Kla Gyi Street (3km south of town on the old Yangon Road)
Tel: 054 25073
One of Myanmar’s best budget guesthouses, in attractive wooden buildings overlooking the fields south of town. There are three separate buildings offering different types of room. Those in block II are simple but perfectly adequate, and those in III a little larger and fanciest. Nicest of all are those in block IV, with lovely wooden interiors and views from their deep, old-fashioned verandahs over open rice fields and fruit orchards. Trips (pricey) to a working elephant camp can be arranged, and the spectacular Burmese breakfasts put many a five-star hotel to shame. $–$$
Royal Kaytumadi
Royal Kaytumadi Street
Tel: 054 24761; www.kmahotels.com
This extravagant Burmese palace-themed resort hotel on the lakeshore ranks among the classiest mid-range places in the country (although with close government links). The rooms are spacious and equipped with modern amenities, and the location is a delight. $$$
Pyay
Lucky Dragon
772 Strand Road
Tel: 053 24222; www.luckydragonhotel.com
This modern, efficiently run resort in a peaceful riverside setting is easily the nicest place to say in the centre. The stylish rooms comes with cool white walls and dark-wood floors, and there’s a great little pool with a Jacuzzi enclosure. Excellent value. $$
Mingalar Garden Resort
Flying Tiger Garden, (about 4km from town on the road to Thayekhittaya)
Tel: 053 28661
This small-scale garden resort on the outskirts of town consists of semi-detached, teak-floored bungalows ranged around an artificial lake, plus a decent restaurant. Conveniently placed for exploring the nearby ruins of Thayekhittaya, although a bit of a trek from the centre. $$
Mandalay & Environs
Mandalay
Ayeyarwady River View
Strand Road, between 22nd and 23rd streets, Thirimalarlar West, Aung Myay Thar Zan Township
Tel: 02 64945; www.ayarwaddyriverviewhotel.net
Modern, multistorey hotel on the edge of the city facing, as its name implies, the river. It’s pitched primarily at Chinese businessmen and tour groups, with facillities including a good pool and rooftop bar. Decent value. $$
417 63rd Street, at corner of 22nd Road, Aung Myae Tha Zan Township
Tel: 02 68543; www.hotelredcanal.com
This should be your first choice in Mandalay if you can afford it. One of only a handful of true boutique hotels in Myanmar, it fuses regal Konbaung tradition with modern designer chic. Rooms come in four categories, named after (and with designs inspired by) Myanmar’s main ethnic groups. The location, just east of the Palace complex, is tranquil, and there’s a relaxing kidney-shaped pool to lounge by when the heat gets too much. $$$$
M3 Hotel
26th Street, between 82nd and 83rd streets
Tel: 02 67171
One of the best deals in Mandalay, this bright new eight-storey hotel has friendly staff and comfortable, well-equipped rooms at a very competitive price. $$
Mandalay City
26th Street, between 82nd and 83rd Street, Chanayetharzan Township
Tel: 02 61700; www.mandalaycityhotel.com
Set in a secret garden away from the brouhaha of downtown Mandalay, the City is the nicest hotel in the city centre, offering a relaxing, good-value haven that allows you to be in the thick of the action but not be bothered by the bustle of big streets (although the call to prayer from the mosque to the rear can wake you at 4am). Its 12-metre (40ft) pool is a welcome heat-beater; rooms are plain, but clean and spacious. $$$
Mandalay Hill Resort
9 Kwin (416B), 10th Street
Tel: 02 35638
Sparkling Thai-owned resort hotel at the foot of Mandalay Hill, built in royal Burmese style, with multi-tiered pagoda roofs and antique brass chinthe grinning from the terraces. Once inside it’s a rather less distinctive, international-style four-star, whose trimmings include a large pool, fitness centre, tennis court and spa. $$$$
Peacock Lodge
5, 61st Street, between 25th and 26th Streets
Tel: 02 61429; www.peacocklodge.com
The best budget guesthouse in the city – both for the size and cleanliness of its rooms, and warm hospitality of its hosts – although it’s some way east of the centre. Good-value breakfasts and dinners are served in their garden restaurant under mature mango trees, and the friendly owners are on hand to help advise with travel plans and sightseeing arrangements. $
Queen
456, 81st Street, Between 32nd & 33rd Street, Chan Aye Thar Zan Township
Tel: 02 39805; www.hotelqueenmandalay.com
Dependable mid-scale option offering four categories of room in a 7-storey tower block at the southwest edge of the city. The location’s not great (you’ll need to jump in a cab to get to the sights), but the rooms are clean, comfortable and spacious, and the breakfasts terrific. Complimentary internet in the lobby. $$
Royal Guest House
41, 25th Street, between 82nd and 83rd Streets
Tel: 02 31400
Best of the rock-bottom options: comfy beds in clean (but cramped) rooms, decent breakfasts and a cool rooftop terrace with sunset views. $
Rupar Mandalar
A-15, Corner of 53rd & 30th Streets, Chan Aye Thar Zan Township
Tel: 02 61551; www.ruparmandalar.com
Gorgeous boutique resort on the eastern outskirts of the city, comprising 20 teak-lined bungalows grouped around a lovely pool. Ruby-coloured silk drapes and vases of fresh flowers offset the dark-wood interiors, and the place is crammed with beautiful arts and crafts. Top-notch facilities include a spa, tennis court, fitness room and Jacuzzi. $$$$
Sedona Mandalay
Corner of 26th and 66th streets, Chanayetharzan Township
Tel: 02 36488; www.sedonahotels.com.sg
This Singaporean-owned four-star occupies a prime position overlooking the Royal Palace’s eastern moat – the views from its pricier upper-floor rooms over the water to Mandalay Hill are magnificent. The fittings and furniture of its standard rooms fail to live up to the pink-marble grandeur of the lobby, but they’re a good size and the hotel as a whole delivers the essentials – albeit at a fairly hefty price. $$$$
Around Mandalay
Monywa
Shwe Taung Tarn
Station Road
Tel: 071 21478
The only budget guesthouse in Monywa worthy of note. Rooms are basic and grubby (ask for one in the newer garden blocks to the rear and you may get away without betel-stained walls and rank carpets), but they rustle up a better-than-average fruit salad breakfast. $
Win Unity
Bogyoke Aung San Road
Tel: 071 22438; www.winunityhotels.com
Monywa’s only upmarket hotel, occupying a campus of functional red-tiled chalets in the style of a 1960s motel at a quiet spot on the lakeside. It’s clean but totally characterless, and the inflated price reflects the complete lack of any nearby competition. $$
Pyin U-Lwin (Maymo)
Aureum Resort at Governor’s House
Ward 6 Governor’s Hill, Mandalay-Lashio Highway
Tel: 085 21901; www.aureumpalacehotel.com
This sumptuous re-creation of the original governor’s residence stands among Myanmar’s grandest buildings, complete with wood-panelled walls and a colonial-style verandah wrapped around the building. Only five guest rooms occupy the main house; the rest are in more run-of-the-mill bungalows dotted through the grounds. The only catch: it’s owned by a Burmese tycoon with close links to the former military dictatorship. $$$$
Grace 1
114A Nan Myaing Road
Tel: 085 21230
Deservedly popular budget guesthouse, offering good-value (if slightly worn) rooms with high ceilings, bathtubs, TV and fans. Quite far from the town centre, but transfers can be arranged free of charge. $
Kandawgyi Hill Resort
Nandar Road
Tel: 085 21839
An affordable, downmarket version of the Aureum Governor’s House, this early 1920s mansion is a classic throwback to British times, with a verandah surveying flower-filled gardens. Like its grander sibling, the resort offers a few rooms in the main building or chalets in the grounds. And it’s well placed for the National Botanical Gardens. $$
Hotel Pyin Oo Lwin
9 Nandar Road
Tel: 85 21226; www.hotelpyinoolwin.com
Suave modern luxury hotel within easy walking distance of the Botanical Gardens. Its 36 red-tiled, lavishly furnished chalets are all done out in teak and arranged in landscaped gardens and they’ve also got fireplaces – a godsend on chilly winter evenings. $$$
Royal Green Hotel
17 Ziwaka Street
Tel: 085 28422
Pyin U-Lwin’s best value accommodation, with spotless rooms equipped with above-average amenitites including satellite TV, Wi-Fi and tea/coffee-making facilities. Slightly more expensive rooms come with balcony and bathtub. $$
Meiktila
Honey
Panchan Street
Tel: 064 25755
Large and functional hotel in a pleasant location overlooking the lake close to the centre of town. The air-con rooms are large and decidedly bare, but comfortable enough for a night. The reasonably competitive rates include breakfast, served on a gazebo overlooking the water. $
Naypyidaw
Budget accommodation is just about non-existent in Naypyidaw, although due to the general oversupply of accommodation and lack of visitors, rates are generally excellent value, and discounts can often be negotiated. Note that all hotels in Naypyidaw are owned by companies with close government ties.
Aureum Palace
Yaza Thingaha Road
Tel: 067 420 746; www.aureumpalacehotel.com
The capital’s premier hotel and part of the luxurious nationwide Aureum chain, offering similar standards to other Aureum hotels across the country at about half the price. The rooms, dotted around the shores of a pear-shaped artificial lake, come in various categories, all with sumptuous teak furnishings and plenty of local character. There’s also a pool, spa and fitness centre. $$$
Tungapuri Hotel
9/10 Yaza Thingaha Rd
Tel: 067 422020; www.tungapurihotel.com
Naypyidaw’s nearest equivalent to a budget hotel, and a lot livelier than most of the city’s other hotels (many of which are currently little better than moribund shells). Rooms are well-appointed and excellent value, and there are also good Thai and Chinese restaurants attached – although credit cards aren’t accepted, and staff are unusually fussy about the state of one’s dollar bills. $$
Bagan Region
Accommodation in Bagan is divided between three main areas. Old Bagan is closest to the main temples and riverfront; most of its hotels are pricey, high-end places patronised by tour groups. Budget travellers, meanwhile, tend to congregate in Nyaung U, the site’s modern service town, which has less character but offers the best value for money in the lower brackets. South of Old Bagan, New Bagan offers the widest selection of mid-range places, plus a few top-end and budget places.
Old Bagan
Aye Yar River View
Nr Bupaya Pagoda
Tel: 061 60313; www.baganayeyarhotel.com
Long- established resort in a prime location (although it makes relatively little of its riverside setting, despite the name). The richly furnished rooms enjoy sweeping vistas over the waterfront or the temples, and it’s well placed for sightseeing. Puppet and music shows offer distractions in the evenings, or you can swim in the lovely curvi-form pool. $$$$
Nr Tharabar Gate, Old Bagan
Tel: 061 60037; www.tharabargate.com
Easily the best of Old Bagan’s rather lacklustre upmarket option, swathed in lush greenery and offering a relaxing oasis away from the heat and dust of the temple trail. Its 84 rooms in traditional-style brick and thatch bungalows have a touch more style and class than the competition, with teakwood floors and verandahs, plus traditional Burmese art and crafts. Facilities include a spa and pretty pool. $$$$
Bagan Thande
Old Bagan
Tel: 061 60025; www.baganthandehotel.net
Right on the river, this is the cheapest but least inspiring of Old Bagan’s hotels, with rooms in comfy but dull bungalows which are beginning to look badly in need of an update. There’s also a reasonable pool, plus spa, while the main building (constructed for the Prince of Wales’ visit in 1922), is the only colonial-era residence of note in Bagan. $$$
Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary
Old Bagan
Tel: 061 60048; www.thiripyitsaya-resort.com
Sweeping Ayeyarwaddy views (plus superb river-facing pool) are the major selling point at this rather moribund resort immediately south of Old Bagan. The dull bungalows and bare gardens totally fail to live up to the setting, however. $$$$
Bagan Myothit (New Bagan)
Arthawka
160 Cherry Road, New Bagan
Tel: 061 60310; www.arthawkahotelbagan.com
Smart mid-range hotel offering some of the best-value accommodation (and friendliest service) in New Bagan. The large rooms are pleasantly decorated with wood floors and white walls and arranged on two storeys around a central salt-water pool. $$
Kaday Aung
Hninn Pann Street, Kyansittha Quarter, New Bagan
Tel: 061 65070; www.hotelkadayaung.com
Quirky hotel, with its entrance done up to look like an antique ruin. The range of accommodation includes functional bungalows and pricier rooms overlooking the pleasant central pool, with wood-panneled interiors looking like some kind of sauna gone slightly wrong. It’s all a little bit weird, but comfortable enough, and pretty good value by local standards.$$
Kumudara
Corner of 5th & Daw Na Street, Pyu-Saw-Htee Quarter, New Bagan
Tel: 061 65142; www.kumudara-bagan.com
A mixed-bag of a hotel. The plain cabins surrounding the drab pool are only one stop short of depressing; newer rooms in the two-storey blocks behind are a lot nicer (and at near-identical prices too). $$
Thazin Garden
New Bagan
Tel: 061 65044; www.thazingarden.com
Perhaps New Bagan’s most appealling place to stay, set amid palms and greenery on the town’s southern outskirts. The three classes of room are all tastefully decked out in high Burmese style with teak floors, gorgeous handicrafts on the walls and private verandahs. There’s also a lovely pool, and candlelit dinners are served on the lawn next to a crumbling 13th-century pagoda. Good value. $$
Thiri Marlar
Thriri Marlar Street
Tel: 061 65050
New Bagan’s best-run and best-value budget place. Rooms are immaculate and unexepectedly chic given the price, with varnished wood floors, comfy beds and neatly tiled bathrooms. Breakfast is served on a wonderful roof terrace with views of the distant temples. $–$$
Nyaung U
New Park
Off Thiripyitsaya 4 Street
Tel: 061 60322; www.newparkmyanmar.com
Popular backpacker guesthouse down a side street off the main drag. Rooms (of various prices and standards) are a mixed bunch – some small and grubby, other larger and bright. Ask to look at a few (if available) before checking in. $
Oasis Hotel
Anawrahta Road
Tel: 061 60923; www.oasishotelbagan.com
Easy-to-miss hideaway hotel, arranged along a narrow but very peaceful garden complete with small pool. Accommodation is in a line of thatched concrete bungalows, with cool rooms, comfortably furnished. Good value. $$$
Zfreeti Hotel
407 Thiripyitsaya 5th Street
Tel: 061 61003; www.zfreetihotel.com
An excellent recent addition to Nyaung U’s accommodation options, and at a very competitive price. Rooms, spread over a pair of stylish brick buildings, are white, bright, neat and very comfortable, and there’s also a small pool and pleasant gardens in which to lounge. $$
Thante
Anawrahta Rd
Tel: 061 61116
Reliable mid-price option, handily situated a short walk from the market, and although it’s beginning to look seriously dated, good service and competitive rates still manage to keep it afloat. The large, clean rooms are arranged around a good-sized central pool and well-kept garden – float on your back and watch the squirrels chase blue-headed lizards through the palm trees. $$
Mount Popa
Tel: 062 69169; www.myanmartreasureresorts.com
Luxurious mountain boutique retreat boasting fabulous views of the Taungzalat Monastery. Forget the scruffy standard rooms, which open onto woodland, and splash out on one of the superior hardwood bungalows, whose verandahs have the best of the panoramic vistas. Facilities include a small but refreshing infinity pool, terrace restaurant and bar. The resort also offers activities including trekking, horse riding and birdwatching – though it’s owned by a high-ranking associate of the former military regime. Surprisingly affordable. $$
Shan & Kayah States
Nyaungshwe and Inle Lake
Accommodation is abundant around Inle Lake, especially at the upper end of the scale. A string of glamorous boutique resorts and five-stars, complete with stilted cabins or traditional Burmese-style bungalows opening on the lawned gardens, line the northeast and northwestern shore. Budget travellers, meanwhile, congregate in more functional, affordable guesthouses in the nearby town of Nyanghshwe, just inland but only a short boat ride away from the open water.
Golden Island Cottages
Nampan
Tel: 095 154 9019; www.gichotelgroup.com
This was the original stilted resort on the lake, and it remains one of the most affordable places to stay around the lake, with a location that’s perfect for sunrise views over the adjacent floating village. The rooms are a decent size and most have outdoor sitting space, but they’re otherwise plain by comparison with the more modern competition. There’s also a restaurant and bar. $$
Inle Lake View Resort & Spa
Kaung Daing
Tel: 081 23656; www.inlelakeview.com
Ultra-stylish rooms set in 24 acres of well-watered grounds on the western shores of the lake. Rich, dark teakwoods and silk dominate the luminous interiors. Premium Lake Side villas have rain showers and their own petal-strewn bathtubs. Ingredients from the resort’s own organic gardens dominate restaurant’s Pan-Asian menu . $$$$
Magyizin Village
Tel: 081 29055; www.inleprincessresort.net
The beautiful wood and terracotta architecture of this exquisite resort on the eastern shore of the lake fuses local Shan and Intha style with contemporary boutique chic: polished teak walls and floors; jade ceramic tiling; and pebble-lined open-to-sky showers. The spacious villas have uninterrupted sunset views across the water, and there’s also an attractive spa. $$$$
Inle Resort
Magyizin Village
Tel: 09 515 4444; www.inleresort.com
Another dreamy boutique resort, although relatively affordable too, with traditionally styled chalets opening on to the water. Next door to the Inle Princess at the northeast corner of the lake, it has the feel of a Burmese palace thanks to the extravagant tiered roofs rising above its pillared dining hall. The spa here is especially lovely. $$$
May
85 Myawaddy Road, Nyaungshwe
Tel: 081 209 417
Clean, comfortable twin-bedded rooms in a great little budget guesthouse run by a warm couple close to the town centre. The location’s peaceful for most of the day and night, though expect to be woken at 6am by chanting monks if you forget your earplugs. Breakfast is served on a sunny terrace. $
Myanmar Treasure Resort Inle Lake
Maing Thauk Village
Tel: 01 399 334 (Yangon); www.myanmartreasureresorts.com
Part of the government-linked Myanmar Treasure chain, which is a pity because the place is fabulous, with its own organic gardens, lotus ponds and gorgeous stilted chalets facing the lake. $$$$
Princess Garden
Mine Li Street, Nyaungshwe
Tel: 081 209214
Outstandingly pleasant guesthouse in a rural setting on the edge of town. Its modern bungalows have verandahs facing the canal and rice fields. The pool’s a major attraction, as is the unfailing hospitality of the hosts and staff. Complementary drinks in the afternoon, free bikes, and bargain rates. $$
Pristine Lotus
Khaung Daing
Tel: 081 209317; www.pristinelotus.com
One of Inle’s newest and nicest spa resorts. Hot springs supply the split-level wooden chalets, fitted with spiral staircases leading to a mezzanine deck where you can unwind after boat trips. Vibrant coral-, purple- and lemon-coloured silk complement the rich teak and whitewash colour schemes. The Balinese-style spa has Jacuzzis set into natural rock; and the gourmet restaurant is a breezy, relaxing place to dine. $$$$
Kalaw
Amara Mountain Resort
10 Thida Road, Kalaw
Tel: 081 50331; www.amaragroup.net
Pinch yourself and you could be in the Home Counties of England. Dating from 1909, the Amara’s half-timbered houses have been lovingly restored and now hold 10 light, airy rooms with four-posters and open fires, set around a central lobby and pool at a wonderfully elevated spot above the valley. Activities include birdwatching, mountain biking and a round on the 9-hole golf course. $$$
Hilltop Villa
Ward 3, Bogon
Tel: 081 50346
Attractive pine-lined bungalows in a delightful setting close to the train station and with fabulous views of the Shan Hills from their west-facing balconies. The restaurant is disappointing, however. $$$
Honey Pine
Zatila Street
Tel: 081 50728
One of the better value budget options in town, with comfortable, good-value en-suite rooms equipped with TVs and minibars, and plenty of crisp pine decor. $
Pine Hill Resort
151 Oo Min Road, Kalaw
Tel: 081 50459; www.myanmarpinehill.com
Plenty of old-world atmosphere lingers in this characterful hotel on the outskirts of Kalaw, 10 minutes’ walk from the town centre. Comprising wood and stone chalets scattered amid well-tended gardens around a central colonial-era house, the rooms are large and have relaxing verandahs looking on to the lawns. Restaurant and bar on site. $$$
Hsipaw
Hsipaw Resort
29/30 Myohaung Village
Tel 082 80721; www.hsipawresort.com
An affordable offshoot of the posh Amata Resorts chain, Hsipaw’s most upmarket hotel provides homely rooms in a string of pretty riverside bungalows opposite the town centre across the Dokhtawady River, with a free boat service across the water. Good restaurant attached. $$$
Mr Charles
105 Auba Street
Tel: 082 80105; www.mrcharleshotel.com
This long-established guesthouse on the north side of the town is the backpacker hub for the region’s trekking scene, and virtually every budget traveller who sets foot in Hsipaw makes a beeline for it. The eponymous owner offers a choice of variously priced rooms, from cells with hard beds, thick partition walls and shared toilets to fully en-suite with thicker mattresses and balconies. Eggs-to-order breakfasts are served in the yard-cum-driveway. Bike hire, tours and treks can all be arranged, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. $
Kengtung
New Kyaing Tong
Mong Yang Road
Tel: 084 21620; www.kyaingtongnewhotel.com
Modern, three-storey government-owned place on the hillside above town looking across at the pagoda and lake. Its 108 rooms come in three categories; all have bathrooms with showers, minibars and air-con. There’s also a so-so outdoor pool, although the whole place can feel eerily empty at times.. $$
Princess
21 Zay Dan Kalay Road
Tel: 084 21319
The most comfortable hotel in this Golden Triangle town, with modest but clean rooms and quirky décor . Electricity is intermittent, but they have a generator, and the location is ideal for early-morning trips to the market. $$
Sam Yweat
Junction of Kyaing Lan 1 Road & Kyaing Lan 4 Road
Tel: 084 21235
Colourfully painted, if otherwise spartan, rooms with big windows and flat-screen TVs. Fine for a couple of nights if you’re out trekking all day. $
Pindaya
Conqueror Resort
Shwe Oo Min Road, Singong Quarter
Tel: 081 66355; www.conquerorresorthotel.com
Sprawling resort hotel at the foot of the caves, comprising luxury split-level suites made of hardwood or less pricey bamboo stilt “huts” scattered in well tended gardens around a central restaurant and pool. Each has a fireplace and verandah. Beginning to look a bit run-down, although rates are competitive. $$$
Golden Cave Hotel
Shwe Oo Min Road
Tel: 081 66166; www.goldencavehotel.com
This modest hotel close to the entrance to the caves has clean, comfortable rooms with balconies facing the hill, or more spartan ”standard” ones. All have hot water, but only their ”superiors” are equipped with TVs, fans and minibars. $$
Inle Inn
Mahabandoola Street
Tel: 081 21347
Close to the caves, this is Pindaya’s most appealling option, with accommodation in wood-and-bamboo-thatch or brick-built chalets set amid manicured gardens. The light and airy glass-walled restaurant comes with al fresco dining terrace and lakeviews. $$
Lashio
Golden Kinnara Hotel
Kyani Road
Tel: 082 30891
As good as it gets in Lashio, this brand new hotel has functional but spacious and spotless rooms, friendly service and a reasonably central location. $$
Kachin State
Myitktina
United
38 Thitsa Street
Tel: 074 22085
You’re not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation in Myitkyina, and this Chinese-style hotel is just about the best option. Rooms are basic but comfortable enough for a night in transit, and there are plenty of local restaurants nearby. $$
Bhamo
Friendship
Balldi Road
Tel: 074 50095
The better value of Bhamo’s two hotels makes a pleasant stopover if you’re travelling up or down-river on the slow boat – although the karaoke lounge downstairs gets noisy. Its rooms are spacious and have sitting areas, tea- and coffee-making facilities and clean bathrooms. Everything’s spick and span and the management speaks English. $
Hotel Paradise
36 Shwe Kyaung Kone
Tel: 074 50136
Bhamo’s newest hotel, towards the southern end of town, offering neat and clean rooms including good-value singles.
Putao
Mulashidi Village, Putao
Tel: 09 860 0659; www.malikhalodge.net
This exclusive boutique hideaway often proves the highlight of luxury trips to Myanmar. Hidden deep in the jungle overlooking a river, with glimpses through the giant bamboo forest of distant snow peaks, each of its massive designer bungalows is centred on a teak hot tub and cosy woodburner. The vibe is one of a posh house party, with gourmet food and butler service, and whitewater rafting and trekking trips to fill the days. Alas, it’s phenomenally pricey ($3,000 per person cost for the minimum two-night stay), and owned by one of the arch-cronies of the military junta. $$$$
Putao Trekking House
No.424/425, Htwe San lane, Kaung Kahtaung, Putao
Tel: 09 8400138; www.putaotrekkinghouse.com
The mid-scale alternative to Malikha Lodge is a lovely teak-built hotel with immaculate wood-lined rooms. As the name implies, they’re hiking specialists and nearly everyone arranges packages to include treks of varying lengths. Bookings and permits have to be sorted in advance through local travel agents. $$$
Rakhaing & Chin
Sittwe
Mya Guest House
51/6 Bowdhi Street
Tel: 043 23315
In an annexe tacked on to a colonial-era building, this long-running place is just about the only even half-decent backpacker option in Sittwe. Rooms are large and reasonably clean, if rather past their best, while lousy service adds nothing to the generally lacklustre experience. $
Royal Sittwe Resort
3km south of town
Tel: 043 23478; www.royalsittweresort.asia
In a fine location on the seafront south of town, this is Sittwe’s poshest option at present – not that that’s saying much. Rooms are plain and overpriced and facilities include a humdrum restaurant, although the sweeping views over the Bay of Bengal partly compensate. $$$
Shwe Thazin
250 Main Road
Tel: 043 23579
The best hotel in central Sittwe, with spacious, clean and comfortable rooms and conveniently close to nearby restaurants and attractions. $$
Mrauk-U
Mrauk Oo Princess
Aungdat Creek
Tel: 043 50232
Mrauk U’s most luxurious accommodation, favoured by visiting high-end tour groups, although it’s seriously overpriced, and not a patch on similar places elsewhere in the country. Its 21 wooden villas are done up in flamboyant Arakan fashion, dotted around lush gardens and lily ponds, and enjoy views over the rice paddy to distant blue hills – although they’re also surprisingly tatty in places given the sky-high price, and the corrugated iron roofs don’t add much to the overall style either. There’s a spa but no pool. Rates cover full board. $$$$
Nawarat
Yangon–Sittwe Road
Tel: 09 852 2264
Close to Shittaung Pagoda, the Nawarat is a well-run motel-style place offering simple, clean rooms with decent beds, hot water, WiFi and 24-hour electricity. The staff are friendly and breakfast is included in the price. $$
Royal City Guesthouse
Near the ferry dock
Tel: 043 24200
Mrauk U’s best budget option, if you don’t mind the disinterested service, conveniently located between the town and ferry dock. The budget rooms (fan and cold water only) are amongst the best-value in town; the fancier bungalows opposite (with a/c, hot water and TV) are also nice and competitively priced, although right next to the road. $–$$
Shwe Thazin
Sunshaseik Quarter
Tel: 043 50168
Comprising a couple of dozen tastefully furnished wood cabanas ranged around a central restaurant, this is the best mid-range option in Mrauk-U. The rooms are light and airy, with traditional textiles and woodcarvings lending a Burmese feel to the décor. Quality restaurant. No pool, but bargain rates for the level of comfort. $$
Ngapali Beach
Amara Ocean Resort
3km north of the airport
Tel: 01 652 191; www.amaragroup.net
This very upmarket hideaway is tucked away in a peaceful and secluded location north of the airport. There are just 24 luxurious bungalows here, scattered discreetly around a stretch of picture-perfect beach, while boating, hiking, biking and bird-watching trips can also be arranged if you can drag yourself away from the gorgeous infinity pool. $$$$
Amata Resort
Tel: 043 42177; www.amataresort.com
One of Ngapali’s quirkier resorts, looking like a very luxurious Burmese village, with quaint two-storey villas topped with thatch and half buried between the trees. Inside, rooms have plenty of style and luxury, although those with sea-view carry a massive mark up, and the pool’s on the small side too. $$$$
Tel: 043 42299; www.bayview-myanmar.com
Minimalist European chic enlivened with splashes of Burmese silk and gilt are the order of the day here. The garden bungalows are delightful, but you may as well splash out on a sea-facing one – worth the extra for the sunset views alone. Facilities include a pool and spa, and kayaking and catamaran trips can also be arranged. $$$$
Memento Resort
Main Road
Tel: 043 42441
Ngapali’s only real budget option, with just a handful of basic backpacker rooms at the back (with floor fan and cold water only), plus pricier cabanas along the fine stretch of beach at the front – easily the cheapest seaview you’ll find anywhere in the village. Advance bookings strongly recommended. $$
Sandoway Resort
Tel: 043 42233; www.sandowayresort.com
Constructed from local hardwoods, stone and marble, Sandoway’s 57 villas and cottages occupy 500 metres/yds of prime beachfront, shaded by gently tilted palms and flowering shrubs. The resort is part-Italian owned and is run to an extremely high standard. There’s a huge pool, library, seafood restaurant and glam cocktail bar. $$$$
Thande Beach Hotel
Main Road
Tel: 043 42278; www.thandebeachhotelmyanmar.com
The closest you’ll get to affordable luxury in overpriced Ngapali. The stylish rooms are attractively equipped with antique reproduction wooden furniture and dotted amongst gorgeous palm-studded gardens. There’s also a decent-sized pool, plus spa, and sea-view surcharges are less punitive than at other places. $$$
Mon, Kayin State and Myeik
Kyaiktiyo
Golden Rock Hotel
Yathae Taung, Kyaiktiyo
On the slope of Mount Kyaiktiyo, about 1.2km (0.8 miles) from the top.
Tel: 09 871 8391; www.goldenrock-hotel.com
Wrapped in wild tropical greenery, this places enjoys a delightful position and has well-aired, spacious rooms with wooden floors and simple décor – some have great views of the Rock. The only catch is that it’s 45 minutes to an hour’s walk from the summit, which means an early start to catch the sunrise. $$
Golden Sunrise
Kinpun
Tel: 09 872 3301; www.goldensunrisehotel.com
In peak season, many visitors opt for accommodation down in Kinpun village, at the start of the official pilgrimage trail, where rooms are more plentiful and cheaper – in which case you won’t do better than this lovely little Belgian-run hotel on the outskirts of town, whose elegantly furnished rooms look across leafy gardens and mango trees to the distant mountains. Everything’s impeccably clean, and the staff courteous and efficient. $$
Mountain Top
Kyaiktiyo Mountain
Tel: 09 871 8392
As the name suggests, this place is a stone’s throw from the Rock, and optimally placed for sunrise and sunset. The rooms are simply furnished but bright and clean. There’s a lounge and restaurant and breezy terrace where guests can watch the pilgrims filing to and from the shrine. Bags of atmosphere, but by definition not the most peaceful of spots. $$$
Hpa-An
Parami Motel
Pagoda Road
Tel: 058 21647
One of Hpa-An’s better budget options, close to the centre and with friendly staff and spacious rooms (and with splendid views from upper floors towards Mount Zwegabin). $
Soe Brothers
2/146 Thitsar Street
Tel: 058 21372
This modest guesthouse in the town centre is where most backpackers end up in Hpa-an. It’s ultra-basic (shared bathrooms and toilets) but very cheap, well-scrubbed, welcoming and a good source of information on local trekking and sights. $
Zwekabin
Hpa-an–Mawlamyine Road
Tel: 058 22556
Swanky motel on the outskirts of town boasting fine views across the surrounding paddy fields to the eponymous peak. Nicer than anywhere in the centre, though you’ll need some form of transport to get around. $$
Mawlamyine (Moulmein)
Attran
Mandalay Ward
Tel: 057 25764/25765
Located on the banks of the Thanlwin River, the Attran consists of 30 attractively furnished bungalows, with large bathrooms. It’s a perfect location for sunset views, which you enjoy from the fabulous teak terrace in front of the restaurant, or out on the water in the hotel launch. They also offer Burmese traditional massage and fishing pitches on request. You pay extra for the location and view here, but it’s worth it. $$
Cinderella
21 Baho Road, Sitkei Gone Quarter
Tel: 057 24411; www.cinderellahotel.com
Good-value mid-range hotel near the park and GPO, offering 22 air-con rooms, wi-fi and 24-hr electricity (a real plus in this town). Good breakfasts, too, and the hallways are filled with interesting displays of Burmese crafts. $$
Mawlamyaing Strand
Strand Road, Phat Tan Quarter, Mawlamyine.
Tel: 057 25624/24787
The town’s top hotel, set back from the riverfront close to the main market area. Ranged over four floors, the rooms (all air-con with wi-fi) are spacious and good value, though a bit lacking in character. Facilties include two restaurants, and rates include a good buffet breakfast. $$
Myeik Region
Thahtay Kyun Island
Tel: 066 2287 3031; www.andamanclub.com
Originally set up by the military dictatorship as a money-spinning casino resort for high-rolling Singaporeans and Malays, this once stylish hotel is now under private management but doesn’t live up to the luxury eco-lodge it bills itself as. Take it for what it is, however, and it’s pleasant enough – although the moribund atmosphere and frequent lack of other guests doesn’t help. $$$