53(^) SLEEPINGYANGON
SLEEPING
YANGON
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and services, leave to marinate with envi-
ously attired and proportioned rooms and,
voila, it’s the Mother Land Inn 2. There are
of course downsides, namely it’s often fully
booked and is located in a slightly dodgy
’hood a long walk or a short taxi ride from
the centre. But the free airport transfer, fast
internet access (per hour $1) and a solid
breakfast more than make up for them.
Governor’s Residence BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$
(Map p 46 ; %229 860; http://www.governorsresidence.com;
35 Taw Win St; r $154-242, ste $279-319; aiWs)
If you’d like to live like a sovereign, this UK-
owned teak mansion of period elegance and
modern luxury in the leafy embassy district is
for you. In the ’20s the Governor’s Residence
was a guesthouse for important nationals
of the Kayah ethnic group, but now, after a
masterful restoration, it’s a tourist’s ideal of
colonial luxury. A waiter with a crystal cock-
tail is always on hand and the pool merges
gently into the lawns and sparkles in refl ect-
ed beauty. The glorious rooms have ever-so-
lightly perfumed air, teak fl oors, cloudy soft
beds and stone baths with rose-petal water.
Panorama Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p 42 ; %253 077; panoramaygn@myanmar.
com.mm; 294-300 Pansodan St; r $30-40, ste $45-
50; aiW) Within walking distance of the
train station and Bogyoke Market, and boast-
ing distant views over the Shwedagon Paya,
the aptly named 10-storey Panorama off ers
some of the best value in this price range. All
rooms are equally vast and similarly well ap-
pointed, so unless you really require a bath-
tub, save yourself some money by going for
one of the cheaper standard rooms.
May Shan Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p 46 ; %252 986; http://www.mayshan.com; 115 Sule
Paya Rd; s/d/tr $20/25/40; aiW) It’s not ex-
actly a steal, and the single rooms are pretty
tight and lack windows, but the combina-
tion of convenient location, gracious service
and ample amenities (TV, air-conditioning,
wi-fi ) make the May Shan the best option
in the area immediately surrounding Sule
Paya. If you can aff ord it, the triple rooms
(ask for room 601) are spacious and have ar-
guably the best views of any hotel in the city.
Three Seasons Hotel GUESTHOUSE $
(Map p 42 ; %293 304; [email protected];
83-85 52nd St; s/d $12/18;a) The nine rooms in
this homey guesthouse are large, spotless and
well endowed with everything that would
make your granny smile. The outdoor ter-
race, with tree shade, is a nice place to sit and
watch the world cruise by. And to top it off ,
it’s very friendly and helpful and is located on
a block that is especially quiet at night, so you
should be able to sleep undisturbed.
Okinawa Guest House HOTEL $
(Map p 46 ; %374 318; 64 32nd St; dm/s/d
$5/14/18;a) A brief walk from Sule Paya
is the red pitched roof of this charming
bougainvillea-fronted guesthouse. The inte-
rior is a bizarre hotchpotch of decorations
and building styles that blend wood, bam-
boo and red brick. The handful of rooms
are small and dark but very clean, although
noise – both from the street and the staff –
can be an issue here. It also has a cosy dorm
upstairs for penny-pinchers and a number
of communal areas with old wooden chairs
and tables.
Parkroyal BUSINESS HOTEL $$$
(Map p 46 ; %250 388; enquiry@parkroyalhotels.
com.mm; 33 Ah Lan Paya Pagoda Rd; r $90; ai
Ws) This smart, newish, centrally located
business hotel is the Yangon branch of a
Singaporean chain. If you’re haven’t booked
a room through an agent, you’ll only have
access to their very capable deluxe rooms,
which feature all the amenities you’d expect
from a hotel of this price. The Parkroyal is
also the only hotel we’re aware of in Yangon
that accepts a credit card (in this case, Visa
only) – at a hefty 12% commission.
Thammada Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p 42 ; %243 3639; http://www.thamadahotel.com; Ah
Lan Paya Pagoda Rd; r/ste $44/88;a) Located in
the same complex as the Thamada Cinema,
this longstanding joint venture with Singa-
pore boasts old-school rooms with lots of
worn wood and heavy, handsome furnish-
ings. Take a look at a few, as some rooms are
markedly smaller than others. The ground-
fl oor 365 Café is convenient for eats, drinks
and wi-fi.
Yoma Hotel HOTEL $
(Map p 42 ; %299 243; http://www.yomahotelone.com; 146
Bogyoke Aung San Rd; r $10-18;a) Although it’s a
bit of a hike from the city centre, this is one of
the tidier and better-run midrange places in
town. The rooms are a bit frumpy and clearly
date from another era, but are well equipped
and clean. There are fi ve fl oors and no lift, so
if you’re on the top fl oor you can eat that ex-
tra cake without guilt. A tip: avoid the rooms
on Floor G unless you desire the combination
of comically low ceilings and furry friends.