Spent 9 days travelling in Myanmar early April and loved our time there. The only real disappointment was the Pansea Hotel Yangon(Pansea again!!!). The Pansea in Yangon was a complimentary stay for us after a terrible time at Pansea Luang Prabang (posted earlier in Jan 2004 re this).

Pansea Yangon is in the same street as Yangon's finest bistro- J's bistro-part of J's Irrawaddy Dream complex with marvellous Myanmar handcrafts, clothes, jewellery etc. The french inspired food is fabulous and the owner is a really nice bloke who knew of the Pansea's dreadful reputation in Yangon.

The Pansea staff could not be bothered helping us to locate this wonderful bistro. They were too quick to insist we should eat at Pansea's restaurant at US28 bucks for a steak. The room we were given was nice and the gardens and pool are lovely but the housekeeping staff just arrive in your room without knocking which can be disconcerting if you are in the middle of an "afternoon delight" or similar. Those of you who are exhibitionists will love the place. We asked for a wake up call which arrived 30 mins late so we rushed to have breakfast and pack up to leave. As we were travelling down the road from Pansea in our taxi to the airport, one of the Pansea's concierge chased us down the street yelling for the taxi to stop. He accused us of stealing their Bathrobes!!!!!! We told him they were in the wardbrobe and to look before they accuse guests of stealing. What a bunch of wankers. The staff were the rudest bunch of dimwits mostly selected from the "french run school of treat guests like they are an inconvenience" methode of hospitality.

The Bagan Hotel at Bagan was fabulous for us US44 per night on hoteltravel.com. They upgraded us to a Irrawaddy river riew room and we loved our 3 days just eating, relaxing and most of all the fine payas we visited. Santa Maria Travel in Yangon were so efficient, friendly and keen to help and we are already planning our next trip to Myanmar. Inle Lake was also a highlight for us and we brought some lovely silver charms as gifts for family. Taunyggi (Shan state Capital city) is a good city to see as it is so wealthy compared to the rest of Myanmar due to drugs and gems. Lots of fast cars and not many horsecarts!! We are in Turkey now and in some ways Myanmar is more sophisticated!!!! You live and learn and travelling is the best way to educate oneself. All the best from two aussies who intend to grow old disgracefully. (Ullysses Club Motto).

lyndie...do us a favor and never stay in another pansea hotel---ever...

did they help with your luggage??

you don't say anything about yangon...did you like it? what did you see? did you not find the items at the Irrawaddy shop outrageously priced?? the quality if lovely, BUT..

Hi Bob

We liked Yangon especially ATK and J's for great food. J's wasn't all that expensive for the fine quality of their goods. We also did the tourist thing and visited the two main pagodas and the lake and markets (boring). However Bagan & Inle Lake were such lovely locations and we were greeted with such hospitality at both the hotels we'd chosen. The scenery at both areas is breathtaking. We're into nature! Cities like Yangon aren't all that special to us.
We do not intend to stay at a Pansea hotel, ever. They did help with the luggage. WOW! It's such a shame you just stayed in Yangon. Bagan is unforgetable and rivals Angkor for its temples. Stay happy! Regards

We stayed in the Rangoon Pansea in 1999 and thought it most enjoyable. The staff were somewhat inexperienced, they never did get my breakfast order correct, but they were never rude or discourteous. We found everyone in Burma to be most polite, even the soldiers.

We certainly weren?t interrupted during any ?afternoon delights?, but that may have been because we used the bolt on the door.

In Mandalay, we stayed at the Sedona, a larger and probably better run hotel, but it lacked the charm of the Pansea.

I would agree that you shouldn?t go to Burma without seeing Bagan, and if time permits, cruising between Bagan and Mandalay.

Hi Tangata-maybe five years has hardened up the staff at Pansea and sorry but "bolts" on the door do not exist. Our room was locked but the staff have a key!!! I dream of returning to Bagan-it touched my soul and very few places on earth have done that! Best wishes.