6 Best Hotels in Myanmar

A stone's throw from Mandalay Hill and a short jaunt to the royal palace, this Thai-owned big-box hotel offers easy access to Mandalay's main sites. What it lacks in local character this hotel makes up for in amenities, which include nicely manicured grounds with an enormous pool with swim-up bar, gym, and tennis courts. The buffet breakfast is an excellent spread and is served from quite early, so guests heading out for sunrise can still grab a bite. Rooms are on the smaller side but comfortable and quiet, with strong air-conditioning and decent Wi-Fi service. The bicycles for hire are in good condition.

Owned by a charming French-Burmese couple, and recently renovated, this lovely 24-room boutique hotel packs in a motley crew of travelers. Rooms are furnished simply but, after a long day of temple-hopping, are clean and serene. The bathrooms are oversize, with slate floors and rain-forest shower heads, and some include outdoor showers. Quirky touches include vintage medicine cabinets as safes. Borrow a board game from the front desk, or peruse the well-stocked DVD cabinet before retiring to your room and climbing inside the mosquito net.

Long been the place to stay in Bagan because it's a stone's throw from Ananda Temple and plenty of restaurants, this hotel demonstrates a common trend in Bagan---when demand for accommodations far outweighs supply. Visitors don't get great value for money. Rooms are large and clean but a little run down and the air-conditioning a bit weak. However, well-manicured verdant lawns and trees provides guests with a much-needed break from the dust and dirt of the temples. As is de rigueur, the spacious rooms here are an homage to, and of, wood, with lovely teak floors and traditional Burmese furniture. At night, stroll the lantern-lighted hotel grounds or take in dinner alfresco..