2 Best Hotels in Mandalay, 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.

Idyllic and full of local flavor, this resort is a ways from downtown but is a real oasis. Rooms are all rich, gleaming teak which lends visitors the feeling of bunking down inside an upscale tree house. Though rooms are well-proportioned, some bathrooms are teeny. Rooms on the main road are noisy, and some rooms' walls are on the thin side. The expansive grounds are lush and lovingly manicured, and the pool, after a hot day at Mandalay Hill and the Royal Palace, is a dream come true. The breakfast spread is served outside under the trees; around dinner time, there's a marionette show and dance performance.