Page 91 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

ACCOMMODATION Yangon and around 89
YANGON HOSTELS 1
There’s a growing number of modern and well-equipped hostels in Yangon – although prices
are such that if you’re travelling in a couple the cost of two dorm beds might not work out any
cheaper than taking a private room. As well as the places below there are also dorm beds at
Backpacker Bed & Breakfast (see p.88), Chan Myaye Guest House (see p.88) and ShannKalay Hostel
(see below).
Lil Yangon Hostel 102 39th St T09 791 677 731, Scott Hostel 198 31st St T01 246802,
Wlittleyangonhostel.com; map p.64. Not the Wscotthostelyangon.com; map p.64. The stylish
fanciest of the many hostels to have opened recently in entrance and lobby café make this place look more like
Yangon, but a reliable and relatively inexpensive choice, a boutique hotel than a hostel, and the six-bed dorms
with assorted eight-bed dorms (the cheapest without are also pretty much state of the art, with sturdy
windows; all beds with individual curtains, reading curtains and keycard lockers. Dorms $15
light, charger and locker) and nice modern shared Wayfarer’s Rest 640 Mahabandoola Rd T09 779
bathrooms, plus café and kitchen. Dorms $13 922 075, Ewayfarerrest@gmail.com; map p.62. In
Pickled Tea Hostel 11 Myaynigone Zay St T09 250 the heart of Chinatown, this top-notch new hostel is
903 363, Wpickledteahostel.com; map p.71. one of the city’s best budget bargains at present, with a
Upmarket hostel in a quiet side street northwest of lovely eight-bed dorm featuring curtained teakwood
Shwedagon Pagoda, offering exceptionally well- bunks and quality mattresses, plus individual lights and
equipped and spacious accommodation in a mix of sockets. Dorms $12
four- and six-bed dorms. Dorms $16

Ocean Pearl 1 215 Botataung Pagoda Rd T01 simple windowless boxes – basic, but OK at the price (and
296637, Woceanpearlinn.com; map p.62. Long- with single rates from just $15). Only sardines, however,
running guesthouse, a decade or two past its best, will feel entirely comfortable in the cramped four-bed
although rooms (all en suite; a few with windows) are dorm. Dorms $9, doubles $20
bigger than average and kept spotlessly clean. Rates Three Seasons Hotel 83–85 52nd St T01 901 0066,
include free airport pick-up (8.30am–6pm) and twice- Ethreeseasonshotel7@gmail.com; map p.62. Enjoy-
daily drop-offs – a major bonus. $23 ably time-warped guesthouse (not a hotel, whatever the
Okinawa Guesthouse 64 32nd St T01 374318; map name says) in a wood-panelled house full of old-fashioned
p.64. Unusual-looking place with a distinct touch of character and slightly battered charm. Rooms are relatively
Japanese style in its minimalist wooden rooms with hardly basic and rather past their best, and rates a bit higher
any furniture and mattresses on the floor under big than they could be, but for old-world atmosphere it’s hard
mosquito nets. It’s a characterful, if not especially to beat. $30
comfortable, option, with very gloomy lighting, and pricier
than it should be. They run a second place, the Okinawa MId-rangE and EXPEnSIVE
Guesthouse 2, just down the road, with similar rooms at ★ Aung Tha Pyay Hotel 38th St T01 378663,
similar rates. $25 Waungthapyayhotel.com; map p.64. Downtown’s best
SAT Guesthouse 93 Lanmadaw St T01 251001, mid-range option, in an attractive old colonial building,
Wsathostelyangon.com; map p.62. Peaceful small dated but comfortable and very competitively priced.
hotel west of downtown (although conveniently close to Rooms are bigger than in many other similar hotels and
Chinatown), offering a bit more space to swing a cat well equipped with tea- and coffee-making facilities,
than more central places. Rooms (some without fridge and flatscreen TV, while the location on a very central
windows) all share well-equipped modern bathrooms, but relatively quiet side street is good too. $45
and are neat, clean and a decent size, albeit a bit bare. Central Hotel 335–37 Bogyoke Rd T01 241001,
It’s a bit expensive at the published rates, although Wcentralhotelyangon.com; map p.64. Long-running
prices are sometimes discounted on agoda.com or three-star (popular with visiting Chinese), dowdy and
booking.com. $32 dated but in a brilliant location and reasonably priced.
ShannKalay Hostel 3rd floor, 166 49th St T01 Rooms are frumpy and well past their best, but also bigger
397627, Wshannkalay.com; map p.62. Easy-to-miss than average and well equipped with tea- and coffee-
little hostel on the quiet eastern side of downtown offering making facilities, flatscreen TV and minibar. $60
some of the cheapest beds in the city and one of Yangon’s City Star Hotel (formerly the Orchid Hotel City Hall)
prettiest reception areas, stuffed with Burmese artefacts 169 Mahabandoola Garden St T01 370920, Wcitystar
and old photos. Rooms (with shared bathroom only) are hotelyangon.com; map p.64. Humdrum hotel, although

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