The Strand

A relic of Myanmar‘s colonial history dating back to 1901, The Strand played host to Rudyard Kipling during his journey through then-Burma, amongst many other famed writers and travellers.

Today, many things have changed – there’s Wi-Fi in all the rooms and the complimentary mini-bars are refreshed daily – but the hotel’s elegant charm and the first-rate, attentive service remain constant with butlers manning every floor 24-hours-a-day, each armed with an unfailingly sunny and helpful disposition.

The four suites types are spacious and airy, with teak wood floors, antiques to decorate, ceiling fans, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel also features a spa, where travellers can go for a massage to ease away jetlag or perhaps to prepare for a long flight.

Guests can dine in the sophisticated Strand Grill, with its black-and-white marble floor, chandeliers, and local music accompanying the international cuisine. The Strand Cafe is a little more casual, and the breakfast menu offers a fantastic choice of cereals, pancakes and eggs, to name but a few options: we recommend the eggs benedict. Being an old colonial hotel, it’s no surprise that high tea is also on offer, later in the evening, you can join the local expats in the grand bar for a cold G&T.