View of the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel from the boardwalk on the Royal Lake in Yangon.
The Kandawgyi hotel sits in a unique position in Yangon, right on the shores of Lake Kandawgyi (also know as the Royal Lake). The building was formerly the Natural History Museum, but was re-made into a hotel by Thai investors into a hotel. Many rooms also have a view of the Shwedagon Pagoda.
We stayed two nights in a deluxe room on the fifth (top) floor of the west wing. Our room had spectacular view of the lake with the Karaweik Restaurant in the distance. Inside, the room was simply decorated, with wood floors and a large gabled window. The bathroom was large, with separate tub and shower. Room amenities include satellite TV, mini-bar and safe. In addition to the regular rooms, the hotel also has some lakeside bungalows available.
The hotel's facilities include an interesting multi-level swimming pool that would make a cool retreat if visiting Yangon during the hot season. The pool is set in the densely planted gardens of the hotel. There is also a pool-side bar in addition to the lobby lounge. There are two restaurants located within the hotel itself, the coffee shop on the lobby level and a more up-scale Italian eatery on the mezzanine. Other facilities include a souvenir shop, art gallery, spa and beauty salon. A new fitness center was also under construction at the time we visited.