Railroad Hotel Kalaw

At $23 for the night, our double room felt fairly priced for what was included. It was dated and cold, though they did offer blankets. One person at the front desk was helpful, while the others less so. Breakfast was eggs that were a bit oily, a pancake, and fresh fruit. Pretty standard for Myanmar so far. It's about three minutes from the train station, and ten minutes from both the market and bus terminal.

We stayed longer than planned, and the Railroad Hotel team made the whole time a wonderful experience. The rooms were clean and reasonably priced, and on days when we were too tired to head out, staff even picked up food for us. Traveling with a five-month-old can be stressful, so it was lovely how happy everyone was to entertain him while we ate breakfast. Wifi was decent for central Myanmar, and they can help arrange transport if you need it. If we're back in Kalaw, this would be our first choice.

The location is handy: about a five-minute drive from the express gate, a ten-minute walk to Kalaw Myoma market, and only two minutes on foot from Kalaw tower and Kalaw rail way station. I think that's how the hotel got the name "Railroad Hotel". It was renovated a few months ago and welcomes pets. We booked one double room and one triple room for two nights, but were given two triple rooms, which worked better for us. The room, bed, and bathroom were clean, with hot and cold shower water. Basic amenities and toiletries were supplied. Remember the extra-thick blankets in the closet, you'll want them at night. The low room rate includes breakfast. You can choose Asian style, fried rice with omelette, or Western style, pancake and toast with a half-fried egg or omelette, plus fruit, coffee or tea. We also got fried tofu on the first day. Let staff know your choice ahead of time. Bike and car rentals are available through reception. And if one plate of fried rice isn't enough, you can ask for more.

The staff were very friendly, but the service was poor, and they blamed peak season. For a place calling itself a hotel, I think it should at least meet its standards. The location is convenient for the railway station and Kalaw Myoma Market, a popular spot for Shan traditional food. But our rooms had several problems: towels weren't changed daily, amenities weren't restocked, and beds weren't made. One room had very low water pressure, another had no hot water, and there was little privacy since you could hear someone snoring in the next room. We were even complained about for chatting while getting ready for an early day trip. The dining area is spacious, though the buffet counter is cramped.