79 Living Hotel

The staff were genuinely helpful and friendly, and a great source of local information. The air conditioning was excellent, there was plenty of hot water, and the generator worked reliably during power outages. TV was limited to local channels. The hotel is fairly cheap, so I wasn't expecting much, and it has clearly seen better days. Cleanliness was the big problem. The bathroom had black mould and a sewer smell, though leaving the fan running cleared the smell. The walls were dirty, there were old food scraps in the bedside table, and ants had got into the kettle. The safe wasn't fixed down, and a stained, dirty mattress was left in the hallway. Breakfast was too basic and had too little choice to be worth going to. Management should bring in professional cleaners to deal with the problems and teach the staff how to clean properly. I'd stay again if the place were cleaner.

The rooftop was really nice, and the free cocktail was simple but good. Rooms were nice, and the staff helped with every detail while we were there. When we checked out early, they even packed breakfast for us. The bikes made it quick and easy to get around the city. Booking online costs less. I'd come back.

It's less than a five-minute walk from Mandalay central railway station, and there's an elevator for the upper floors. The rooms are spacious, clean, comfortable, and in good condition, as are the bathrooms. The food is good and priced fairly. They often offer a room discount if you book directly with them.

I was there for two nights. The room has everything you need, and breakfast was very tasty. For the price, it's a good place to stay if you can handle the noise: you hear even small movements from rooms above and beside you, trains across the street, the nearby elementary school, and a monk chanting over a loudspeaker at 6 am. There's also heavy traffic going over the paths across the train tracks.