Mrauk-U Shwe Thazin Hotel

The staff were nice as always, breakfast was decent, and I had the best omelette in Myanmar. Our old room was overpriced, though the manager apologized and offered us a newer one. The hotel was fully booked, so we couldn't move. Since I bumped my head on the doorpost a couple of times, we did get a complimentary meal. A nearby ceremony started at 5:30 in the morning with a lot of music. The rooms aren't soundproof. We were planning to watch the sunrise, so the noise worked out for us. If you'd rather sleep in, check whether there's a party planned for the next morning.

After our first night, we paid to move to a superior room, and the next several nights were a much better experience. I strongly recommend booking a superior or deluxe room. The standard rooms are in a separate, dorm-like building at the back, even though we thought we'd be placed in one of the regular rooms shown on the website. The room we were first given felt grim: cockroaches in the shower, half the lights out, and a door that wouldn't close properly. Having to pay to switch left us feeling like we'd been misled, and it soured the stay.

For the price, this is a pretty good hotel. Rooms start at around 25$ and up, with AC, hot and cold shower, TV, mini fridge, a large room, and a hair dryer if needed. Breakfast is included, along with a complementary welcome drink. Cleanliness, hospitality, and breakfast were all 5/5; amenities were 4/5, and wifi was 1/5. No pool. The bad wifi is the only real downside. The location is just right, beside the main road.

We arrived at the Shwe Thazin hotel expecting the room we'd seen on its website, but were given a bare, worn, dirty room that looked nothing like the pictures. When we complained, the manager took over 30 minutes to come speak with us, even though he'd been sitting at a desk and could hear us. We asked for a room like the one pictured. The next room was a little better, but still dusty and worn and nothing like the website photos. We asked to see another room, but were told none were available. We then requested a refund and were denied. Had we been told the truth about what the room looked like, we'd have booked elsewhere. I'd recommend others do the same. Book at your own risk!