Hotel AKIMOMI

The parking situation was risky. We had to leave the car in a fenced area beside the hotel, and in the morning another car was blocking the exit. The owner had left just enough room for us to squeeze through. We asked staff to get the other driver, but nobody came for about ten minutes. I understand people don’t want to be woken on vacation, but in the end we had to work out how to get out ourselves and take the risk. The stay had plenty of other frustrations. I paid extra for a corner suite, yet the Wi-Fi was extremely weak and often unusable. Even in areas where the signal seemed stronger, I couldn’t connect. There may not be enough routers for all the rooms and guests. Mobile reception was poor too, though I know the hotel can’t control that. Basically, there was no internet access. There was no bottled drinking water, just a refillable jar. Maybe that’s normal in some countries, but I’ve never encountered it before in Myanmar. The bathroom had a bathtub and handheld shower but no shower holder. It was spacious, yet there was nowhere to put toiletries, a toothbrush, toothpaste, or hairdryer. Those things had been left on a bedside table next to one of the twin beds. There was only one side table for the whole twin room, which seems especially inconvenient in an extra-charge corner suite. Soundproofing was poor, and I could hear heavy footsteps outside. The room phone didn’t work. I couldn’t make calls, and of the numbers printed on it, one went unanswered and another was out of service. I had to go to reception for everything. Ridiculous. Breakfast was supposed to start at 6:30am, but when we arrived then, we were told to return at 7. The Shan noodles tasted good, but were very salty and had only one or two small pieces of meat. The fried vegetables and sausages were also very salty, as was nearly everything else. The fried rice was mushy. Black coffee was the only decent item.

Apart from the friendly front office staff, the room was awful. We paid 40USD a night for a standard room, and even the complimentary items weren’t up to standard. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere, and opening the fridge and cupboard brought out a strong moldy smell. The bathroom was moldy too, with a broken socket and soap dispenser. It felt like I’d paid to sleep in an abandoned room. Definitely not recommended.

Breakfast was awful, and they charge far too much when there are much better hotels nearby. The room was tiny, and the soundproofing was so bad I heard every door closing in the hall. Save your money and go elsewhere.

The garden is one of the nicest parts of the hotel, with lots of trees making the grounds feel cool, pleasant, and cozy. We relaxed in the garden tents and took photos wearing traditional Japanese Kimono. The whole compound gave us Japanese vibes. The owner lived in Japan for years as a professor at a Japan University, and the buildings follow traditional Japanese architecture. It’s in a quiet area not far from downtown, about 1.7 miles from Kandawgyi. The rooms were tidy and had the necessary facilities. The food was fantastic, and the staff were kind, attentive, and helpful. The owner’s family made us feel welcome and safe. This is the only ASEAN Green Hotel Standard winner in Myanmar. I’d strongly recommend staying here when you’re in Pyin Oo Lwin.