Founded in 1995, the Savoy Hotel Yangon is a high-end, boutique hotel. It is just north of downtown; ten minutes from the city centre and five minutes from Shwedagon Pagoda. The hallways and bathrooms of the Savoy Hotel Yangon are peppered with artefacts, antiques, photos and maps from Myanmar’s past.

The Savoy was one of the first hotels to join the Yay Chan Sin Movement offering their guests a place to re-fill their re-usable water bottles. They were also an early adopter of the service of Recyglo – disposing of their waste in a sustainable manner.

They have now topped this by dramatically reducing their plastic usage. Real eco-warriors can opt to stay in the Savoy’s “zero plastic room & stay”, while all guests, at check-in, are presented with a wooden platter upon which are placed large slabs of different locally-made and delectably scented soap – Thanaka? Lemongrass? Coffee? The guest sniffs, selects their choice, and a chunk is chiseled off and brought up to their room on a dish.

Perhaps the best example of bringing together sustainable tourism and luxury travel.

FLASH POINT: The poolside bar comes alive after sunset when the electric blue pool lights are switched on and the scent of the flowers mingles with the herbes de Provence, rendering the Savoy one of the most alluring hotels in Yangon.