Yangon Excelsior is situated in the heart of downtown Yangon. Despite being set in a renovated colonial building and including trappings and trinkets reminiscent of British Burma, the hotel manages to be neither oppressive nor stuffy, but instead light and humorous.

The Excelsior is lightly eccentric: there are sheets of paper suspended in the air, appearing as if they have come flying out of the antique type-writer below; peppered around the hotel are ‘hand-scrawled’ notes on the bedrooms doors pertaining to be from a harassed guest from colonial days (“Is anyone departing for Moulmein this coming weekend? If so please let me know soonest”!). Guests warm to these, as one might a perplexing and flamboyant dinner guest.

The two restaurants are superb, and the staff immaculately dressed and well prepped. The rooms are large and elegant, and the detail is superb.

FLASH POINT: The “Press Room” is pleasant for both a morning coffee with the newspapers, and an evening round of long drinks.