KALAW HERITAGE HOTEL

Rating: Medium

The oldest part of Kalaw Heritage Hotel dates back to 1903, making it the second oldest hotel in the country after the opulent Strand Hotel.

With 45 rooms spread out across three buildings (Tudor, Acorn and Pine), it’s one of the largest heritage style properties in Kalaw; this makes it ideal for families or larger groups.

The Superior rooms are located in the Acorn building, which is the oldest part of the property. Overlooking the gardens, these 28m2 rooms are well-appointed, cosy and surprisingly modern in style.

The same applies to the Deluxe and Heritage Suite category rooms in the 1906-built Pine building; these are a little bit more spacious than the Superior rooms and more generously equipped. The faux antique furniture succeeds at drumming up a sense of colonial nostalgia, whilst managing to to be practical at the same time.

In contrary to its olde worlde name, the Tudor building is in fact the most recent addition to the Kalaw Heritage Hotel. The Classic rooms here are the smallest at only 24m2 in size, but they’re perfectly adequate and an ideal option for those not looking to spend the premium associated with a heritage-style stay.

Due to the age of the Acorn and Pine buildings, it’s worth reminding potential guests that the wooden floors tend to be creaky and the walls and windows are not 100% soundproofed; you’ll be sure to notice this when the steam trains pass in front of the property at irregular intervals. We hope this will be a highlight as much as a hinderance.

With beautifully manicured gardens to potter around in, mountain bikes to explore Kalaw’s surrounds, and a tennis court to serve up aces on, there’s certainly enough on offer here to keep all ages entertained. Adults can also take advantage of the well-stocked bar; for Myanmar, let alone sleepy Kalaw, this is particularly impressive.

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