Hotel G Yangon: A chic hotel in the heart of the city

If you’re travelling to Myanmar, chances are you will spend a night or two in its most popular and erstwhile capital city – Yangon. With a variety of options available, choosing a hotel for your stay can often be a daunting task. So here is a review of Hotel G, a quirky boutique hotel that I found (and loved!) for my stay in this incredible city.

The Property

Located in downtown Yangon, Hotel G belongs to the GCP hospitality group, that manages numerous properties mostly across Southeast Asia (including The Strand in Yangon itself). One of the main reasons this hotel initially caught my eye was because of its convenient location – close to prominent tourist spots, the city’s business district, as well as popular bars and restaurants. That, plus its reasonable pricing and positive online reviews – I was convinced!

It was late in the evening by the time I reached the hotel, and the bar on the ground floor was already abuzz. Making a mental note to return later, I proceeded with my check in, which was completed relatively quickly. A member of the staff then escorted to my room, which can easily be described in two words – modern chic.

The Rooms

Hotel G has four categories of rooms – Good, Great. Greater and Greatest, and I was in the ‘Good’ room on the 6th floor. Well designed in bright hues with a large window, an inviting bed and a work table, my room had a very artsy vibe to it.

The bathroom setup in the room was slightly different from most hotel rooms – the toilet and shower area were in two separate cubicles and a common sink was installed outside the room. This is particularly useful if you are travelling with someone – as it makes it easier for multiple people to use the facilities simultaneously.

At 20 sqm, the room was slightly small, but it felt snug and the space was well utilised. Besides, the amenities provided didn’t really leave anything to be desired. On one hand, there were the essentials available like in any modern hotel, such as free WiFi, in-room safe, coffee and tea making services, a set of toiletries etc. On the other, there were the unexpected ones, like the super fluffy NASA memory foam pillows, internet enabled TV, bluetooth enabled speaker and alarm clock, all of which added a really nice touch.

The Facilities

Babett Eatery and Bar: The hotel’s in house restaurant and bar called Babett, also happens to be one of the most popular hangout spots in Yangon – both for locals as well as foreigners. And understandably so, with its assorted wine collection, locally inspired cocktails and delicious western food preparations (it is actually one of the few restaurants in Yangon where you can get a well cooked steak). On weekend nights, live music performances are also held here, making it a perfect venue to let your hair down.

I loved the fact that after a tiring day, all I needed to do was head down to the ground floor of the hotel to experience a night out in Yangon! But if you’re planning to visit on a Friday or Saturday night, do note that you may have to make reservations in advance as the place gets jam packed.

Movie Box Package: For those who can’t bring themselves to head out, the hotel also offers a ‘Movie Box’ package. At USD 25, this includes 2 boxes of flavoured popcorn, 2 soft drinks and a 500ml tub of homemade ice cream, exactly what is needed for a movie night in your cosy bed and PJs! A big plus point here: since the room has a smart TV, you can even connect it your Netflix and not depend on the TV channels.

Gym: All this vacation binging often leaves me feeling guilty, and the hotel has a solution for that too – an in house gym. This well equipped gym is part of a chain called ‘Real Fitness Express’ and is open daily to guests as well as outside members. Located on the third floor of the hotel, you can head over anytime to work off those calories by using the machines available or even by attending a scheduled group exercise class.

E-Reader: For travellers (especially business travellers) who love to stay updated on the news and current events, the hotel also allows access to 6000+ newspapers and magazines from over 100 countries in 60 languages. All you need to do is download the ‘Pressreader’ app on your phone and connect it to the hotel WiFi to enjoy the reads.

Shop: I often land up leaving souvenir shopping until the last moment, and thankfully the hotel gift shop saved me. The in-house G Shop sells some beautiful and quirky Burmese gift items such as mugs, coasters, bags, scarves etc, sustainably made by local artisans in collaboration with non profit groups of the region. These handicrafts and accessories not only make unique gifts to take home, but are also a great way to encourage sustainable tourism.

All in all, Hotel G met up to all my expectations and more, and I’m glad to have chosen this hotel as my choice of stay in Yangon. With its convenient location, reasonable pricing, in house amenities and service, it is a great choice for any leisure or business traveller in the city, as well as a Yangonite looking for a staycation!

How to plan your visit

Room Booking: Rooms at Hotel G Yangon can be booked directly from their website. Use the code ‘GLAM’ to get 15% off on your next stay.

Transportation: The easiest way to get around Yangon is by Grab taxi and a ride from Yangon International Airport will cost you anywhere between 7000 to 11,000 kyat (5 to 8 USD). If you are new to Grab, use my code GRABBK32QZYE to get a discount on your first ride.

Hope you enjoyed this article! For more on travel around Southeast Asia, click here.

Notes:

• All details in the article are as of August 2019
• Breakfast is served daily at Babett Eatery and Bar and it’s a good assortment of western and Burmese dishes

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