From the warm and earthly environs of Bagan, Pyin U Lwin was a pleasant change. As soon as I got out of the train station, I hired and hopped on a motorbike to take me to my first choice of accommodation. Immediately the cool air, the sight of pine trees and the British-influenced neighbourhood reinvigorated my spirit. It was until it worried me that a lot of accommodations are fully booked. Dahlia hotel was fully booked and the also the nearby areas. I was worried for a while but it was a blessing in disguise as I wound up staying in Grace Hotel 1.
I was lucky someone just checked-out when I arrived enabling me to get a double room at the hotel. While they clean it up, I went outside for a stroll and found the advantage of its location. I was so grateful I ended up here since it’s near a lot of areas. There’s a strip of eatery and Chinese teahouses nearby. I had one of the tastiest Chinese noodles with complimentary tea for only 500 kyat. And nearby there’s an internet cafe where I caught up with my online world for only 400 kyat an hour. The connection was really fast and less restrictions on the websites. Quickly I realized how expensive Bagan was compared to this place.
When I got back to the hotel, I wasn’t expecting much from the room but I was surprised to see a spacious and high-ceiling room with 2 single beds, tiled walls and a huge bathroom with hot shower. It also has a cable TV which was a bit weird as the ones shown on screen are the channels the owners or the people in charge are watching. For US$12 or 9600 kyat, I thought this was really of great value. There’s a fan but since the place tends to be really cold at night (I had 2 thick blankets when I slept) aircondition is not needed.
Breakfast was really an experience. Grace Hotel has a big front garden where there are tables and chairs set amidst. They served the breakfast there, it was a really pleasant with the relaxing and quiet atmosphere that I took time enjoying my toast, butter, jam, eggs, tea and fruit. Oh yeah, this is also included with the room fee. It was a great way to start the day before a stroll or a bike.
Part of why I enjoyed Pyin U Lwin was Grace Hotel 1. Discovering this Indian run hotel made my stay a lot more comfortable. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. It was a perfect place to recharge and invigorate after a long journey and start of a new leg.
Grace Hotel 1
114A Nan Myaing Road
Pyin U Lwin
Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
