Areindmar Hotel

The 50 cosy rooms here are set around a garden with acacia trees, grass lawns and a pretty, lily-filled pond. They’re full of quirky details: wooden-sleigh beds, local art on the walls, antiques on the shelves, an umbrella stand by the door and a notebook and pen by the bed. The bathrooms, too, are works of art, with dark-wooden floors, taut-muslin doors, copper basins, potted plants, striking gold art on the walls and a rainforest shower to boot. The stylish, open-sided reception and dining room overlooks a narrow swimming pool framed by a profusion of rather overgrown tropical plants. Exquisite black-and-gold traditional lacquerware art and copper, cone-shaped lights adorn the walls and there’s a bar in one corner, where you can try house concoctions such as an Areindmar Mojito (a twist on the classic) or a Bagan Lady (Myanmar Dry Gin, grenadine, lime and egg white). The food menu, displayed on a lacquerware slab, includes regional delicacies such as Ayeyarwady prawn curry, pork with bean paste and braised beef. A foodie’s choice.