This centuries-old building was given a new lease of life as the grand Yangon Excelsior hotel in 2018
1. Heritage preserved
Located in the heart of downtown Yangon and a five-minute walk from the iconic Sule Pagoda, the Yangon Excelsior’s building boasts a history that dates back to the 19th century and is now a protected site under the Yangon Heritage Trust. Originally occupied by major trade company Steel Brothers, the hotel pays tribute to its past by retaining architectural pieces – such as the original glass entrance, sky-high ceilings and a steel cage lift – and updating them with modern mechanisms.
2. A contemporary setting with a retro touch
The refurbished building is now a luxurious 74-room hotel with striking teal and brown furnishings set against stately floor-to-ceiling windows. There are six room categories to choose from: Superior, Superior Executive, Deluxe, Deluxe Executive, the Junior Suite and the Loft. Access to the executive lounge is available in the Loft, Junior Suite and Executive rooms.
The hotel’s Art Deco-inspired design is complemented with décor pieces such as vintage telephones, typewriters and even “handwritten” postcards for hotel room numbers. Each card recreates a quaint message from travellers during colonial times.
3. Take time out for a tea break
Guests can sit back and relax at two cosy restaurants on site. Café-deli-bar The Newsroom serves up a fresh selection of sandwiches, salads, pastas and home-made pastries alongside classic British tea all-day long. In the evening, the restaurant offers tapas to nibble on between sips of wine.
The elegant Steel Brothers Wine & Grill restaurant offers premium wines with fine cuts of meat such as a Black Angus striploin and succulent seafood like grilled rock lobster, fresh off a Josper grill. Other highlights include creamy pea garden soup with popcorn and blue-cheese gnocchi topped with chorizo.
4. Wellness around the world
Unwind after a long day at the Excelsior Spa, with various treatments that incorporate age-old healing techniques. The Splendors Ritual is said to help promote blood circulation while reducing aches and pains, and the Wellness Ritual utilises thanaka – a natural cosmetic paste made from tree bark in Myanmar – as well as sugarcane and aloe vera to exfoliate and moisturise the body.
Alternatively, be transported around the world with the Touch For Body traditional massages named Myanmar, Sweden, China and Inle Shan (after Inle Lake in Myanmar). Those especially worn out will appreciate the Touch of Sweden massage; the full-body treatment helps to stretch ligaments and tendons, relieving tension and pain in the body.
Singapore Airlines flies to Yangon daily. To book a flight, visit singaporeair.com
SEE ALSO: Is Myanmar’s Mergui archipelago Asia’s last unspoilt island utopia?
