San Francisco Guest House - Pyin Oo Lwin, Burma

San Francisco Guest House - Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar

$30 for double cottage with breakfast and bathroom

Though we had paid for a room at Grace I Hotel, we stumbled upon San Francisco (represent!) Guest House for lunch and decided to stay there instead, forfeiting our fee for one night at Grace I in favor of a more comfortable room. The rooms at SF are clean, airy, and simple, with upgrades like small flat screen TVs, tiny vanities, and small porches. After we arrived, we realized that the property is Chinese-owned and probably associated with the government, so we have to deduct a point for that. We were upset about contributing money to the government but, having paid for 2 rooms at this point, were left with few options other than paying for a third room, which would REALLY break the budget. So we stayed. Still, both the Chinese and Burmese staff were very friendly and accommodating and were eager to make sure our stay was enjoyable. The room comes with breakfast, but the restaurant isn't really that great, so you should have your meals elsewhere. We also looked at the $40/night cottages, which were really nice and definitely worth the $40. It just wasn't in our budget, or we would have considered it. 

We give San Francisco...4 Happy Travelers!

Grace I Hotel - Pyin Oo Lwin, Burma

Grace I Hotel - Pyin Oo Lwin, Burma

$25 for double room with breakfast and bathroom

In truth, we never actually slept at Grace I. We paid for one night's lodging and we hung out there for a few hours, resting after a long bus ride, but we were less-than-impressed with the quality of the room for the price, so we moved. Our room was technically clean, but had a pretty grimy feeling, and the bathroom walls were covered with mildew. The shower head was located almost directly above the toilet and had a drip-drop leak so that, when you sat on the loo, you had a droplet of water dropping on your head or lap every few seconds. (I suppose the advantage of this is that you can take care of your….ahem….bathroom business while washing your hair, if you're in to multi-tasking.) We would have been happy with the room had it cost $9 or $10 but, for $25, we were disappointed. When we stumbled upon San Francisco Guest House for lunch the day we arrived (after we'd already spent several hours in our Grace I room), we decided to check out the rooms. For only $5 more a night, we were offered a much nicer room, so we switched. We did return to Grace I the next morning to have the breakfast that was included in our room rate and it was one of the best breakfasts we've had in Burma. Omelet, fresh fruit, real jam. And the staff at this spot are really kind and helpful. With a few upgrades (or with lower prices), this could be a winner.

We give Grace I...3 Happy Travelers!