Kanbawza Hinthar hotel, Bago, Myanmar

I spent a night in Bago, at Kanbawza Hinthar hotel. This post is a detailed review, should you wish to stay there during your Bago visit.

The good things:

1. Nice campus: Clean and well maintained rooms, surrounding areas. This is important because not all areas in Myanmar cities are clean and hygiene.

2. Shops available within walking distance for any essential item purchase

3. All kinds of vehicles on rent- Kanbawza Hinthar has bicycles, e-bikes, petrol powered scooter/bike for rent. Very convenient to rent one and explore Bago, than having to spend money on taxi, bike taxi etc. I enjoyed a ride in their eBike- read detailed review here. If I had known earlier would have booked a bike for full day. 

4. Good restaurant- there were 2-3 veg items- veg spring roll, veg etc. Breakfast was very good- had veg noodles, bread toast, bananas, coffee and juice.

5 They offered free pickup from Bago station, but I couldn’t inform timing in advance-informed them early morning on my day of arrival but I guess it was too late- no one came to receive me.

6 There is a small pagoda right behind the Kanbawza Hinthar Hotel.

7. Ready to refer travel information, timings and rents- useful to plan your onward travel/day's activities.

Not so good things

WiFi was useless in my room- 106- it would show full strength but no site opens. When I informed this to staff, they gave me password to all 3 Wifi network they had, but it didn’t help much- I had to go to reception area to get proper signal and do some work. Asked if I can be given another room, was declined stating all rooms are full.

Overall, I am fairly happy with my stay at Kanbawza Hinthar. I didn’t notice they had all kind of vehicles on rent during booking- else would have planned my day slightly differently or even could have spent an additional night here, instead of staying at MoeYunGyi. It will be lot convenient to keep this hotel as a base, rent a motorbike and explore various areas around. Renting a bike for about 12000 MMK (INR 600, USD 9) + fuel is more economical than spending lots of money on taxi, bike taxi etc. Kanbawza Hinthar should include photos of their rental vehicles so that guests realize their availability even during booking and can plan accordingly.

USD 40 a night was a bit higher side for one person to spend per night- given that hostels cost just 6-7 USD. But hotels like this works out better for couples or anyone preferring a bit of luxury.