Substantial and impersonal it may be on first impressions; The Chatrium quickly charms you once you are settled in. The service is exceptional from the professional and friendly front-desk team, the tasteful and generous rooms are comfortable and well-maintained and then, as the light fades in the evening and the large block is flood-lit, it actually creates quite an atmosphere – remarkable considering it’s just a concrete lump of a hotel.

The location is also, on these same first impressions, a little inconvenient. You will need a taxi to reach the rest of Yangon, but the beautiful walks around the Kandawgyi lake are ample compensation. The lake is actually a national park, full of little wooded islands. At night, it reflects the coloured lights of the city around it, including the splendidly gilded Shwedagon Pagoda, which turns out to be only 15 minutes walk from the hotel. Once you’ve done your sightseeing in downtown Yangon, your base at The Chatrium actually turns out to be a blessed retreat. With a nice pool and gym onsite, as well as several high quality restaurants, you’ll be glad you made the decision to stay here. You won’t be the first to have made this mistake – first impressions can be very misleading