https://mrmyanmartravel.com/

We thought that this hotel was fabulous - outside. The gardens are extensive and beautifully maintained. The pool is huge and the perfect temperature, with very attentive but unobtrusive attendants. The spa is excellent, and the meals we had here were good. Our only small gripe is that the rooms were very spartan, and the bathrooms particularly basic, but considering that Myanmar is still a very undeveloped country, it is slightly unfair to compare it with other places in countries more geared to high end tourism.

Our family could not have enjoyed our stay in Bagan more. The Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel staff were extremely efficient and accomodating and helpful. While there is much to see in the area, transportation and information is difficult to come by and so one is dependent on the hotel to make arrangements for taxis, guides, and other forms of transportation if you are not traveling with a tour. These arrangements were made for us by the staff members, all of whom performed their duties with a smile. Bikes were available and we used those to get around to the lacquer village and the pagodas. The hotel rooms were lovely, beds were very comfortable, the vegetation was lush and the food was delicious. Also, the pool was large and very clean and well taken care of. Many hotels, even in large cities don't take as good care of their swimming pools. The New Year's eve party was fantastic and well planned, as well. and what a view from the dining room!!!

Bagan is simply fantastic… A MUST SEE…, we enjoyed it more than the Angkor Temple complex and the Thiripyitsaya is a nice relaxing comfortable place to stay when in Bagan.

We chose a River View Suite which was nicely furnished with a four poster bed, desk, sitting area, bath and separate shower, nice and spacious with a balcony that looked straight out to the mighty Irrawaddy river. It was a very peaceful relaxing place to stay and the perfect foil to dusty Temple treks, as in Cambodia the tours go out in the morning return for lunch/early afternoon & go out again until evening, it works very well this way. The hotel has nice open gardens and a dining area outside that takes full advantage of the riverside location, this was a very comfortable and relaxing place to dine.

The food wasn’t particularly special, it’s not bad and perfectly acceptable but certainly not a fine dining experience, and the room service was rather poor. We also noted that only a thin screen separates the balconies of the suites which probably means you would hear your neighbours every word when outside, as we didn’t have an immediate neighbour this wasn’t an issue for us. The Irrawaddy was rather low when we visited, so not at its most spectacular, but there was still always something to watch, bird, boat or fishermen. We have also heard that the lower standards of room aren’t anywhere as good as the suites, but must confess to not having seen them.

Summary: We would highly recommend paying a little extra and enjoying the River Suites, they combine classy rooms with a great peaceful setting. The Aureum is noted as the other top hotel in the area, but the Government owns this and when visiting Myanmar you should always support the private economy, so the Thiripyitsaya should be a top choice, we certainly thoroughly enjoyed our three nights here and would recommend it to others.

The BaganThiripyitsaya has a great location, with many of the major Bagan Pagodas within a 10 minute bike ride. The hotel staff does a great job, always friendly and willing to assist in any possible way. If you stick to Burmese style food, you won't be disappointed. However, western food isn't up to par and menu descriptions and what arrives on the plate are often two very different things. I would say the food is on the expensive side and US 5 dollars for a Myanmar beer is very steep. The rooms were adequate, at best; I was expecting more for the price and the reputation of the hotel. We paid for a river view room, but the river is pretty far away and with the haze, not really a site readily enjoyed. You would do just as well to stay in a room not facing the river and pay less money. The hotel has very good bikes for rent, can arrange horse cart rides and taxis to the airport. Overall the hotel, because of its location, is a good choice if visiting incredible Bagan.

One of my favorite hotels of all time... not because of the rooms (which are a bit spartan), but because of the excellent food, the gorgeous pool and grounds, and the fantastic service. The manager and the staff could not be lovelier. The service was probably the best we've ever had. We stayed at a five-star business hotel in Yogyakarta after we were here, and the Sakura put the five-star hotel to shame. At the Sakura, someone is always there to give you a fresh cool towel for your face, or to pull out your chair, but they mysteriously appear and then disappear-- they are never intrusive. Be sure to eat dinner at the hotel. We ate at a wide variety of restaurants in Myanmar, and this was our favorite restaurant. (We are currently living in Singapore, so our standards for food have become quite high!) Be sure to have the mohinga soup at breakfast. I still think about it.

The best way to see Bagan is to rent a bike one day and to get a horse cart driver the next. SEIN, horse cart #3 outside the Sakura, speaks very good English and studies English and reads while he waits for customers. He knew as much (or more) as the tour guide we had. He wants to be a tour guide, but can't afford the fees to go to Yangon. We also biked around for a while with a little boy named Lin-lin, who also knows a great deal and was incredibly and warmly charming and natural. At the end, he will want to sell you a painting (for about USD $2-3). It is well worth it.

The massages are excellent at the Sakura. Be sure also to ask about seeing the pagodas which are not immediately in the archaeological zone. Also- be sure to go on the full moon for the pagoda festivals.