The Place
This charming hotel on the west coast of Burma hardly qualifies as small: it has about 70 rooms. However, it is set in large, lush tropical gardens, and one is mostly unaware of other guests except at breakfast, so it feels more like a villa complex. The rooms vary from modern, Thai style, to Balinese type cottages, and there are rooms for families too. The service is excellent. There is a large infinity pool, which seems superfluous as the hotel is on a magnificent wide sandy beach, two miles long, with lovely firm sand for evening walks to watch the sunset. The sea is very warm, safe and clear ~ and inviting. Beach chairs and parasols are widely spaced, there is no piped music, and the few women selling fruit are not allowed to approach guests, or to venture above the high tide mark, so there is no hassle.
The outdoor restaurant is excellent, with superb seafood, and a convincing wine list. The spa offers a variety of treatments in a peaceful setting. There are only a few hotels on this beach, and village life continues as it always has, with fishing boats landing their catch, and bullock carts ambling into the village. An idyllic place to finish a holiday after viewing temples and ancient sites. The weather should be perfect during the hotel’s operating months, and there is always a refreshing breeze. Offshore snorkelling is an option, and there are small local restaurants serving delicious seafood nearby.