Where to stay in Inle – Budget hotels & guesthouses

Cheap and budget as well as mid range hotels and guesthouses can be found in Nyaungshwe, the entrance town to Inle. Hotels and resorts on Inle Lake tend to be high end and quite expensive.

Nyaungshwe

Most budget and midrange guesthouses and hotels in Nyaungshwe are family owned and operated. Most of them offer friendly home like warmth to the customers. Most guest houses and hotels will offer off-season discount, but you might be able to negotiate room rate even at peak tourist season. They also act as travel agents for their customers, book flights and buses, arrange taxis, boat trips and hiking, and help you to find local tour guides. As the weather is cool, air-condition is not a necessity in Nyaungshwe.

Cheap and Budget

Aquarius Inn

This small but quiet and friendly inn has all-wood rooms and quite cozy to stay.  The staffs are friendly and they serve excellent breakfast. At US$ 6 to 12 per night, this is an excellent choice for budget travelers. There is a small library with a good collection of foreign language books for loan to the guests. The address is 2 Phaung Saw Pyan Road, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State; phone 081-29352.

Comment from a visitor to Aquarius Inn: “Aquarius is the maxx. That first day we relax on the porch, who exactly “Burmese Days” by George Orwell seems to have been clipped”.

Bright Hotel

Rooms at Bright Hotel are large but interior furniture is quite modest. It is actually a modern house with many wings. Price starts at US$ 5. Address is 53 Phaung Daw Seik Road, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State; phone 081-29137.

Four Sisters Inn

Four Sisters Inn used to be a successful restaurant. Now, they expanded their restaurant business into a quiet guesthouse. Situated about 1 km south of the main village, the inn is located in between the canal and a large rice paddy field. Rooms are quite clean, with fan and hot water shower. Address is at 105 Nan Pan Quarter, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State; phone 081-29190. Price starts at US$ 7 per person.

Gypsy Inn

This modern motel-like inn is located just close to the canal. As a result, it is quite noisy in the early morning and daytime because of motorboats running in the canal. Price starts at US$ 5 per person. Some higher priced rooms have balconies. Address is 82 Canal Rd, Win Quarter, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State.

Comment from one visitor: “Walmly hospitality. Inn owner is faithful person who offfers rice to monks drop in everymorning.”

Inle Inn

Inle Inn is one of the oldest privately owned inns in this region of Shan State. Situated in the eastern side of the town, it is quiet and friendly. The bungalow type rooms are clean and cozy, and best value for your money. There is also a nice sitting area in the garden at the back of the inn. Visitors can request traditional Shan dinner. Puppet show is also available on request. Inle Inn is situated on Yone Gyi Road, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State; phone 081-29016. Price starts at US$ 8.

Joy Hotel

Right at the beginning of the canal, Joy Hotel is quite noisy. However, it is also a very good place to see local activities, especially in the early morning where all the boats with goods, food, flowers, fruits and people from all over Inle Lake come to Nyaungshwe. The hotel has a large balcony overlooking the canal. The rooms are quite basic but clean and nice. The staffs, especially the manager and his wife are very friendly. Here is one comment from a visitor: “The manager and his wife are terrific, very sweet and helpful. And where in the world does the staff make you hot rice-soup when you are suffering from high-fever?” The address is on Jetty Road, Kanthar Qr., Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State. Phone 081-29083. Price starts at US$ 5.

May Guest House

May Guesthouse is situated opposite the Hlaing Gu Kyaung Monastery, on Myawaddy Road. The rooms are very clean and very good value. Each room has a hot-water shower and a small veranda. Breakfast is excellent. Address is at 85 Myawaddy Road, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State; phone 081-29417. Price starts at US$ 6.

Review by some visitors:

“Bargainous, great helpful staff and good location. Rooms very very basic but nice property and nice atmosphere here. Minutes walk from town centre”

“Very friendly staff, in this intimately run small hotel, in the middle of the monasteries of Nyaungshwe. Owner is extremely helpful in putting trips together, booking tickets, etc. I’d definitely return.”

Naung Khan Inn (Little Inn)

This small Little Inn is situated opposite the Shwezali Paya, this inn has seven carpeted rooms, all arranged around the central garden. Rooms are basic but clean. Address is at Phaung Saw Pyan Road, Inle Lake, Nyaungshwe, Shan State; phone 081-29195. Price starts at US$ 5 per person.

Primrose Hotel

Situated near Mong Li Canal in the southern part of Nyaungshwe, this hotel looks slightly worn out from outside. However, inside is a different story. All the rooms are all-wood and large, each with its own bathroom and veranda. Address is at 40 Mingalar Road, Inle Lake, Nyaungshewe, Shan State; phone 081-29150. Price starts at US$ 10 per person.

Remember Inn

This inn is quite popular among the back packers as well as local taxi drivers (who want to bring foreigners here). According to Lonely Planet Myanmar (Burma) (Country Guide), “the cheapest bamboo furnished rooms are the best value while the higher priced concrete rooms are not that attractive. The hotel is also not as charming as its competitors though its English speaking staff can address all your travel related questions and need.” The address is in Haw Street, Nandawon Quarter, Nyaung Shwe (Inle Lake), Southern Shan State, Myanmar; Phone: 09-521-4070 / 081-29257. The hotel has its own website at http://rememberinn.jimdo.com/. Price starts at US$ 10 per person.

Teakwood Guesthouse

The higher priced rooms in Teakwood Guesthouse are quite attractive which are well furnished with teak wood. Each has its own beautiful stone covered bathroom. However, the economy rooms in Teakwood Guesthouse are just basic. Contact at 081-29250, email: teakwoodhtl@myanmar.com.mm. Price starts at US$ 20 per room. Beware of the owner who, according to Lonely Planet Myanmar (Burma) (Country Guide), is an “assertive saleswoman”.

Reviews from some visitors:

“If you are not put off by the constant selling (and, to be honest, it’s not that much of a problem), it’s a nice place to stay, although the $25 per night is probably a little overpriced for what it is.”

“Very pleasant people, but they wouldn’t leave us alone when it to touting for ‘tourist activities’. She had managed to fall out with all the locals in town because she wouldn’t pay commission to rickshaws etc. We thought this was fair enough, but then found out how harsh she was to the locals. For example, we took a boat ride and paid her to arrange it (daft I know). She kept almost all the money and gave a tiny amount to this boat paddler who was very nice. She was just really greedy, basically, but the rooms were very good.”

View Point Hotel

This hotel is located on the bridge on the canal, with bungalows over the water. Beware of noise from motorboats in the early morning as the area is quite noisy during day time. Excellent breakfast is served on the roof of an attached building. Contact phone is 081-29062. Price starts at US$ 7 per person.

Editor’s Note: Many of the above information has been obtained from our reference book Lonely Planet Guide to Myanmar (Burma). This is a very good guide book on Myanmar, and essential book that you must bring on your trip to Myanmar. The book can be obtained from Amazon store.