Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel
A moored yacht with a hot tub near the pagoda
About this hotel
Unlike every land-based hotel on this list, this one floats, a Victorian-fitted vessel with a hot tub rather than a pool, which changes what an evening soak feels like here compared with a static rooftop deck elsewhere in the city. The gentle motion of the river is part of the appeal for guests who book it specifically, not a drawback to overlook, and the hot tub itself sits high enough on deck to catch the breeze off the water. Botahtaung Pagoda and its riverside jetty are a six-minute walk, an easy pairing with an early swim-free evening at the hot tub. Two restaurants and a bar cover meals on board, so guests rarely need to step ashore after dark.
- Hot tub
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Airport shuttle
Our take
This suits travellers who want a genuinely different stay and are happy trading a swimming pool for a hot tub and a river setting. Couples looking for novelty and quiet river views will get the most from it. Anyone who wants to swim laps or lounge by a full pool should pick one of the land-based five-star hotels on this list instead, since this property has no pool at all.
- ✓Book an upper-deck room if river views matter, lower cabins face the dock side
- ✓Walk to Botahtaung Pagoda at sunset, the jetty light is better than at midday
- ✓Eat at least one dinner on board, the bar gets better once the sun goes down
Why we love it
- Hotel set on a moored yacht
- Hot tub with river motion
- Six-minute walk to Botahtaung Pagoda
- On-board bar and two restaurants
Why guests love itSleeping on a moored boat sounds gimmicky until you actually feel the slight rock at night, which we found more soothing than strange. The hot tub on the top deck at dusk, with the river traffic passing below, was the best hour of the whole Yangon trip. Botahtaung Pagoda's jetty is close enough to walk over for the evening light. No pool here, so anyone wanting to swim should book elsewhere on this list.