When in Singapore stay at the Raffles. The saying used to go. similarly, when you are in Yangon, the place to stay, if you can afford it ,is the Strand. Originally constructed by the Sarkies brothers, of Raffles fame, in 1896, the Strand was one of those glorious outposts of the British empire early in the 20th century. During WWII, it was forced to close, only to reopen in 1948 under the auspices of London's Steel Bro. Co.
Ne Win nationalised the property in 1963 and in its latter day socialist role .The strand became a run-down shadow of its former self,certainly no competition for the well kept likes of Raffles or the Oriental in Bangkok. Yet somehow, the old colonial era lived on at the Strand.
All of this changed again in 1991 when Dutch indonesian resort impresario Adriam Zecha and his company began spending US$ 36 million ot renovate the grande dame.
Our verdict:of the three major Sarkies hotel renovations in Southeast Asia, this one seems the most faithful to the original spirit.
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