Contra Costa Times, CA

Strand Hotel is luxury draped in the past
By Associated Press

Article Launched: 10/26/2008 12:02:00 AM PDT

In the colonial heyday of this elegant Victorian hotel, gentlemen in
white dinner jackets and ladies in flowing gowns sipped cocktails on
the shaded verandah as the sun went down, enjoying a welcome respite
from the tropical heat.

The legendary Strand Hotel was one of the great watering holes of the
British Empire. Just like Raffles Hotel in Singapore or the Mandarin
Oriental in Bangkok, the 107-year old Strand remains a national
landmark.

Yangon, Myanmar, has the largest number of colonial buildings in
Southeast Asia, including colonnaded government offices and sumptuous
official residences, but most are dilapidated, neglected for decades.

Surprisingly, however, most of the old buildings ‘ including the
Strand ‘ appear to have survived relatively unscathed the fury of
Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the capital when it roared through on
May 3.

The Strand was built in 1901 by the Sarkies brothers, Armenian
refugees from Turkey who founded a chain of luxury hotels in the
region, including Raffles, the Oriental, the Majapahit in the
Indonesian port of Surabaya, and the Eastern & Oriental in Penang,
Malaysia.

In the 1920s and ’30s, it became a favorite hangout of famous writers,
British officers, celebrities and even royalty. Luminaries such as
Rudyard Kipling, W. Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, Noel Coward,
George Orwell and Lord Mountbatten were all regular customers. More
recently, it has accommodated the likes of Mick Jagger and Oliver
Stone.

Completely renovated in 1990, its teak floors are polished and
gleaming, the antique chandeliers sparkle in the spacious and
luxurious reception rooms and the quintessential colonial icon ‘ the
ceiling fans ‘ gently rotate above tables surrounded by rattan chairs
in the cozy cafe.

The Strand reopened in 1995 as an all-suite, top-of-the range boutique
hotel. Its teak and marble floors, mahogany furniture, and canopied
beds complement original pieces, such as period bathroom fixtures.

But unlike the other grand old hotels in the region, the Strand’s
restoration remained true to its architectural past, and it has no new
wing, and no swimming pool or tennis courts.

"We came to the Strand because of its old-world romantic charm," said
Tomas Llobet, from Brussels, Belgium, who was celebrating a marriage
anniversary with his wife, Victoria. "We wanted to be in a place with
a lot of historic character, properly renovated without huge
concessions to modernity."

‘ Associated Press

Take a Peek
WHAT: Strand Hotel, 92 Strand Road, Yangon, Myanmar.
QUICK TAKE: The luxury hotel resides in a 107-year-old building that
remains a national landmark.
GOOD LOCATION FOR: A stay in restored splendor that retains
characteristics from its past, including no swimming pool or tennis
courts.
RATES: Start at $550

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress