We recently stayed at the Sedona Hotel Yangon, a perfect little oasis located across from Inya Lake away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Yangon. The Sedona Hotel Yangon was definitely one of the top places to stay in Yangon. This was the first stop on a 2 week journey around Myanmar, taking in Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake before heading back to Yangon for our departure. We were full of anticipation and excitement at visiting a new country in South East Asia, one of our favourite places to travel as a family. 

We landed in Myanmar early and headed straight to the Sedona Hotel Yangon, we arrived at check in just after 8.30am. We were fully expecting to be told that check in wasn’t until at least 12pm so we would have been happy to leave our bags with the concierge and head out for a few hours. This was not the case though, our rooms were ready and we were able to head straight up and relax after a tiring couple of days travelling with the kids. 

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The Sedona Hotel Garden Wing was built in 1996 and celebrated its 22nd birthday this year. The Inya Tower, where we stayed, is a new edition and built 2 years ago opening in 2016. Both wings are decorated quite differently so make sure you read the section below on rooms prior to selecting which one suits your taste. The Sedona Hotel has 797 rooms which makes it the biggest hotel in the greater Yangon area. 

See our post on top things to do in Yangon with kids.

Location of the Sedona Hotel Yangon

The Sedona Hotel Yangon is located on the affluent banks of Inya Lake with breathtaking views across the lake and out over Yangon. It’s a little quieter than downtown Yangon yet only a few dollars in a Grab Cab to get into town, see my top Myanmar tips post for other things your should know before travelling to Myanmar. 

Located just across the road is Myanmar Plaza, a high end shopping centre that has everything you would possibly need. We went over to the Plaza on our second day to change some money and there are a number of great dining options that are well priced and food was lovely. We ate at the Oriental Village as the kids were craving dumplings. 

Cost

The Sedona Hotel Yangon is a 5* hotel and stays like these don’t come cheapl by local standards. There are number of third party aggregator sites where you will likely find the same room cheaper than going direct with the Sedona Hotel itself. I highly recommend using one of the 3 links below, all three will likely have a similar price but do compare before making your booking:

• Agoda
• Hotels Combined
• Bookings

Our Shin Sawbu Suite at Inya Wing, Sedona Hotel

As I said, we were allowed an early check in and were escorted to our home for the next 3 nights. I was expecting adjoining rooms but was completely surprised when escorted to an Inya Wing Suite with adjoining premier deluxe twin room for the kids. Not only did we have an amazing room, we were on the 23rd floor overlooking Inya Lake. I could not have been happier. 

Some of you will know that I love sunrises and sunsets, its my favourite time of the day and being a light sleeper and early riser I was chuffed to have the Inya Wing Suite room which meant I could get up early without waking the others and enjoy the sunrise in the lounge area of the suite located between the two rooms. 

Each morning I would creep out without waking the others, open the curtains to watch the first glow of the day wash over the Garden Wing of the Sedona Hotel and watch the city come alive below. Asian cities are a hive of activity in the morning before the heat of the day sets in and hustle and bustle of peak hour starts with everyone off to work and school. Some mornings I would sit there for a few hours before the family started to stir and this gave me some quiet time to do some work without interruptions. 

Most days I tried to be back in our suite for sunset. The sun set on the other side of Inya Lake and we were in the perfect position if mother nature was going to put on a show. One evening she certainly did put on a show and it was an absolutely cracking sunset, like I have even seen before. So good I had to share it with my mum via FaceTime in Australia. I’ll let the photo speak for itself below. Absolutely glorious, a pinch me moment where you think to yourself, can it get any better than this!

This area also had seating for 5 meaning we could all relax and spread out without having to sit on the beds. The wall mounted TV saved space and was perfect for viewing from the couch. There was a large work desk which was perfect for us to spread out all our electronic gear and charging area for all the kids iPads and paraphernalia. 

The kids were very comfortable in their twin king single adjoining room, the girls slept in there together and Caelan shared the king size bed with us in the master suite. I actually think that bed was bigger than a king size, as there were three of us in it and I would not have known either Craig or Caelan were even in the bed.  There’s something special about hotel beds, they just seem to be 10 times more comfortable than your bed at home and the Sedona beds were no different, with fluffed up comfy pillows, clean white starched sheets they definitely were a joy to climb into at night. 

I loved how the suites had enormous bathrooms! Our bathroom had a free standing bathtub overlooking the room and out the massive window across Inya Lake. There were his and hers vanities which is always great for spreading out a bit. The stand alone shower had an adjustable shower head as well as a rain head, with a switch for swapping between the two. The Sedona Hotel toiletries have to rate a mention, great quality L’Occitane shower gel, shampoo and conditioner was a highlight for me as I hadn’t packed any shampoo and conditioner and this left my hair soft and feeling fantastic. It’s always nice to have great toiletries in hotels and the Sedona Hotel provided so many including loofahs, toothbrushes with toothpaste, razors and shaving cream, shower cap, cotton buds and various other items that I appreciated having travelled carry on only for this holiday!

Now there’s one other thing I feel I have to mention about our exceptional suite, there were fresh cut flowers everywhere and I loved it! I think fresh flowers make a room feel really homely and I loved waking up to the smell of the lilies next to my bed. I feel this was an extra special touch and it made me smile every time I looked at them. We received a very special welcome gift of fresh fruit platter and a tiered tray of sweets on arrival with a bottle of red wine for Craig and I. We honestly couldn’t have felt more welcome at the Sedona Hotel. 

Premier Deluxe Room at Inya Wing

As stated above, we also had an adjoining room for the kids. It had twin king single beds, a desk and chair with chaise. The girls stayed in the adjoining room and thought it was wonderful they could retreat into their own area. The suite was very spacious but having the extra room made it just perfect for a family of 5. I think the floor to ceiling windows makes the room feel so much bigger as well.

This also meant that they had their own bathroom with their own fully stocked toiletries which they made the most of. When they were getting ready in the morning they would shut their adjoining door so they didn’t get interrupted by their little brother while they were showering. I loved that they sat up at the desk each night and completed their journal of where they went and what they saw each day. Their window also had the same view over Inya Lake.

Garden Wing – Executive Suite at the Sedona Hotel

At the time of writing in 2018 the Garden Wing was 22 years old, you would hardly have known it given the completion of recent renovations after the grand opening of the Inya Tower.  While the feeling of wings are quite different both uphold the standard expected of a 5* star hotel. The Garden Wing has a more oriental feel with carpeted rooms and warm timber tones throughout. The Garden Wing Executive Suite I feel is just as, if not slightly larger than the Inya Wing however both are of a very generous size by hotel standards. 

The bathroom here, while still very large, was more a standard hotel type bathroom. Still with double vanities, stand-alone bathtubs and separate showers, they just have a totally different vibe to the Inya Tower Suites. While I would have been more than happy with either suites, I did prefer the Inya Tower bathrooms. 

Garden Wing – Deluxe Room at the Sedona Hotel

Now while I have hinted above that I did prefer the Inya Wing suite due to the bathroom, I have to admit, the Garden Wing deluxe rooms were of a very healthy size. In fact for a standard room, I don’t think I have seen a room of this size. Furnished with the same warm carpet with soft yellow and warm timber tones as the Garden Wing Suite, this really was a lovely hotel room. There was plenty of room for a roll out bed for a child and still have plenty of room to spread out. You can see for yourself in the photo below. 

Sedona VIP Guest Service

As Sedona VIP guests we were provided with complimentary mini bar which was restocked daily. We were also able to have 3 items of clothing washed per day, per room which meant we had 6 pieces of laundry and we made good use of that. It was very handy as this trip we again did carry on only for a two week trip. 

The VIP service also enables guests to an evening nightcap delivered to your room, choices included tea, coffee, hot chocolate, whiskey, rum or a glass of wine. These would be delivered to your room approximately 8pm each night. Each night the evening turn down service would prepare our room for the night, closing our curtains and folding back our bedsheets, the kids were very excited to find a homemade chocolate next to their bed each night. Its the small gestures that make a hotel memorable. 

The Sedona Executive Club Lounge

We were invited to use the Sedona Executive Club Lounge, the lounge is located on the 25th of the Inya Wing and serves a select breakfast in the morning and small buffet for lunch and dinner. We utilised this service every day, either for a quick lunch before heading out or for a cold refreshing drink when coming in from exploring. 

The food options were very good and included appetisers such as pre-cut veggies and dip which the kids loved, canapés and sliced meats, Lunch would include select sandwiches and the sweets counter was also fully stocked with cakes, cheese cake or slices. There was also fresh cut fruit and whole pieces of fruit to take with you. If you weren’t satisfied with all of that, there were  also a selection of cheeses to have after your meal. 

The evening dinner buffet changed each night and offered meat dishes such as lamb kofta, chicken wings and fish pieces. The vegetarians were not forgotten with fried eggplant, zucchini flowers and roasted tomatoes. There was definitely enough to choose, keeping everyone including the kids very happy.  Between 6pm-8pm alcoholic drinks were provided free of charge to have with your dinner. Soft drinks, fruit juice, water and tea and coffee were available all day.

I especially liked the Sedona Executive Club Lounge as it was located on the 25th floor which meant it had an even better view than our room on the 23rd floor. From the corner of the Executive Lounge you could see the house where Aung San Suu Kyi served her house arrest located right on the Inya Lake. It really is a nice extra benefit and one we really appreciated having access to. 

The Sedona Lobby Lounge

Located on the first floor just inside the main entrance is the hotel Lobby Lounge. The Lobby Lounge is open all day and welcomes guests to the bar for refreshments including cocktails and international beers and wines which are served with peanuts. Or for a coffee in the mid morning or afternoon pick me up!

The floor to ceiling windows also overlook the resort pool area and of a Friday and Saturday evening there is a person playing the piano in the corner creating the ambiance of a cigar lounge. It’s also the centre of the hotel, the restaurants are located near by and its the perfect place for a pre-dinner drink or a night cap after dinner. We went to the Lobby Lounge for a pre dinner cocktail and I had a lemongrass mojito which was delicious. 

Dining at the Sedona Hotel Yangon

D’Cuisine Signature Restaurant

The daily breakfast buffet is held in the signature restaurant D’Cuisine, there is an extensive selection of food to choose from including Thai, Indian, Chinese and local cuisines. There was also your standard western fare including bacon, baked beans, french toast, hash browns and an egg station were you could choose to have your eggs cooked just how you like them.  There was also a pastries bar, juice bar and yogurt bar, you seriously would not go hungry with all the different types of breakfast on offer at the Sedona Hotel. 

Lunch and dinner is also served in this restaurant and of an evening it is transformed into a buffet focussed on the local Myanmar cuisine, they also have a seafood buffet theme night once a week. It is currently very popular as the hotel is celebrating its 22nd birthday and was buffet was booked out for every evening we were at the hotel. The restaurant also serves as a cafe outside of meals times, you can stop by and have some cake and coffee in the afternoon while you sit and overlook the resort pool area or if you’re keen you can also sit outside at the cafe tables however while the hotel gardens and resort pool area is lovely to overlook, it does get a bit warm out there. 

Du Fu Chinese Restaurant

There are three other restaurants operating in the Sedona Hotel, Du Fu is a popular Chinese restaurant located on the 2nd floor of the Garden Wing. Open for lunch and dinner there is a choice of buffet or a la carte menu. You’ll need to book this restaurant early as it does book out most nights, its very popular with the Myanmar locals as well.

Cho Japanese Restaurant

Cho, a Japanese restaurant located on the ground floor overlooking the resort pool area is a teppanyaki style experience with sashimi imported from the best Japanese markets in Tokyo. Also the best place in Yangon for authentic Japanese sake and whisky. Cho is open for lunch and dinner every day.

Orzo Italian Restaurant

We had pleasure of dining at the Italian theme Orzo restaurant located on the ground floor with windows opening on to the resort pool area.  We had a great selection of gourmet pizza, homemade pastas and additional Italian inspired main meals. With a tantalising dessert menu, the kids were in their element, open every day of the week for lunch and dinner.

There is definitely a good variety of food to sample during your stay at the Sedona, if you get the opportunity try and work your way through the amazing restaurants, you won’t be disappointed.

Sedona Hotel Facilities

Resort Style Pool 

The first thing the kids ask me when we are going on holiday is ‘does the hotel have a pool’. I pretty much don’t book hotels unless they have a pool because the kids would drive me crazy if I did. The pool at the Sedona Hotel is the biggest pool in Yangon and is only available for use by guests. I have to admit, I still get pretty excited about a swim up bar!

There is the main swimming pool and then an adjoining spa pool and a separate splash pool for little ones. The pool is surrounded by manicured gardens and does give that resort pool vibe when lounging on your sun bed. We were in Yangon at the very end of the wet season and had a couple of afternoons around the pool, the pool attendants were busy getting the area ready for high season which sets in about early November. The pool hours are 9am to 10pm, great for getting a late swim in on those hot Yangon evenings.

Gymnasium 

Located above the signature restaurant and overlooking the resort pool area, the gymnasium is privately run however free to use for Sedona Hotel guests. The gymnasium is actually huge with a good variety and numerous pieces of each of the gym equipment. The equipment is new and very well kept. 

Gymnasium staff are on hand to assist you, if required, with the use of the gym equipment. The gym has regular classes that guests are able to join and the sauna and locker room areas are clean and well maintained. 

Tennis Courts

There are two tennis courts located behind the Garden Wing to the rear of the pool area. I admire anyone who will get out there for a hit in the heat and humidity we experienced, I asked Craig to play but he wasn’t up to a thrashing by me!

Shopping

The Sedona Hotel has a range of stores on the first floor, including a watch store, Fun Fun jewellery store which has very competitive prices on precious stones such as ruby’s and sapphire’s, clothing store, convenience store, golf store and a hairdressers. 

Best of all there was a money exchanger on site, this as very handy for us and we found the exchange rate to be one of the best we come across while in Myanmar. Very handy to have on site particular as Myanmar is a mostly cash economy out on the street.

Babysitting service & Doctor on call

Upon request the front of house staff at the Sedona Hotel Yangon will organise a babysitting service if you would like to go out with the kids. Perfect for if your kids are really young and go to bed really early, you can have a babysitter sit in the room while you have a nice dinner with your partner. Its also handy to know there’s a doctor onsite 24 hrs a day should you or one of your kids need to see one.

Business rooms & Function rooms

The Sedona Hotel Yangon also caters very well for the business traveller. Its difficult for a great hotel to accommodate both the business and leisure traveller equally well. You can contact the front of house staff to organise any meeting rooms or business requirements as needed.

There are some very large function rooms at the Sedona Hotel, there was a beauty exhibition on while we were there with hundreds of people visiting. The function rooms are able to hold up to 500 people and they regularly host weddings or business conferences during the day. Its a great multi purpose area of the hotel.

So what did we think of the Sedona Hotel Yangon?

We loved the Sedona Hotel, it gets a big thumbs up from us. I especially loved the view and that I could get up without waking everyone and still be in my pyjama’s and watch the sunrise and wait for the family to rise. I am certain we had the best suite in the hotel and I could easily have sat in that window all day and watched the world go by. The lake view was beautiful and I’ll never forget that first day when I walked in and straight to the window to see the view. 

I also loved the Sedona Hotel Yangon being that little bit out of downtown Yangon. We utilised the Grab taxi service, an app on your phone similar to Uber, for getting around. This eliminated any haggling with taxi drivers and the service was incredibly cheap. A ride into downtown Yangon was only a few dollars each way. 

The kids loved the resort style pool and made use of that most days, the extra long opening hours meant that we could go out in the morning, return for a swim during the heat of the day and then head out again at night when it was cooler. Or we could have long days out exploring and then come back to the hotel for an evening swim before heading to bed. I can imagine during the high season this pool area would be very busy. We were there just at the end of low season and still had a bit of rain around so we had the pool to ourselves most days. 

We highly recommend staying at the Sedona Hotel, its definitely one of the best place to stay in Yangon with kids, we had a fantastic time and should we ever return to the Yangon the Sedona Hotel will be at the top of list for hotel selections. 

Safe travels,

Sal, Craig & Our3kids

Disclaimer: We had a mutual beneficial arrangement with the Sedona Hotel Yangon, however as always my opinion is my own.