Amara Gold Hotel
481-Maha Bandoola Road-Oaktha Myothit, Bago, Bago, Myanmar, 11101 - See map
Get your trip off to a great start with a stay at this property, which offers free Wi-Fi in all rooms. Conveniently situated in the Bago part of Bago, this property puts you close to attractions and interesting dining options. As an added bonus, restaurant is provided on-site to conveniently serve your needs.
Highlights
Facilities
Front desk [24-hour]
Airport transfer
Bicycle rental
Car park
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!
Check-in/out [express]
BBQ facilities
Luggage storage
Good Option for Budget Travelers Seeking a Bit of Peace and Quiet”
I gather from many of the previous reviews on this site that my three days and nights in Bago constituted a rather lengthy stay, and indeed it's easily possible to see the town's five or six most celebrated sights in a single very bumpy day aboard a tuk-tuk or motorbike. Even so, an overnight stay would pretty well be essential, since it's a two-hour trip each way between Bago and Yangon if one is very lucky, which one is very unlikely to be. A bit of extra time in this small but bustling city is well spent, however, since many of Bago's lesser-known attractions are as appealing in their own ways as the much-ballyhooed giant reclining Buddhas or the dizzying heights of Shwemawdaw pagoda. All this, of course, is but a preamble to my own fairly hearty recommendation of the Amara Gold Hotel as a place to call home while in Bago, whether for one night or longer. While a modest enough place overall, with minimal furnishings at least in its cheaper rooms (I did have a flat-screen TV in mine, but it only received three or four local channels so I never used it), the AGH offers comfortable surroundings in a location mercifully distant both from Bago's migraine-inducing downtown section and the city's main thoroughfare (the Yangon-Mandalay Highway), with its 'round-the-clock traffic and endlessly blaring horns. While it's true that the dried remnants of a previous guest's Coke still adorned one of the glasses in my room when I arrived, a good strong shower with plenty of hot water and a good - and surprisingly quiet - air conditioner were sufficient compensation. The small outdoor seating area in front of the hotel's main entrance is a great place to meet other travelers, and although the staff's English is limited free maps are provided and transportation around town can be arranged from the front desk. The copious complimentary breakfast is likewise a feather in the AGH's cap, with both Western and Asian fare available along with fresh fruit, juice and (instant) coffee.
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The place to stay in Bago”
We were welcomed at 4am and they gave us a room without charging us. Little room but comfy with good AC. Very good shower. Free hot/cold water to drink. Best breakfast in Myanmar so far (3 weeks). Location OK as no real center in Bago, not far from bus station. Cheap beer ans complimentary peanuts. Everyone very nice. Watchout: there's a guy ( red face with lots of spots) whose business card reads "Sea Sar" that owns a tourism agency in the bus station. He waits for every tourist bus and accompanies you to your hotel (which is nice, the bus stopped just in front of ours thanks to him). Then he tries to sell you tours, which are not bad value, but we ended paying a little more (12000Ks instead of 10000Ks) because the price agreed with us was different from the one told to the driver in Burmese. Also sells overpriced bus tickets.
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Clean and comfortable”
Amara Gold is a little out of town. Not sure what the accomodation is like right in town. If you have a motor bike this is not a problem, as I don't ride I hire a scooter/driver for half a day to see the sites which worked out well for me. The room I had was very large, bathroom big and clean, bed very comfortable . There is a large selection for breakfast. They also do other meals here at a reasonable price. Wi fi works well both in your room and around the property. Reception can organise bus tickets as well as tours. I would stay here again
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A rest stop only going to Golden Rock”
I was traveling from Inle Lake to Golden Rock. But it is a hectic journey and very long. I wanted to break it down and have a rest stop in Bago. I mean the overnight bus arrives in Bago at about 4 or 5am and then the bus to Golden Rock is about 7 or 8am. I was not going to hang around for another bus ride in the wee hours of the morning. Hence, this. There is absolutely nothing much to do in Bago. And I was super tired so I really need this rest stop. Amara Gold Hotel is far from the bus stop so you really need a motorbike taxi or taxi to get there. The hotel is cool to let me check in super early so I could sleep. They have air conditioning which is something you really need in Bago. After traveling in the north of Myanmar, one can forget just how hot the south is. The shower is hot and pressure is good but there was hair from the last guest in the drainage. I just tried not to look at it. I was staying one night after all. The wifi is strongest I have experienced in Myanmar. There is a tv but no English channels. The breakfast is a fair spread of eat all you want rice, noodles, eggs, fruits...etc. It is not superb nor super nasty but it is sufficient. Be careful in booking onward buses from here. Make sure they are really putting you on a VIP bus. I got conned and had the most hectic journey to my destination. The location is ok. It isn't at the center of the action. You would have to take a motor taxi to the center of everything. The nearest restaurant is a walk away and the food is mediocre. It is a pity the hotel doesn't serve food. I did not even bother to have dinner because of the walk. If you can bear not to stop in Bago to rest, just go ahead with your journey.
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Perfect hotel. Good location! And ask to Peace, he can help you with a lot of things. ”
Good location. Nice to explore Bago by scooter. We booked our scooter and busticket by Peace, really nice guy who can help you with having fun in Bago!
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Grat value for the money in Myanmar”
Friendly and helpful staff and owner. Clean and neat hotel opened in dec. 2013 so considerably new. Recommended if staying in Bago and doing a trip to Golden Rock (bus station is 5min walk)
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Good hotel with good breakfast”
+very good breakfast, the best we had in Myanmar in 2 weeks +free drinking water +good wifi +bicycle and motorbike rental allows to visit almost all the sights in Bago -not really in the center of the city but located in a quiet area -rooom was not really clean
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Very good”
Truth is that we dont get the very bad reviews, room was clean with bathroom was ok too. Breakfast as you usually get in myanmar and the staff was very helpful. A little bit far from "town". I would not recommend to go to Bago, but the hotel was fine.
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Don't believe other people's reviews”
People are too picky about this place. You're paying 23 dollars a night for a private room with aircon, TV, private bathroom with hot water, breakfast was one of the best I've had in myanmar, and the staff were wonderful. My friend and I were prepared to be dissapointed by the looks of the reviews and we're pleasently surprised. No its not gonna be a five star hotel obviously, but from a backpackers point of view, if you want to stay in a nice private room for a good price, you really couldn't ask more. My friend and I are actually confused about why people would rate this place so badly? Thats the only reason I'm writing this review.
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Should avoid to get bus tickets at reception ”
Hotel was fine. Stuffs were nice. Breakfast was nice. We got free nice bracelets. Only one BIG negative that we booked the bus to get Kin Pun at this hotel. At first I just wanted to know from which bus station or from where I can go to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda by using bus. But once I started to ask these questions that receptionist boy suddenly called for someone then he forced to call with that call, after couple minutes later one guy probably tuktuk or taxi driver which he can speak English came to the hotel and force to buy bus tickets. But I said to him. We just would like to know from where we can ride or which bus station we can use. But unfortunately that was too late. Yeah I bet that was typical scam and Before book this hotel that I’ve checked some bad reviews. He was just force to book bus tickets. When he suggested to buy bus tickets that he said that you have to go back before 3pm because last bus is 3pm so if you will be late more than 3 that you have to ride on the taxi. (But we booked 4:30pm bus to go back Bago at Kyaiktiyo Pagoda ) So he also recommended to us that we can also hire taxi 70$. But I thought just he was lying, nasty maggot, so we just decided to get one way tickets to go kin pin directly. (We asked him that bus is direct to go Kinpun and he said yes) And I thought just like about 5000kyat but that was double price (10000kyat) no way. Then I asked him that too expensive but he just said because I will book and you can just ride on near hotel. Yes we have no choice I know and that is most easy way. I just thought okay for me this is study. Yeah. But this story is still not finished yet. After arrived kin pun (we thought first) but actually that was Kyakto town( before Kinpun) when we arrived there bus driver said you will ride on other bus then when we get off the bus one guy said to us follow me. Okay we will yeah but what? That guy forced to ride on motorbike taxi. Then I said to him, do we need pay? We already paid why we have to pay
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Basic but ok”
This hotel doesn't deserve its bad reviews. It's not amazing but definitely ok. Our room was basic but clean with AC and they have a breakfast buffet so you can choose what you like. The staff speaks very little English but when there was a power out and we had to call a taxi the girl at the reception offered her phone to us. I think it's a little bit out of centre but I'm not sure as we weren't able to see much of Bago due to the weather (cyclone coming). You pay quite a lot for what you get but that's quite normal in Myanmar.
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Clean, friendly and cheap!”
We cannot understand the negative reviews, because during our stay we were happy with everything! It starts with free drinking water at any times for guest, the staff is really friendly and helpful, the rooms are clean, AC is available and even the breakfast is very good (eggs, fried rice, noodles, tosst, fruits, jam, coffee, tee and juice). The accommodation is located in a sideway of the busy high way, but though it is very quiet. We would stay again!
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Good”
A quiet location a few km's out of town, limited eateries, unfortunately the room was small, tired looking and needed a good paint, bathroom larger, breakfast adequate, staff very friendly and helpful. Usually stays are only 1 or 2 nights in Bago so relatively ok for the short stay.
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OK if nothing else available ”
The girl on the desk was text book petulant teenager but the boys were lovely Breakfast room was nice. Breakfast was standard. Room was grubby and the bathroom needed cleaning but the sheets were clean Lots of local noise Not awful but only go if there is nothing else Bago seemed a little short on 3* hotels
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LIked this hotel very much! ”
Stayed for 2 nights. We have a handicapped son and they allowed us to stay in a room for 2 and didn't charge us extra. Breakfast was good, nothing spectacular but the 2 young men working and the other staff were great! They even brought our breakfast outside to a big lumber table so we could eat out there. The room was small and the bathroom big, but we had to have a ground floor room to accommodate our son. The 2nd floor rooms are much bigger. The room was very clean and the TV had great movies. Very economical. Well worth the mprice. There is also an arts and crafts place across the street with a very pleasant man who is a great artist that collects antiques.
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One of the more affordable hotels in Bago”
Bago has expensive hotels, and this came up to be the cheapest. Room was alright. Air conditioning was not working on the room so I had swapped to a different room and everything was fine. Toiletries are provided and I am generally pleased with the stay.
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excelent ”
at the reception i was helped so much by a girl. i think it was the manager. she booked the tickets to Mandalay for really good price. The room was clean and comfortable. i recommend it 100%
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Exceptional”
Everything worth for the price we've paid , breakfast was wonderful. All staff's are helpful and very friendly. But the bed is a bit too old , better to change the bed.
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Don't stop in Bago and definitely not here”
At bus stop man greeted us showing amara gold hotel business card and said he worked there and can take us. Got to hotel he told us details about the hotel, breakfast time etc. Passed passports to him which he gave to receptionist. He then asked did we need tours of Bago to see sights and help for our next bus journey. Sold us VIP bus tickets to Inle for $25. He also said he needed payment then and I asked for the bus tickets he said he would bring them to us tomorrow morning. Thinking he worked for the hotel I thought this would be fine. Later that evening after research realising this was far too expensive for bus tickets we went to reception and asked to speak to the man. He doesn't work for the hotel. The hotel just let some guy pretend he worked for hotel operate in there reception?? Hotel also speaks little to no English. To cut along story short he refused to give money back, never gave us bus tickets. He did take us to the bus stop but it wasn't a VIP bus it was the cheapest local bus. We got conned. And what makes it worse is that the hotel let him operate in there hotel. When asking the receptionist who is this man "he is good man. He sells bus tickets a lot, don't worry, don't worry." And the taxi to the bus stop, you are In a car with 4 local men, which felt very intimidating and unsafe. My girlfriend was particularly unhappy. Do not stay here.
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Be careful of cheaters and tout in the lobby area”
First of all, the room was basic, spacious, but ok, the bed was not very comfortable, but can stay. The breakfast was buffet. Quite good. But the worst part here was the staff, first of all the manager wanted to change the money 100$ with the rate 1$ = 1300, the next day gave rate of 1320, and said that I can't exchange anywhere else with better rate because it is weekend and then holiday, so everything is closed and the golden rock where I am going doesn't have money change (but it is not true, moreover after I reached there, I changed with the rate 1356,5). Another thing, there was a guy from so called "travel agency" (main tout, cheater), who started offering ticket from Bago to Inle lake for 25$ per person (yangon bus) and he said imposssible to get better price for day time bus and there is only one bus. But as I seen the prices never reach even 20$, because later I took a bus from Yangon to Mandalay (VIP) for only 15$. So be careful and don't buy anything from them.
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