Back in the days, U Ohn Maung and Daw Khin Than Nwe were the only English-speaking people in Nyaung Shwe. They offered shelter to the very first tourists visiting Inle Lake. In 1976, they opened their first official guesthouse. For over ten years this was the only guest house in Nyaung Shwe! When they decided to open the Inle Princess hotel in 1998, it was again one of the first hotels on the Lake.

The Location

Settled in a quiet inlet on the eastern shore of the lake, Inle Princess Hotel started a new era of tourist accommodation in the region. Backed by the eastern fringe of Inle Lake and by the blue peaks of the Shan Hills in Burma’s northern Shan State, Inle Princess resort combines five-star service and standards with a real authenticity and loyalty to local cultures.

Serenity is key in this hotel, and protected by a mirror-like pool full of white water lilies. The boat’s motors are cut at the boundary and oarsmen row guests the remaining meters to the reception. The peculiar one-legged style is typical to the area.

Looking for some action? Take a boat to explore the lake, enjoy walks, bicycle rides, or go canoeing! From your private terrace, you can act like a real ornithologist and watch birds thanks to the complimentary binoculars. Afterwards, you can unwind at the traditional spa or in the swimming pool.

 

The Rooms

Each of the 46 guest chalets was built by Intha workers (Tibeto-Burman ethnic group living around the lake) out of bamboo and hardwoods such as teak and pyinkado. Every chalet has extensive windows and a private terrace to enjoy spectacular views. Local elements are everywhere, going from Shan and Intha silk textures and ceramics, to fireplaces looking like a clay oven, rowboat-shaped baths, decorated outside showers, etc.

It feels like heaven, sitting on the terrace overviewing the lake and its natural beauty. Sipping a glass of local wine watching boats pass by and watching the sun set behind a field of magical water lilies. Enjoying a variety of soaps in the outside shower and preparing yourself for a delicious meal and romantic evening on the restaurant’s balcony… Can someone please push the pause-button?

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The Restaurant

Inle Lake is famous for its farm produce and its fishermen, so it is unsurprising that Inthar cuisine is also well regarded. The wider Shan state is Myanmar’s culinary hub. Inle Princess Resort’s restaurant offers excellent menus that change daily and always reflect seasonal availability. The chef, Than New Oo, confirms that all ingredients are sourced from lakeside markets or grown on site. He is also a huge fan of wild foods and regularly forages from around the inlet.

I’m warning you, it will be hard to choose! There are so many different mouth-watering menus… In the end, we both enjoyed an international and a Burmese menu, served with local specialties of the Shan, Intha, Padaung and Pao ethnic minorities:

Inle Princess Resort

Traditional Shan Set Menu:

Shan potato soup with garden leaves
Tomato salad with roasted pounded peanuts and coriander
Tofu cracker
Fried pounded peanuts with garlic
Stir-fried seasonal vegetable
Steamed chicken with coconut milk wrapped in banana leaf
Braised beef with ginger and Shan spices
Steamed Red Mountain rice
Seasonal fruit plate

Inle Princess Resort

European Menu:

Inle tomato cream soup with fresh dill & garlic croutons
Warm goat cheese crostini with garden green & balsamic dressing
Grilled butterfish with crush pepper served with fresh tomato sauce, baked baby potatoes and roasted garlic
Warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

 

More Information

The hotel is 50 minutes from Heho Airport by car, or 1 hour by car and boat.
Inle Princess, Magyinzin Village, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar
+95(9)5251407
www.inle-princess.com

 

More breathtaking pictures of the beautiful Inle Princess Resort

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