The Savoy Hotel
A 1927 British timber-frame survivor from Burma's colonial boom years
About the Property
Opened in 1927 at the height of British Burma's prosperity, The Savoy Hotel stands as one of downtown Yangon's most atmospheric colonial survivors. Its restored timber-frame architecture, wrap-around verandahs, and tropical garden setting recall the era when Rangoon was considered one of Asia's most cosmopolitan cities. A careful renovation has preserved the building's original bones — the high-pitched rooflines, teak floors, and louvred windows — while equipping the property with modern comforts for contemporary travellers.
Original Purpose
Colonial grand hotel
Highlights
History Timeline
Following the British annexation of Burma, Rangoon expands rapidly as the commercial capital of the new province; the downtown hotel quarter takes shape along and behind the Strand.
The Savoy Hotel opens in downtown Rangoon at the height of British Burma's prosperity, catering to the teak merchants, oil executives, and colonial administrators who made the city one of Asia's wealthiest.
Japanese forces occupy Rangoon; The Savoy is commandeered as a military billet and the bustling colonial social scene comes to an abrupt halt.
Burma achieves independence; the hotel resumes civilian operations but the departure of the British trading community signals the end of its colonial golden era.
Military crackdown following the 8888 Uprising isolates Burma from international tourism; The Savoy persists as one of the few colonial-era hotels still receiving foreign guests.
Myanmar's democratic opening triggers a tourism surge; The Savoy undergoes sympathetic restoration and joins Small Luxury Hotels of the World, introducing the property to a new generation of heritage travelers.