The last location of my 3 week trip in Myanmar was the Inle Lake. We would spend one night in a luxury lodge on the lake, and I was super excited about it! We stayed at the Ann Heritage Lodge and having seen the pictures beforehand, this seemed to be the perfect place to explore the lake. I had an amazing time in this lodge. Enjoy reading this review of the Ann Heritage Lodge and if you decide to stay there, I wish you an amazing time 🙂 .

Disclaimer:
This post was not sponsored in any way and all opinions are my own. You will find some links to the booking page of the hotel in this blog – if you book via this link this won’t cost you anything, but it generates a small commission in order to keep this blog running.

Location & Getting there

We travelled from Kalaw to Nyaung Shwe (the main town on the lake) by bus and arrived around midday. From there, we took wooden, motorised boats across the Inle Lake to the lodge. The boat trip took about 40 minutes and was delightful! Sun, some water splash and a great view. During the boat trip we already saw some of the famous fisherman, rowing with one leg only while fishing.

One of our guides told us that this is not only a way to keep your hands free, but also they can put more strength with their legs compared to their arms. And after all, the guide explained, because the villages are built on the lake and there is no place to go for a run, this is a good way to stay fit 😉

Fishermen rowing with one leg

The Ann Heritage Lodge is located on the west bank of the Inle Lake, right in front of the tiny village of Yamya. Unfortunately, the night we stayed here, the locals decided to have a Karoake party that lasted into the wee hours!

After the party died down, I still managed to get some sleep. That morning when we left the lodge, our tour guide and boats picked us up to take us for a day on the lake. Our luggage was transported to the next hotel in Nyaung Shwe. Everything was super smooth, and the people of the lodge can help you with any transport enquiries. They even arranged a boat transport for my friend that stayed in Nyaung Shwe to come visit me.

The Rooms & Common areas

The Ann Heritage lodge has a variety of rooms ranging from basic, to superior to bungalows with a view over the lake. The bungalows are definitely the way to go! They are equipped with a seating area, fridge, a huge bed with mosquito net, a bathtub and shower and separate toilet. In front of the bungalow, there is a lovely veranda with some chairs to enjoy the sunrise or sunset. The views are to die for!

The entrance of the bungalows

The rooms were impeccably clean and well maintained. The wood gave a very rustic feel and the interior felt cosy. The showers were hot with good pressure and the beds were very decent.

Luxurious big bed 🙂 – sorry for the hazy picture!

The reception and restaurant area are all very nicely decorated and clean. We were there in December and there were some amazing Christmas decorations, including a Christmas tree 😉

The hotel also has a pool and a spa. The pool is awesome and refreshing. The sunbeds around the pool fill up quickly when a tour group arrives but are nice and comfortable. Free towels come with the sunbeds. As it was winter in Myanmar the pool was very cold, but also refreshing 😉 . One person had a massage in the spa and reported it as OK, but not great! Still, the Ann Heritage Lodge is a lovely place to wind down for a night or two and recharge your batteries for upcoming travels.

The Food & Drinks

All food and drinks are priced in USD, which is usually a clear sign of the price around the hotel 🙂 The drinks were fairly expensive, but the food was OK priced!

When we arrived, we had a lovely lunch in the restaurant with a beautiful view over the lake. I had a chicken satay and other people had the pasta, salads, spring rolls and some local food. All food was really nice and I heard no complaints 🙂

View from the rooftop terrace

In the afternoon we had some drinks at the rooftop terrace while we awaited the sunset. Although the cocktails were expensive and not that great – the lime juice, Mojito and Gin Fizz all tasted the same – the setting was beautiful and it was a good place to enjoy a 360 degree view over the lake.

The breakfast next morning was very extensive and tasty. Lots of fresh fruit, avocado’s and juices, a good selection of hot food and nice (dark!) bread.

View from the rooftop with the sunset over the lake

The service

Although the service level across Myanmar is very high, the service at the Ann Heritage Lodge was simply amazing. Fresh drinks and wet towels on arrival, I got to borrow a swimming suit to take a dive in the pool, they arranged a boat transfer for my friend to come visit me at the hotel and I can keep going like this. Always friendly, with a smile and overall a good English level!

If there was something wrong with the room or you had a question, there was always someone around to help out.

Overall Review of the Ann Heritage Lodge

Hanging out with the locals 😉

If I would have to give the Ann Heritage Lodge a grade, I would score it 8,5/10! Of course we’re spoiled, but if the cocktails would have been better and the sky bar more cosy that would have been a great place to hang out! Also, if the neighbouring town would not have been so noisy, it would have been a 10/10! 🙂

Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a place to re-fuel during your travels, definitely have a look at staying at the Ann Heritage Lodge. It’s a place where you get a good amount of luxury for your money and the views are stunning 🙂