Villa Inle Boutique Resort in Inle Lake – Hotel Review

Stay in an eco-friendly resort with a view on Inle Lake!

I visited Myanmar in January 2020 and Inle Lake was one of my favorite destinations! Inle Lake has been recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, an ASEAN Heritage Site, a National Wildlife Sanctuary and a National Wetland Sanctuary. Therefore it’s a must to visit if you come to Burma!

Villa Inle Boutique Resort was an amazing place to stay with a direct view on the lake, combining luxury with eco-friendly values! Let me give you here my honest review after staying for 2 memorable nights.

Disclosure: *This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link. Thank you! Please note that I was invited to stay at Villa Inle Boutique Resort in Inle Lake, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.*

The resort

Villa Inle is an Eco-Friendly Resort located next to the village of Maing Thauk in Nyaung Shwe Township. It has an ideal situation on the eastern banks of Inle Lake. I was immediately amazed to be able to admire both the magical Inle Lake in front and Shan Mountain Range at the back ground!

The resort provides 27 wooden villas, blending in harmoniously with the natural environment of the lake. There are 21 Lake Front Single Villas of 100 sqm and 6 Lake Side Garden Single Villas of 100 sqm.

The garden of the hotel features century old trees, plants and endemic species. It creates a very beautiful environment to relax on the shores of the lake!

The villa

I stayed in one of the Lake View Villas. After walking up a series of stairs (the villas are perched on an upper level to allow a better of the lake), I pushed the door and entered the spacious villa with high wooden ceilings.

This villa is divided into 2 rooms. The first one is a living space with a huge canopy bed, a couch, and a coffee table. The second one is a large bathroom featuring a bathtub, two wash basin and a walk-in shower. I appreciated the fact that the toilet were in a separate space inside the bathroom. There is a lot of space to hung up clothes and open the luggage, which is convenient when you travel.

I felt really at ease, as if I was at home, and I slept very well!

There is a satellite TV and free WiFi. Although the WiFi connection was a bit slow in the room, so I was happy to be able to rely on my 4G (I had a local SIM Ooredoo card).

Not only the villa is very comfortable, but the best part is the private balcony with a sitting area allowing you to enjoy the mystical Inle Lake all day long!

Days are warm but nights can be cold in Inle Lake. Therefore I was pleased that the villa had a very efficient air conditioning with the option of heating.

I was welcomed with fresh organic fruits and the staff made sure to provide some in the room everyday.

The breakfast

The breakfast is served daily between 6 am and 10 am in the large restaurant room. There is a boat, similar to the ones navigating on Inle Lake, standing in the middle of the room and it is used as a buffet table. I found this idea very good and original!

You have plenty of choice! In terms of sweets, there are many pastries and cakes, waffles and pancakes, yogurt with a great variety of dried fruits and nuts, and a cereal station. A whole area is dedicated to fresh fruits. There a member of the staff is cutting the fruits you want. He can also prepare delicious fresh smoothies! In terms of savories, you will find Burmese soups, a salad station and cold cuts. Some members of the staff are preparing Burmese rice and noodles dishes, and eggs dishes at your request. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the eggs are coming from their own organic farm!

You can eat your breakfast inside the room of the restaurant, or on the terrace close to the pool, if you prefer to enjoy the outdoor.

The restaurant

Having dinner at the Villa Inle Boutique Resort was a nice experience!

I tried the Signature menu. This is the best if you want to taste the local cuisine! This menu is composed of 2 starters (a soup then a salad), an assortment plate of some of the mains on the menu, their fish specialty with a fresh fish from the lake, and a dessert. It appreciated that I could taste several dishes all in one! The fish was excellent!

You can also order a la carte. I ate the grilled eggplant salad, the herbs grilled vegetables, the fried Shan noodles (typical dish from Myanmar) and the mixed vegetable curry with coconut milk. All the vegetables are grown organically (many are coming from their own garden), and all the dishes were very tasty!

The menu offers many starters, soups and salads, a selection of dishes with organic vegetables, Asian main fares, curry and gravy dishes, and Western main courses including pastas, pizzas, burgers and sandwiches. There is also an interesting list of desserts! If you have a sweet tooth like me, I recommend you to choose the Brownie and cheesecake to finish your dinner: definitely a good treat!

The amenities

When you arrive at Villa Inle Boutique Resort you cannot miss the infinity swimming pool! Its ideal location with a backdrop of the Shan Hills and an unobstructed view of Inle Lake makes it a very nice place to relax!

If you sit at the bar and the terrace on the side of the pool you will enjoy the same view.

Would you want to take care of yourself, you can book a selection of beauty treatments at the Lotus Spa from 8am to 9pm.

Are you looking for a good book? The traditional book shelf library might have what you need!

There is a souvenir shop in case you want to buy some locally crafted goods.

In terms of events, the resort features an event space that can welcome 100 guests. The staff can organize an island Dinner for up to 50 guests but also for a more intimate set up. There is a romantic floating island ideal for sunset cocktails or private dinner for up to 6 guests.

The activities

Villa Inle Boutique resort can organize a boat tour for you around Inle Lake. You will be in a private boat with your party and the boat driver will take you to many places around the lake. For example you will see the famous one leg rowing fishermen, several floating villages, meet some craftsmen in different activities, long neck women, or visit the surprising village of In Dein filled with 1054 stupas. This boat trip was an unforgettable experience!

Here are some other tours and activities provided by the resort:

• Trekking to Pao villages to get an alternative view of the region.
• Experience local wine tasting at one of Myanmar’s only vineyards.
• Traditional cooking classes.

What I loved about Villa Inle Boutique Resort

First of all I remember that checking-in in Villa Inle Boutique Resort was a really nice experience! Once I arrived at the entrance of the property, a member of the staff took me on board of his golf cart to the reception. There, the lady in charge of the reception offered me a delicious fresh drink the time she took care of the check-in. I enjoyed this drink looking the amazing Inle Lake views that Villa Inle offers for the first time, and I felt immediately in love with this place!

Watching the sunset from the balcony of my villa was also a special experience! At that time of the day the sky above Inle Lake takes the most beautiful orange and red hues! It’s so pleasant to see this show from your own villa!

Lastly I appreciated all the eco-friendly initiatives all around the resort. For example Villa Inle has its very own organic farm tended by Intha farmers. They grow strawberries, dragon Fruits, 3 different types of banana, lettuces, tomato, snow Beans, eggplants, …Their organic fruits, vegetables and eggs are available for breakfast and on the menu for lunch and dinner. Some natural mineral drinking water is available in the room but only in glass bottles with glasses (no plastic bottles) and this water is coming from the natural springs nearby. This natural mineral drinking water is also available at the reception if you need to refill your own bottles.

Key information

Location: Eastern Bank of Inle Lake, Maing Thouk Village, Nyaung Shwe Township, Southern Shan State, Myanmar.

60 km from the Heho airport, 14 km from Nyaung Shwe Jetty Town, and 28 km from Shwe Nyaung Railway Station.

Price: from $ 162.50 per night for a garden view villa and from $ 178.75 per night for a lake view villa (*the rate is only approximate and is based on my own independent research, at the time of writing. I cannot guarantee this rate in any way).

Book here: Villa Inle Boutique Resort

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