Very nice looking hotel on the outside but some gaps.

The staff were courteous offering towels and a tea, sugar, and a tamarind drink on each arrival. The cocktail party was worth attending and a plus for the hotel.

The hotel car,however, was a wrecker...doors didn't open, no springs, backfiring...The only time that I have ever seen a car like this was at a demolition derby.

Lots of small things were absent in the room...no comfortable chair...a tub/shower that is very high and wide on the sides making it hazardous to exit...inadequate electrical plugs and those that were there, had some that did not work. A safe that malfunctioned and required the staff to reopen twice. A hot water pot that has a cord to short to reach one of the few working plugs...Shower water that smelled ... I like a firm bed but the beds were really really hard...food in the restaurants was good but a bit pricy when compared to Yangon ... Perhaps the cost reflects the transportation costs of moving food from south to north.

All in all, not quite there but one must put this comment in perspective given the general state of the Myanmar economy. I am sure that these problems will be resolved over time. Would I stay at the Red Canal again...Probably, given the alternatives in Mandalay.

The Hotel by the Red Canal was one of the most enjoyable places to stay on our recent visit to Myanmar. You are greeted by staff as you arrive. The room we had was on the first floor and was spotless, quiet and very comfortable. We would definitely stay here again the next time we are in Mandalay.

This is a small owner-managed hotel, whose facilities you cannot compare with big government- backed competitors. Nevertheless, it was very good value; the food, though limited in choice was generally good, particularly the Indian food, and the staff were extremely warm and welcoming. It is OK for 3-4 nights but would be boring for much longer.

The hotel was spotless and gave the impression of being very well managed. The pool was small however, the spa underground and not attractive and I will not be returning any time soon as I did not like the small rather dark rooms and the lack of facilities, especially when going out at night was unsafe because of the open potholes and lack of street lighting.
The staff make a big effort to make you happy and comfortable, greeting you with towels and sweetened (ugh) green tea whenever you enter the hotel. They try hard and deserve to succeed. I just prefer an Aman - but you probably could stay for a year here for the cost of one night at an Aman! If you do not mind limited facilities and a slightly inconvenient location, stay here as it is a fine base for a few days and the value is excellent.

We stayed at this hotel for three nights. I think it's a reasonable hotel and the staff are very helpful always meeting you after a day out with a drink and wet flannel.
When we arrived we were allocated a downstairs room which I definitely would not recommend. The room is small and there is no room at all to walk down one side of the bed - you would need to crawl to the end to get out. There is no natural lighting because it's close to an outside wall. The space between the wall and the room has been imaginatively converted into an outside shower. However, the staff responded helpfully when we asked for another room and we were given an upstairs room with a balcony. This was much better and more comfortable although the shower was difficult to work.
The grounds are quite nice but not very big as the pool takes quite a bit of the room.
The breakfast is very good but I cannot comment on other meals as we didn't eat at the hotel.
There are beautiful wood doors and wooden bathroom fittings and the hotel has the potential for being an excellent boutique hotel but it doesn't quite meet that criterion for me.
I would revisit if necessary but I would probably check if there was anything better around in the area.