I thought this hotel would offer more than it did after reading traveler reviews. The room was small, but clean with good A/C. The staff appeared quite young and eager to be helpful. Most disappointing was the promise of Internet which was spotty at best with guests sharing one slow computer. Some people appeared to "get on" with phones by standing in a special spot in the lobby. Neither my iPhone nor iPad worked. If I hadn't anticipated reliable Internet I wouldn't have been so disappointed. Would I stay here again? Not sure. I might check out other hotel options in Mandalay.

The Mandalay City hotel was just off the street in a busy location in the city centre, but a quiet oasis with trees and greenery.
The rooms were good and the staff good too, except for the Restaurant where behaviour was not always appropriate. WiFi was free in the lobby and the connection was reasonable, which is good for Burma.
Overall it represents really good value for money and its location was as good as anywhere in the city centre.

A nice hotel with friendly helpfull staff. Quite new, a bit unimaginative but clean and away from the busy commercial streets outside. Mandalay has plenty to see with good restaurants too but transport is required if you stay at this end of the moat. We went for a walk but didn't find alot of interest around the hotel and it was very busy especially at the modern market close by. Hotel however is good to return to after a heavy day sightseeing.

We stayed at the Mandalay City Hotel from Dec. 31, 2011 – January 4, 2012.

Our room was big, clean and comfortable with a color remote control TV and a strong AC. The bathroom was spanking clean, had a very nice shower and an assortment of complementary toiletries (2 tooth brush, 2 toothpaste, 2 soap, 2 shampoos and conditioner, 2 body creams, 2 razors, 2 packages of Q-tips, 2 shower caps). We also had two complementary bottles of water which were restocked every day.

The hotel is located within short walking distance to the palace, night markets and day markets. By the way, I definitely recommend that you allow yourself to get lost wondering through the day market, the colours, smells and sights will amaze you!

Mandalay City Hotel is –or seems to be- a new hotel, very clean, and with a great staff, from the girls at the front desk to the kitchen staff, everyone is just lovely.

We spend New Year’s celebration at the hotel and I have to say that it was very very fun. First there was dinner, they had a good selection of good food and a band playing soft cheesy music; but then, after dinner, the band changed the beat and soon the entire hotel staff was on the dance floor dancing and singing, including the reception’s manager, the chefs and the whole kitchen staff. At one point one of the waiters sang with the band –he actually had a very good voice and he sang in English!-, we had so much fun. It was a very good New Year’s celebration!

During our 4 days’ stay at the hotel, we visited many of the wonderful sights in and around Mandalay (Mandalay’s many temples and pagodas, Mandalay Hill, Amarapura, Paleik, Singai Hill, Mingun, Ava, Pyin U Lwin) and we went shopping. For this the hotel staff hooked us up with two different drivers, uncle and nephew, whom were bilingual, knowledgeable, funny, patient and flexible with plans. We used them for two days and it was absolutely worth it.

By the way, for local transportation in Mandalay City, like going to restaurants and the nearby pagodas in the city center, just step out of the hotel and stop one of the “blue taxis” –remember to agree on the price before you get in-, they are so much fun and inexpensive.

In regards to other reviewers’ complaints about the view from their rooms, when you arrive in Mandalay, the first impression is: it is loud, dusty, dry, hot and very rundown; so there is really nothing to see out of your hotel room’s window. We didn’t even open the curtains once in 4 nights. Mandalay’s beautify and charm cannot be found just outside your window, but believe me, it is a very interesting city with its old colonial charm and it has so much to offer just a short drive away.

One last thing, the morning that we were leaving, our flight was schedule for 7:30 a.m. and we had to check out at 6:00 a.m.; I almost had a heart attack when I opened the door of my hotel room at 5:30 a.m. and found a smiling hotel employee standing right outside my door waiting to help us with our bags. Then, at the lobby, while we waited for our taxi, one of the girls from reception approached my husband and gave him 4 very old coins from Myanmar; she said “my brother wants you both to have this”. We were so surprise, thankful and overcome by such a gesture. Myanmar is a country with no coins, so these are very old coins and we really still don’t know what we did or said to deserve this wonderful gift.

I definitely, certainly, for sure recommend the Mandalay City Hotel!