RANGOON — The Strand Hotel, one of the more iconic architectural vestiges of Rangoon’s colonial era, will soon be shuttered for six months to undergo major renovations.
The hotel will close May 1 and will reopen in early November, according to Olivier Trinquand, vice president of the Strand.
“We will not build new structures. We will just make interior renovations, to keep the soul of the hotel. We’ll make it feel like the hotel has been reborn,” Trinquand told the press on Thursday.
The renovation will be the first in more than 20 years, since its last renovation in 1993.
“When we renovate, we will mainly stick to Burmese architectural style,” said the hotel operations manager.
The hotel has informed customers and business associates about its closure, he added.
Currently, the hotel has 31 suites and employs 141 staff members. The renovation plan will not include the addition of any new suites.
The Strand Hotel opened in 1901 and is the longest-running historical hotel in Rangoon. The five-star institution also boasts that it is one of the few grand colonial hotels still operating in Southeast Asia.
Located on the eponymous river road in downtown Rangoon, the Strand has hosted a number of high-profile guests over the decades, including the writer Rudyard Kipling and Mick Jagger of Rolling Stones fame.