One of Yangon’s most well-known hotels, Sule Shangri-La, announced today it will close for at least nine months, as it struggles with the Covid-19 impact.
With few signs of recovery, the hotel stated most of its remaining employees will continue to receive “partial pay and full healthcare benefits” while a “small core team” stays on to maintain operations across the Sule Square Mall and Office and Shangri-La Residences, which will remain open.
The news follows a report in December that the hotel had laid off an undisclosed number of employees, which it likely referred to when describing “the difficult decision to streamline our workforce.”
“Regretfully, due to the prolonged low business levels and after exploring all other viable options, we have decided to temporarily close Sule Shangri-La, Yangon from 1 February,” said the statement.
Cancellation charges for guests and clients with reservations would be waived, it said, adding a thanks to its staff and guests “for their support for the past 25 years.”
The Shangri-La Group launched the 22-storey downtown landmark as part of its Traders chain in 1996, the year that the military regime attempted to lift its rock-bottom international image with a “Visit Myanmar Year”. In 2014 it was given a luxury makeover as part of the Shangri-La brand, which has seen occupancy rates and therefore revenue plummet during the pandemic.
While other Yangon hotels have pushed staycation deals in recent months, and even found a new lease of life as party refuges (you know the one), Sule Shangri-La seemed to have been more reserved, or perhaps a less popular candidate for the weekend binges.
