BELLE Resort is set for a mid-December grand opening in the magnificent seaside resort town of Chaungtha said U Aung Tun, resort director.

The resort sits on a 4.5-acre swathe of land along the beach that was formerly occupied by the Ayaroo hotel, which was torn down in November 2005.

“We demolished the former Ayaroo hotel because it was not modern enough and did not match the style we now want,” U Aung Tun said.

He said work on the project is 95 percent complete and some of the facilities have been open since October 2006. When it is finished the hotel will have a total of 56 rooms and will potentially hold 150 guests.

“In October 2006 we opened two family bungalows, 12 deluxe and superior rooms. We also opened another 12 double rooms in December that year,” he said.

However, U Aung Tun refused to divulge the total cost of the development. He also explained that significant construction delays were caused by Cyclone Marla, which hit Chaungtha in April 2006.

Room rates at the resort vary from K36,000 – 60,000 for locals and US$45 to $75 for foreigners.

Facilities at the resort include a karaoke lounge, swimming pool, gym, spa and fitness centre.