The Kandawgyi Palace Hotel, built in 1934, started out as a two-story, red-brick building to house the Rangoon Rowing Club.

After the war and when Burma had gained independence, the property became the National Biological Museum in 1948.

They were eventually replaced in 1993 by a larger lakeside building resembling traditional Southeast Asian architecture.

[1] The hotel was bought out by the Htoo Group of Companies, which was founded by Tay Za, a controversial Burmese tycoon who was closely linked to the country's former head of state, Than Shwe.

Eighty fire trucks were brought in to try to control the blaze,[3] but the teak building was gutted.