I normally don’t review hotels but reliable info on decent places to stay within Myanmar is surprisingly inconsistent and unreliable (read: Lonely Planet blows). Here are the places I stayed along with all the information I remember. Hopefully it will be useful to you.
Take note of the numbers and address as booking online within Myanmar will be a pain given the very limited internet speeds.
Mandalay
Fortune Hotel
Price: ~$24 USD a night
Location: No. 182, 31st St Between 82nd and 83rd Street
Phone: 02-35821, 66548
My Experience: This was a pretty long walk (with luggage) from where the Air Asia bus drops you off, but still manageable. The staff were super awesome and the young guys even taught me where to buy and how to wear a longyi. The breakfast was pretty good too (breakfast is always included in Myanmar) with a choice of eggs in an omelet, scrambled, or over easy. The showers and room were clean, the water was warm, and they had reasonably reliable internet (by Myanmar standards).
Normally, it isn’t easy to rent a scooter as laws in certain places (like Bagan) forbid foreigners from riding them. However, one of the workers let me rent his as long as I brought it back in time for him to go home, which worked out fine for us. We were able to see parts of Mandalay outside of the typical tours, which was awesome. Revisiting certain places off peak hours (such as the large monastery near Ubein Bridge) was worth it. The only con I can think of is that cheaper accommodation is available, but I’d stay here again.
