Hotels and Resorts in Siem Reap | Angkor Wat

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Accommodation, Resorts and Design Hotels in Siem Reap | Angkor Wat



Jaya House River Park ****

With a unique design inspired by 1960s Cambodian Modernism, this boutique hideaway mixes style and a social conscience. It boasts a one-of-a-kind swimming pool – lined with sparkling, solid silver tiles – and is the country’s first plastic-free hotel, helping to launch the ReFill Not Landfill initiative. Set on a tranquil stretch of riverfront, it’s a nine-minute ride to the centre in the complimentary, wheelchair-accessible tuk tuk, and equal distance to Angkor Archaeological Park.

Crafted from sustainably sourced wood and local stone, the interiors showcase the work of Siem Reap’s artisans. Eric Raisina, whose Cambodian-inspired couture appears on global catwalks, designed the staffs’ linen uniforms, and a showstopping sculpture from Siem Reap-based British artist Sasha Constable graces the lobby. The hotel also supports various NGOs. The 48 paintings scattered around the hotel were commissioned from the city’s Small Art School, which gives free art classes to underprivileged children. There’s an adapted room on the ground floor, a lift and the city’s first wheelchair-accessible tuk tuk. Connecting rooms, complimentary cots and extra beds for children aged 12 and above (charged at $49/£67) are all available. There are also children's menus, activities and babysitters.

The manager greets every guest personally and the staff are equally welcoming and attentive. Discovery, Explorer and Immerse tours will take you to temples and villages; other tours can be tailored to suit your interests, such as birdwatching, kayaking or art. The tuk tuk will drop you anywhere in the city and you’ll get a phone to let them know when you need picking up. After all the sightseeing, there’s not one but two swimming pools to lounge around, and the small spa has a steam room and offers massages with hand-crafted aromatic oils.

The 36 spacious rooms and suites all come with a balcony or terrace overlooking the tropical garden, and the four Junior Pool Suites have alfresco plunge pools. Decked out in soothing neutral tones and tactile fabrics, top-notch beds are clad in high thread-count linens, with lovely details such as laundry baskets made by Rehash Trash and vintage telephones, as well as Bluetooth connectivity. Most of the sparkling bathrooms have showers and tubs, and organic toiletries created by a French perfumer based in Siem Reap. A complimentary minibar is stocked with soft drinks and Angkor beer, and there’s a Malongo coffee machine – with paper pods of course – or try the moringa, ginger and lemongrass organic herbal teas.

Tror Kuon – dinnertime in Khmer – offers all-day dining, or you can eat in your room. Mentored by renowned British chef Neil Wager, the Cambodian chef’s menu gives international dishes a Khmer twist and puts a gourmet spin on local dishes, such as soup noodles and the popular pork belly. Breakfasts are part-buffet, part à la carte, with an array of tropical fruits and homemade cakes – try the moreish banana muffins – and hot dishes, such as eggs Benedict and waffles made to order. Head to the rooftop Sky Bar for a happy hour sundowner – they mix a wonderfully crisp G&T – or retire to one of the six swinging day beds for a post-prandial drink.

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The Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor *****

Opened in 1932, the Raffles Grand d’Angkor has survived all the vagaries of recent Cambodian history and has hosted luminaries such as Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham, the Clintons and Michelle Obama. Newly restored, it remains both a heritage landmark and a truly grand luxury hotel with state-of-the-art amenities. The Grand d’Angkor is one of Siem Reap’s major landmarks. It's found half way between downtown and the Angkor Archaeological Park, facing the Royal Gardens in the leafy French Quarter and close to the Siem Reap River. It’s possible to take a helicopter from the airport to the hotel with temple views along the way.

The Grand d’Angkor is the old dame of luxury hotels in Cambodia. The main building is a huge colonial edifice, likely to be noticed by anyone who spends more than a day in town. The hotel certainly lives up to its grand exterior – the lobby exudes colonial flair as does the very swish Elephant Bar. Nods to the hotel’s history can be seen everywhere, from beautiful 19th-century prints of Cambodian life in the marble floored hallways and the original wooden elevator in the lobby, to the dedicated gallery featuring John McDermott’s seminal photographs of the Angkor ruins. The hotel provides wheelchairs and ramps into the building have been installed. The pool is a definite draw for children and the hotel can provide babysitters. In high season, parents can leave their children at the supervised Sugar Palm Club.

Service is formal, uniformed and very prompt without being intrusive. Facilities are straightforward and excellent — the newly restored pool is 33 meters long, one of the largest in Cambodia. Guests can use a well-equipped gym and there’s a top-of-the-range spa with six treatment rooms. The hotel also offers cooking classes to its guests with a visit to a local market. The classical dance Apsara performances, watched while enjoying a sumptuous Cambodian buffet and barbeque dinner, are probably the best in town. Guests are invited to observe an early morning blessing ceremony by monks, a lotus flower folding class and a Singapore Sling cocktail masterclass. The Grand also offers several curated journeys including a vespa tour to the Angkor monuments, a shopping excursion via tuk-tuk, complete with butler, and perhaps most intriguingly, a tour to the workshops of several local artists. The Grand D’Anglor has dispensed with plastic bottles (thanks to its own bottling plant), and the room amenities are all biodegradable.

The rooms are compact and faultless. Dark-wood floors, historic prints on the walls, immaculate faux-antique furnishings including retro desk lamps and huge comfortable double or twin beds with views over the Royal Gardens or the pool make for a relaxing stay, helped along by all the expected modern facilities such as air-conditioning, smart ceiling lighting, a safe, minibar and coffee machine. There’s always fresh fruit and the orchids are a nice touch. The newly refurbished and modern bathrooms are compact but bright and spotless, tiled with Italian marble, and feature large walk-in showers. Some rooms have balconies on which a candle-lit dinner can be arranged.

The Restaurant 1932, popular with locals as much as hotel guests, is one of the best places in town to sample Khmer cuisine, handed down from chefs who worked at the Royal Palace, as well as modern takes on classic Khmer dishes, along with an equally sumptuous selection of Western dishes. The banana flower salad with smoked fish and chicken is a great starter. Among the mains, the steamed duck with local spices in lotus leaf is excellent. The Cafe d’Angkor, in a bright air-conditioned room, is a more casual option. If it’s not too hot or wet, guests can enjoy a wide variety of Asian and Western dishes – everything from local noodle dishes to gourmet burgers – on the patio overlooking the pool. Traditional afternoon tea is served in The Conservatory, which also overlooks the pool and the garden. Breakfast is buffet-style, with sparkling wine and plenty of Western and Asian options including a great selection of yogurts, smoothies and juices. The best place for a pre-dinner drink is the atmospheric Elephant Bar with its extensive wine list and humidor. Herbs and fruits for the kitchen are grown in the on-site Culinary Garden, which also plays host to weddings and other events.

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Belmond La Residence d'Angkor *****

This intimate luxury hotel, in the heart of Siem Reap, has 59 elegant suites that artfully blend traditional Khmer style with contemporary design. Surrounded by towering palms and tropical greenery, the pool is a serene haven from the heat and hubbub of the city.

The hotel is in a prime riverside location, just a 10-minute stroll from shops and restaurants and a 10-minute drive from the Angkor Archaeological Park. As soon as you cross the lotus-filled moat, the buzz of tuk-tuks is swapped for rustling palms, fragrant frangipani and vibrant bougainvillea. The design of the hotel borrows from Khmer culture, from the vast, cathedral-high beamed lobby, bookended with outsized Asian-inspired paintings from Christian Develter, to the suites blending traditional materials – hardwoods, bamboo, silk – with contemporary design. No specially adapted rooms but there are lifts, wheelchair ramps and ground-floor rooms on request. There are connecting suites and complimentary cots are provided. Extra beds for children aged 12 and above are charged at $84 (£67). Children’s menus, activities and babysitters are also available.

Service is efficient without being stuffy. The centrepiece is an enticing saltwater pool, guarded by an Angkorian stone lion and edged by lush vegetation on one side and parasol-shaded loungers on the other. As well as a straw hat and fan, you’ll get a poolside care basket, including high-factor sun cream. There’s a small gym and an impressive range of treatments at the sleek Kong Kea Spa, along with a steam room, sauna and Zen-like relaxation pool. Guests can take advantage of the complimentary daily activities such as tours of galleries with a local, or a blessing from saffron-robed Buddhist monks. Bicycle tours and half-day cooking classes can also be arranged. One-day tours to Angkor, including Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Phrom, are $134 (£108) for one or two people, excluding the $37 (£30) per person Angkor day pass, including an English-speaking guide and private transfers; half-day tours are $82 (£66).

Suites are light, bright and generously sized. King-sized beds scattered with silk cushions sit on bamboo mats on polished wood floors, and large prints from Cambodian photographers adorn the walls. There’s a day bed, separate dressing room and the marble bathrooms come with twin sinks, egg-shaped bathtubs and walk-in rain showers. All suites have outside space: Junior Suites have a small balcony, while the ground-floor Garden Junior Suites come with a secluded double-daybed and direct access to the pool.

The nightly buffet – including free-flowing wine, beer and soft drinks – at the indoor-outdoor Spice Circle is a great place to try Khmer cuisine. A spread of ‘hawker-style’ classic dishes are laid out, such as green papaya salad, beef lok lak and fish amok, as well as lobster, crab, just-caught fish and meat (which is grilled in front of you). The breakfast buffet is equally expansive, with tempting pastries, a variety of fresh juices, eggs-to-order and local noodle soups. Poolside Ember is the place for all-day Asian cuisine and international light bites with a Latin twist (the executive chef hails from Mexico) – perhaps spring rolls, fish tacos or wood-oven pizza. The best place for a pre- or post-dinner drink is the second-floor, dimly lit, open-sided Martini Lounge, with its gently whirring ceiling fans, extensive wine list and creative martinis, including one version which is muddled with basil and lemongrass.

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Accommodation, Resorts and Design Hotels in Siem Reap | Angkor Wat


Phum Baitang *****

Phum Baitang is a stunning luxury resort modelled on a Cambodian village, featuring wooden villas reminiscent of local farm houses, some with private pools, in a garden complex of rice paddy dotted with palm trees, with water buffaloes lingering in the shade. For visitors seeking rural quiet, Phum Baitang is perfect, though it’s still just a 15-minute tuk-tuk or car ride to the Angkor ruins, as well as to the Old Market downtown area and the airport. Phum Baitang has its own fleet of tuk-tuks and cars; guests are picked up at the airport free of charge.

No wonder Angelina Jolie rented out the entire resort during a film shoot in 2015 – Phum Baitang gets the balance between rustic experience, privacy and genuine luxury just right. The 25 villas and 20 pool villas, spread across a 20-acre area, are generous in size. Designed like rural Khmer family homes, the buildings segue effortlessly into the meandering grounds that are half-garden, half-farm. A long wooden walkway leads from the lobby to the main pool and one of the restaurants, through palm-lined rice paddy which is harvested three times a year and given to guests as farewell gifts. Not suitable for guests with disabilities. Families will enjoy the large pool. The adjacent kids’ club comes with its own babysitter and extra beds and baby cots can be arranged. For parents traveling with older children, it’s probably best to book two adjacent villas.

The young staff at Phum Baitang are switched on and helpful. The freeform salt water pool is a generous 50 metres long and offers great views of the property. The spa, its lobby an impressive concrete building with strong Angkor-era design elements, offers seven treatment bungalows, as well as a sauna and steam room, and a small but well-equipped gym. Bicycles are free to use on the resort grounds and there are cooking classes. Guests can also experience a water blessing by Buddhist monks

Two types of high-ceilinged villas stand amidst the rice paddy and verdant lawns, modelled on traditional Khmer homes, with red tile roofs and wood cladding, beautifully worn wooden floors and shutters, rattan sliding doors and fine retro style furniture. The terrace villas come with spacious balconies, while the even bigger pool villas boast almost private plunge pools with adjacent salas. All rooms feature a Nespresso machine, a television, a sound system and Bluetooth connectivity. Bathrooms with huge tubs, rain showers and excellent amenities round off a very elegant picture.

The informal Bai Phsar by the pool serves fantastic Khmer cuisine, cooked with foreign visitors in mind, including many vegetarian dishes. The pomelo salad with grilled chicken, pumpkin seeds, holy basil and other herbs is delicious, while the marinated beef skewers with sour pepper and lime dip are also rather good and there are enticing fish options, freshly caught in the nearby Tonlé Sap lake. A second eatery, Hang Bai, is an air-conditioned affair and serves predominantly western cuisine but is only open a couple of nights a week. Breakfast comes as a generous buffet, both western and Asian, with à la carte options. The juices are particularly good and varied An excellent pre-dinner glass from the resort owner’s vineyards in France and Portugal can be enjoyed while watching the sunset from the terrace of the Cocktail and Cigar Bar, a hundred year old wooden house.

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Anantara Angkor Resort *****

With just 39 comfortable suites clustered around a pool, the Anantara Siem Reap is a smart resort for couples that successfully combines Khmer design elements with state-of-the-art amenities, complemented by the excellent Chi Restaurant that serves Khmer cuisine re-interpreted by a German chef. The Anantara is a little out of the way on the Airport Road. It’s a fifteen-minute tuk-tuk ride to the Old Market area and around twenty minutes to the temples. The airport is just ten minutes away though.

This modestly-sized resort property manages to convey a regal atmosphere with plenty of Khmer bombast successfully mixed with modern art elements such as the Henry Moore-inspired giant sculpture of a mother and child by the pool, a concept that is likely to appeal to visitors looking for both grandeur and privacy. But there’s also a great sense of space both in the public areas and the suites which helps accentuate the modern facilities without compromising the Anantara’s overall luxurious ambience, reinforced by the smartly liveried and friendly staff. Some rooms on the ground floor are accessible for wheelchair users, but there are no dedicated in-room facilities for guests with disabilities. While the resort is couple oriented, extra beds, baby cots and babysitters can be provided.

Service is excellent, a little formal and very forthcoming. The resort’s central courtyard is dominated by the handsome 18-metre saltwater swimming pool. The in-house spa has five treatment rooms, a wet room, a steam room and a hot tub. For those who have energy after visiting the temples, there’s a small and well-equipped gym. The L Lounge offers a selection of books and newspapers, afternoon cocktails, high tea and evening tapas. The Anantara offers a selection of unique experiences for its guests including temple and lake tours, trips into villages around Siem Reap and an intriguing trip to local markets called Streetwise Guru.

The 39 air-conditioned and spotless ground-floor and first-floor suites exude classic luxury. Hardwood floors and darkwood furniture are complemented by Khmer art works and state-of-the-art facilities. The suites aren’t large but the available space has been expertly used and amenities are excellent – from the usual TV, safe and free Wi-Fi to all sorts of small extras including a modest but free mini-bar.

The excellent Chi Restaurant serves modern Khmer dishes with western influences, including some unique plates prepared at the table by German chef Kiem, both as set menu and à la carte. The Battambong pomelo salad is mouth-watering. Amongst the mains, the seared scallops served with baked pumpkin, caramelized pork, lime, ginger and coriander as well the braised lamb shank curry saraman with peanuts, sweet basil and crunchy baguette are simply brilliant. The laidback L Lounge serves snacks and comfort foods during the day. Breakfast plays out as a very good buffet and a generous selection of à la carte items. The unsweetened yoghurts are excellent as are the fresh vegetable and fruit juices. Cold meats, cheese and a small sushi selection will keep protein lovers happy. The sweet potato rosti with mushrooms and vegetables is wonderful. Couples might consider choosing the Dining by Design concept. Khmer set menus are served in the hotel’s courtyard accompanied by an Apsara dance performance. And for those with a sense of culinary adventure, the breakfast or lunch trips in the shadow of a small Angkor-era jungle temple might be just the thing.

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Shinta Mani Shack ****

The Shinta Mani Shack is a solid, gently eclectic four-star hotel in central Siem Reap, offering simple rooms and a couple stylish suites clustered around a pool. With its all-day restaurant serving comfort food, this is an ideal hotel for those seeking familiarity with a touch of modernity. Located in the leafy French Quarter of Siem Reap. The Shinta Mani is just a 10-minute walk from the Old Market area and about 15 minutes by tuk-tuk or taxi from the Angkor Archaeological Park ticket office.

It's a spotless, quirky but ultimately straightforward resort with fewer aesthetic thrills than its sister operation across the road, Shinta Mani Angkor, despite the impressive high-ceilinged lobby which sports an extraordinary psychedelic Apsara mural. The long dark corridors around the garden exude a post-modern, arty ambience, in quiet contrast to the pool, the comfort food on the all-day restaurant menu and the conventional layout of the rooms. The downstairs rooms are suitable for guests with disabilities and the hotel can provide temporary ramps for wheelchair users. The resort offers several connecting rooms. The large pool in its garden setting should be a delight for children.

Service is friendly and efficient. The large pool, situated in a garden around which the resort is constructed, gets the sun all day and is the main draw. Guests can visit the Shinta Mani Angkor across the road for spa treatments, a gym or a drink at the Bill Bensley Bar. The Shinta Mani takes pride in contributing to the local community. A tourism hospitality school from which 20 students graduate every year is attached to the hotel and guests can visit on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A shop inside the resort sells items made by disadvantaged people with the help of NGOs connected to the hotel's foundation, including textiles and jewellery. The hotel is plastic free and guests may top up their glass bottles at numerous refill stations around the property.

Newly refurbished, the standard rooms are compact, comfortable and spotless, with all the usual amenities such as air-conditioning, a television, safe, kettle and coffee machine. One of the room's walls is a mirror with a smoky finish, which lends a sense of space without disturbing one’s comfort. Barely intrusive modern Khmer art covers the walls. All rooms either have a balcony or a broad veranda that faces the pool. The bathrooms are small and a little ordinary, but in immaculate condition. The two comfortable suites are a riot of style and colour, a wild mix of period baubles and modernist art.

The Baitong restaurant serves very reasonably priced comfort food. Besides a good selection of salads and soups, there are favourites like pasta, sandwiches and burgers as well as quite a few vegetarian dishes such as steamed broccoli with tofu and garlic. Beyond the obvious, main courses include a very good wok-seared salmon on steamed asparagus and mango salsa. A small number of southeast Asian dishes including fish amok – steamed river fish with lemongrass paste and coconut broth – also finds its way onto the menu. Upping the culinary ante significantly is The Steakhouse, a recommended Siem Reap institution formerly located at the Old Market. The wine list is extensive, the iceberg salad with blue cheese and lardon is delicious and the burgers, steaks and lamb chops are all a cut above what's usually on offer in the town's eateries. The perfect place for a pre-dinner drink is poolside. Breakfast is buffet-style or à la carte and the fresh bread is very good, as are the fruit juices.

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Accommodation, Resorts and Design Hotels in Siem Reap | Angkor Wat


Templation ****

Contemporary Cambodian architecture combined with lush greenery and an extravagantly large swimming pool makes this resort a refreshing base for visiting nearby Angkor Wat. The bonus of fantastic eco-credentials, attentive service and savvy design adds up to a sophisticated oasis on the fringes of Siem Reap. The hotel is situated on a semi-rural plot roughly halfway between Siem Reap’s busy centre and the world’s largest religious complex, Angkor Wat. Inexpensive trips to town or the temples are readily available and take 10 minutes.

Templation has a distinctly modern, Asian style, a solid solar power system and a welcoming abundance of water features. A smart orange and grey lobby leads through a passage of cascading fountains onto an open plan lounge and a lake-like swimming pool. The surrounding angular architecture of the villas and concrete pathways are hidden or softened throughout by mature mango, jackfruit and champey trees. The resort has the same stripped down elegance as its sister hotel, Plantation, in Phnom Penh. All rooms are at ground level and ramps can be provided but no special facilities provided.

From the young receptionists to the experienced head barman, the local staff provide gracious service throughout the hotel. The small resort offers a surprising number of facilities including a library, a mini-gym, a lifestyle shop and best of all, a spa delivering expert massages for jet-lagged guests.

Of the guestrooms, 21 are detached, single storey buildings featuring private pools. The remaining 12 junior suites have open terraces overlooking the main pool. All rooms have outdoor bathrooms with showers, jumbo bathtubs and expansive views of the tropical skies. The interior design features Japanese simplicity and mid-century furnishing brought together with a palette of warm orange, taupe and natural teak. Patterned concrete on the exterior of the rooms provides a contemporary echo of the carved sandstone of the nearby temples.

There’s one bar and one restaurant serving a menu of local Khmer dishes and brasserie style Western food. Seafood amok (steamed, salty curry) served in a young coconut, and Jasmine flower ice cream, are house specialities. The bar stocks a reasonable selection of world wines and a range of beers including a locally produced craft brew. Breakfast is à la carte and offers a wide choice for both Asian and Western visitors. Both the cosy bar and simple restaurant are imaginatively lit with sculptural copper pendant lights.


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Heritage Suites ****

French architectural elegance meets tropical luxury in this quiet, romantic boutique retreat near Siem Reap’s royal quarter. Spacious villa suites with private gardens exude 1960s retro cool with Khmer design elements while the two vintage Mercedes out front add a further touch of class. The Heritage Suites is located next to Siem Reap’s oldest pagoda, Wat Polanka, two blocks from the Siem Reap River. The hotel is five minutes by tuk-tuk to the Old Market area. The royal gardens and the Angkor museum are in walking distance. It’s a fifteen-minute ride to Angkor Wat.

The main building which houses the lobby and restaurant has enough heritage elements to call it French colonial style, But there’s also a strong modern Cambodian vibe harking back to King Sihanouk’s golden age of the 1960s, particularly noticeable in the furnishing of the rooms and suites, making for a retrofitted ambience enhanced by the vintage cars in the gravel drive. Not suitable for guests with disabilities. While the Heritage Suites is clearly couple oriented, families are welcome and an extra bed or cot can be put into the suites. A babysitter can also be arranged.

Service is friendly and switched on. The saltwater pool, flanked by sun loungers and a bar serving drinks and food, is long enough for a swim. The spa has three treatment rooms and is managed by the well-established Bodia Spa. The in-house travel agency organises off-the-beaten-track luxury experiences, including a guided ATV trip, a champagne and canapé sunset cruise on the Tonlé Sap and a luxury tent experience near the Angkor era river carvings of Kbal Spean, appropriately entitled glamping. Efforts are made to be eco-friendly, from the glass bottles for drinking water to the floor mats made from water hyacinth, a plant that chokes local river systems. The Heritage Suites supports the hotel training school Sala Bai.

There are just six compact entry-level rooms with hardwood floors and high ceilings, but most guests go for the twenty spacious open-plan suites which exude 1960s cool à la Connery-era James Bond, coupled with modern amenities. The suites too have high ceilings and feature skylights as well as small private gardens with rain showers and a seating area, some with private plunge pools. TVs, DVD players and laptops are available upon request, and there are in-room coffee machines, a complimentary mini-bar and a safe.
Inside, the bathroom facilities, from the massive free-standing black marble tubs to the private steam room, are elegant and spotless.

The main building is almost entirely given over to culinary delights. The downstairs Cocktail Bar and Lounge offers a comfortable seating area with tables arranged along the windows where guests can enjoy a light lunch, dinner and the excellent à la carte breakfast with fresh juices. Once a week, a long-running jazz night will delight guests.
The mezzanine floor above is dedicated to fine dining. The Heritage Restaurant has the feel of a classic, smart French eatery with views down into the bar and lounge. The food is excellent, a great combination of Khmer and European dishes and flavours. The signature menu includes tuna tartare, fish from the Mekong and sumptuous Australian Beef tenderloin, accompanied by great wines. The Pool Bar offers cocktails and light snacks and is the place for a pre-dinner drink.

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Anjali by Syphon ***

This attractive, upscale, eco-friendly resort offers 29 comfortable rooms and suites with large balconies flanked by tropical foliage and a decent-sized pool. Its grey and pastel aesthetic and in-house Hunkaar restaurant, which serves excellent Khmer cuisine, makes it an attractive option. Guests may be forgiven for thinking they have reached the middle of nowhere as the resort sits by an unsurfaced road a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride into town. But for those who have come primarily for the temples and peace of mind, the location is fine, only 10 to 15 minutes from the Angkor ruins or the airport. The resort offers free tuk-tuk or car rides into the centre of Siem Reap. Guests who book through the website receive a free ride from and to the airport.

The Anjali is a smart, contemporary resort with somewhat sombre but elegant design features likely to appeal to couples looking for a quiet and private hotel experience. Guests enter the resort along a pathway set amid a mini jungle. Grey walls and floors are livened up by rattan leaf sculptures in quiet green-and-blue pastels, suggesting a sense of Zen without coming across as overly monastic. Almost all of the resort’s furniture is made in Cambodia. There are two lifts to the upper floors and public areas are accessible. While the Anjali has a very adult ambience, children are welcome and will love the pool. There are connecting rooms and extra beds and a babysitter is available.

Service is friendly and switched on. Staff speak good English and an emphasis is clearly put on genuine care and generosity rather than excessive sophistication. The 17-metre saltwater pool is rather pretty, surrounded by tropical plants, with an adjacent kids’ pool and a bar. The spa has five treatment rooms and a hot tub and is open to hotel guests only. Bicycles can be rented and there are half-day cooking classes. All guests are given a phone with local SIM card. To view the temples of Angkor, guests can hire the hotel’s own tuk-tuks and cars.

Superior rooms (lowest category) are compact and have large balconies with plenty of plants, offering a degree of privacy. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in just enough light. The bathrooms, with rain showers, are also compact and separated from the rooms by sliding rattan doors. There’s plenty of attention to detail including attractive lacquer boxes holding the bathroom amenities, all of which are organic and made in Cambodia. Water comes in glass bottles – the Anjali prides itself on being a plastic-free resort. Some rooms have direct pool access.

Hunkaar is a gastro bar-cum-restaurant with a decent wine list. Both western and Khmer selections grace the menu; the Khmer dishes are tasty, especially the ginger chicken. Breakfast is a modest but high quality selection of à la carte Western and Asian dishes including eggs in various shapes accompanied by salad, fresh pastries and great healthy juices. The best place for a drink before dinner is the wonderful open first-floor terrace, or if it rains, the funky lounge bar with retro-style furniture and an impressive list of cocktails.

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Sala Lodges *****

If you are looking for a luxurious way to experience authentic Cambodian country life, Sala Lodges is the place. Eleven traditional Khmer houses from the 1950s and 1980s have been lovingly rebuilt in a tropical garden. The attached restaurant serves excellent Khmer cuisine. Sala Lodges is a little out of the way to the north of the centre of town, though a tuk-tuk ride to old market takes just five minutes. A taxi to the airport is likely to take around twenty minutes. Angkor Wat is a few miles away. The hotel provides free tuk-tuks between 7am and 5pm and free airport pickup and drop-off for guests who book via the hotel’s website.

The Swiss owners fell in love with Cambodian heritage and bought eleven traditional stilt houses in three provinces, and disassembled and transported them to Siem Reap where they were reconstructed with a few changes to ensure that guests will feel comfortable. But the erstwhile traditional family homes are still very much in their original shape – only roof insulation and modern bathrooms attest to their new purpose. The houses are arranged in such a way that there’s a village ambience to this gorgeous property. Not suitable for guests with disabilities. One of the houses has two connecting rooms. Another has one room downstairs, another on the first floor. Extra beds and baby cots can be placed in the rooms and babysitters can be arranged.

Service is friendly and switched on. Some staff are housekeeping students from the Sala Bai hotel school. The delightful garden property is extremely well kept. Some of the herbs and spices the hotel’s kitchen uses are planted amidst palm trees, tall grasses and ponds. The 20-metre infinity pool surrounded by sun loungers is great for a swim. Guests receive a local SIM card and mosquito repellent. Sala Lodges is an eco-friendly hotel – refillable metal bottles, bamboo straws for drinks, menus made from grass and the trunks of banana plants and food waste fed to local pigs all contribute to sustainability. In-room massages and bicycle hire can be arranged.

Nine of the stilt houses feature just one room. The remaining two houses have two rooms each. Great care is taken to retain the houses’ original character both inside and out. The air-conditioned rooms are spacious, with high ceilings and huge, comfortable double beds, antique furniture and balcony space to while away an afternoon. On request, TVs with DVD players are put in the rooms. The mini-bar is complimentary. There’s one honeymoon house which sports a tub. All the other houses have simple and spotless bathrooms with rain showers.

The hotel’s restaurant boasts a really excellent menu of Khmer dishes, including several vegetarian options. The sondek barang, a lentil and sweet potato patty served with spinach and mushrooms, is a great starter, as is samlor korko, a vegetable coconut soup with either meat or fish. The grilled fish fillet from the nearby Tonlé Sap and the creamy chicken curry are stand-out mains. The wine list is also rather splendid. The Lounge bar, close to the pool, serves snacks. There’s live music on Mondays. During high season, guests can enjoy a weekly barbecue. The best place for a pre-dinner drink is on the balcony space of one’s house. Breakfast is à la carte with Khmer and western choices, including great fresh juices, fruit salad, fresh French pastry, and eggs in all shapes. Honey and jams are locally sourced and the coffee is fresh.

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The Angkor by Avani ****

The FCC – The Foreign Correspondents Club in name only – is an upscale boutique hotel in a significantly expanded elegant 1960s French Khmer villa right by the Siem Reap River. It offers compact, bright rooms around a pool, decent western and Asian cuisine and a gallery showcasing local artists. The FCC sits right by the Siem Reap River on Pokambor Avenue, next to the Royal Residence and a five-minute walk from the Old Market area.

The Mansion, an art deco-style 1960s villa that now serves as the club’s restaurant, started life as the French Governor’s residence. The handsome building has been substantially expanded and recently restored. An airy and impressive lobby has been added and it now houses an art gallery. The rooms form a two-story horseshoe around the long and narrow pool, which is especially atmospheric in the evenings. There are items for children on the menu and the hotel offers a babysitting service. Baby cots are also available. A new block due to open in late 2019 will have family suites and connecting rooms. Not suitable for guests with disabilities.

Service is friendly and the facilities are simple. The long and narrow black slate salt water pool sits under huge trees and is atmospherically lit at night, and the Visaya Spa, which will offer a variety of treatments in five dedicated rooms, is slated to open in December 2019. For those not exhausted by the temples, there’s a well-equipped pool-side gym.
The FCC provides guides speaking a number of languages for the temples, which most guests visit in air-conditioned vans. Within city limits, guests can avail themselves to complimentary tuk-tuk rides. The hotel is largely plastic free. Airport pick-up is free, if bookings are made via the hotel’s website.

The 52 newly refurbished rooms, minimalist in design with colonial-era design elements, either open their floor-to-ceiling sliding doors on a long wooden walkway or the pool. The comfortable beds are huge and take up most of the space, and once the curtains are drawn for privacy, the rooms feel a little compact. Bathrooms are spacious, equally minimalist and elegant, and spotlessly clean. A new block across the road is due to open before the end of 2019 and will feature several family rooms.

The Mansion, the airy restaurant on the first floor, offers casual fine dining, with an extensive menu split between Khmer and Asian favourites such as fish amok, beef lok-lak and pad Thai noodles, and tasty western comfort food such as pizzas, pasta and burgers. Chhar sach maon slerk ta moong – stir fried minced chicken with sour leaf and red curry paste – is among the more eclectic choices. Breakfast is à la carte and guests may choose between bor-bor, Cambodian porridge or western fare including cereals, fresh pastry, eggs and an English breakfast. The best place for a pre-dinner drink is at the Scribe Bar, watching the traffic along Pokambor Avenue and snacking on tapas and other shared platters. The bar’s upper deck connects to The Mansion.

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[Thaiphoon]

Accommodation, Resorts and Design Hotels in Siem Reap | Angkor Wat













































Park Hyatt Siem Reap *****

Bombastic and elegant, the Park Hyatt offers spacious rooms that ooze Khmer-inspired comfort with a residential feel. From the incredible interconnected pools to its free-floating cushioned dining platforms, everything is overwhelmingly sumptuous. Located on a busy intersection in downtown Siem Reap, the Park Hyatt is as central as it gets, with just a few minutes' walk to the Old Market area, making it the only luxury hotel in central Siem Reap.

The hotel’s exterior sets the tone with its incredible and imposing marriage of ancient Khmer and über modern aesthetics, and guests will not be disappointed once they enter the property. It's all about projection and size at the Park Hyatt – the larger than life sculptures in the corridors seem like silent guards, and perfectly complement the rest of the interior's minimalist, contemporary décor and generous amount of space, all carved into a singular strong identity by hotel design guru Bill Bensley, complemented by many iconic black and white images of the Angkor monuments by long-term resident photographer John McDermott, along with art works by local artist Lim Muy Theam. One of the rooms has special wheelchair access. There’s a kids’ pool next to the spa, some of the suites are suitable for families and the hotel can provide a babysitter.

Service is efficient and thoughtful at the Park Hyatt. Free traditional torch lit Apsara dance performances in the hotel’s central courtyard take place several nights a week in high season and can be enjoyed with dinner or just a drink. The larger of the two pools is really a collection of small interconnecting pools traversed by a small bridge, with plenty of corners offering maximum privacy to guests. The smaller saltwater swimming pool is ideal for families. A modest but well-equipped gym complements the seven-room spa, which offers a wide variety of treatments as well as a steam room.

The Park Hyatt offers 104 rooms including 13 suites. The standard rooms are spacious, bright and quietly elegant with all the usual amenities – air-con, television, a safe, a minibar, a docking port for iPads and other tablets and a Nespresso coffee machine. Fresh fruit and Khmer-style biscuits round off a very nice picture. The large bathrooms are nothing short of ostentatious, separated from the rooms by a sliding window above the tub. Everything is in top condition and absolutely spotless.

The Living Room ― half restaurant, half swish lobby lounge ― serves light lunches, high tea, and with its long wine list, is the perfect place for a pre-dinner drink. The Glass House Deli is open to the public as well as guests and offers a good selection of pastries and cakes. The hotel’s flagship restaurant, the Dining Room, has an eclectic menu of classic Cambodian and charcoal grilled dishes. The Khmer set menu starts with tasty grilled fish salad with green mango and roasted peanut, continues with chicken sour soup with fish sauce and culminates in a wok fried prawn curry with spring onions, coconut milk and jasmine rice. The steaks, imported from the US and Australia, are rather good as well. The breakfast buffet is not huge, but very adequate. Besides Asian breakfast soups, a wide range of pastries will delight sugar addicts. À la Carte items feature eggs in all shapes and forms. Delicious fresh fruit juices, cold meats and cheeses, cereals round off the picture. The Park Hyatt also organizes temple dinners for groups and families within the Angkor Archaeological Park, not exactly cheap, but a once in a lifetime experience.

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[Tripadvisor]

The Amansara *****

History buffs, design aficionados, and nostalgia lovers will adore this hotel. The building was built in the 1960s at the peak of modern Cambodia’s “golden age,” when returning Cambodians from France and other European countries brought new ideas back with them. These returns contributed to a period of creativity and growth—and hope. All these were ruined by the Khmer Rouge during the country’s civil war. The simple retro beauty of the restored property is a hark back to those pre-Pol Pot days, a symbol of triumph over evil and renewal. And since this is an Aman property, you’ll have access to unique experiences that plug you into the soul of the city. After going through fast-track personalized immigration on arrival arranged by Amansara, guests will be whisked away on one of two black 1960s Mercedes-Benz limousines into Cambodia’s halcyon days.



The hotel is on a busy arterial road in the heart of the city. It is also at the doorstep of the Angkor Complex, home to hundreds of monuments built in the 12th century. These include the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat. Here, guests—mostly a well-heeled and traveled set from Europe, the United States, Japan, and occasionally South Korea and Singapore—are protected from the city's hustle and bustle by a high wall that wraps around the property. The outfit of the day is likely to be crisp linen, Castaner espadrilles (when not seeing the temples), and Khmer-inspired silk scarves by Eric Rasina, a Madagascar-born, Paris-trained designer based in Cambodia.

Known as Villa Princiére when it first opened as a guesthouse for King Norodom Sihanouk’s guests, the hotel had played host to Jacqueline Onassis and Josip Broz Tito, former president of Yugoslavia. After a major restoration by the late architect Kerry Hill, who was responsible for a number of iconic Aman properties, the property reopened as Amansara in 2002. Hill kept things simple, playing up its modernist look with stark cream walls, expansive green lawns, and long corridors. The patina glow that the afternoon sun bestows upon the property in the late afternoon is a hit with nostalgia lovers. A canopy of large soaring trees in the courtyard casts long shadows and lends tranquility to the space, adding to the bygone-era vibes. In 2006, 12 pool suites, a fitness studio, a destination spa, and a lap pool were added.

Suites start at 811 square feet. Inside, earthy and muted tones abound with timber finishes and terrazzo flooring. Sliding doors and large windows allow open-plan living. The bedroom flows into a living area then the bathroom, which is anchored by a deep-soaking tub. Pool suites feature a plunge pool in addition to a courtyard. While the hotel is single-storeyed, there are some points of elevation—about two to three steps to negotiate. Guests with mobility issues have been reported to be able to access these with some assistance.

With only 24 keys, the menu is kept small but varied. Guests can opt between international or local, or have both. Order the Kampot Pepper set for a sampler of Khmer delights showcasing the Cambodian spice from the coastal city in the south. If you must brave the scorching sun to savor the sights of Siem Reap during the day, make it a point to return for afternoon tea. The banana cake is an absolute winner. For a sundowner, order the Apsara Crush, a refreshing concoction of vodka, Cointreau, lychee, mint, and more.

The spa building is quietly tucked away from the main courtyard buildings that house the suites. Inside, dark and soothing colors dominate the palette, while the air is perfumed with fresh local flowers and fruit. Choose a traditional Khmer treatment to recalibrate your energy and stress levels, or have a signature Aman massage to soothe muscles sore from trekking. Location is prime. While you are at the doorstep of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you are also close to all things hip and fashionable in the city. Other heritage sites like the Royal Garden are within walking distance. So is Wat Bo, a trendy enclave for expatriates and Cambodian creatives between Streets 26 and 27, to the south of the Siem Reap River. Wat Bo is home to a crop of popular cocktail bars and chic cafes. Shopaholics will be delighted to know that Hap Guan Street, which features some cool lifestyle shops such as the eponymous Louise Loubatieres, is a 15-minute walk away. But why walk when you have a rickshaw with a dedicated driver, courtesy of Amansara?

Impeccable and attentive but not embarrassingly reverential. After 20 years in the community, the hotel is able to offer exclusive experiences in the city like a meditation class with an English-speaking Khmer monk at a local temple. You get your own guide throughout your stay, but if you want to learn more about the Khmer relics, sign up for private tours with Amansara’s archaeologist Seng Kompheak. He also works as a curator for the Angkor National Museum. The hotel can also arrange a fun evening at Phare, The Cambodian Circus. Performers juggle, dance, and perform acrobatics to live music played on Cambodian classical and electric instruments. You will be contributing to the local community by watching a Phare performance as it is the primary source of funding for students at an arts school in Battambang.

When tourism fell, Amansara kept 75 percent of its staff on its payroll with no more than a 25 percent pay cut, even though the hotel was closed for half of 2020 and 2021. When SalaBaï Hotel and Restaurant School (which provides free hospitality training to underprivileged youth) had to stop sessions during the pandemic because overseas instructors could no longer enter the country, Amansara’s staff stepped in, giving the students instruction and a space to train in. Travelers are spoiled for choice when it comes to luxury accommodation these days. And, of course, it’s a well-known fact that Aman properties are exceptional. But when a hotel does its best to lift the local community—and in a quiet way during the pandemic—it makes you want to support it all the more.

• Address: Charles de Gaulle. Siem Reap Cambodia Phone: +855 63-760-333
• Website