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Phnom
Penh is still very much in its infancy when it comes to tourism
development, and this even includes the way certain properties within
the city are run.
On
the luxury end of the market there is not really a great deal of
choice of hotels but the choice is more than enough to satisfy every
possible taste, and please the most frequent of travellers. What
we discovered on our way around the hotels is that one should not carry
pre-conceived ideas as to what is the best, which is the most luxurious
etc as Phnom Penh is full of small surprises and our choice for the most
luxurious hotel would surprise many. There
are a couple of things you should know about Phnom Penh. One is that the
hotels are not cheap, hoteliers will tell you that this is because all
materials have to be imported. Connecting to the internet is also a
chore and an expensive one. Please read our separate guide to Connect to
the Internet in Phnom Penh. The other is that there seems to be no
standard plug in any of the hotels, each of the hotels we visited had a
different type of plug, whether it be a Thai standard, French standard
or English standard so we do suggest that you take a couple or one multi
adapter along with you. When
choosing a hotel within Phnom Penh, the location is not such a major
concern as traffic while it can be bad during the rush hours can be
easily avoided and is no worse than any other major city. Location in
terms of attractions close by, should be a major consideration as this
will allow you to enjoy a little of Phnom Penh's nightlife and
restaurants without being restricted to a hotel or having to take a
taxi. The
river area is perhaps the finest location in that regard, as the quaint
shop houses that run along the river offer everything from fine dining
to everyday French or Khmer cuisine, in an unusual almost Mediterranean
like setting with outdoor cafes and such. Being close to the river also
allows you the opportunity to see first hand just how enormous the
Mekong is. Please
note that some hotels accept limited types of credit card, we strongly
suggest you check directly with the hotel prior to departure whether
they accept the card you plan to pay with. Below
we review all the major hotels in Phnom Penh, some are available for
reservations online with special discounted rates and others not yet. We
have also compiled a Hidden
Hotel Costs of Hotels in Phnom Penh to
show you some of the 'hidden costs' of the hotels where you may choose
to stay. ============= Sunway
Hotel Phnom Penh -
The Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh, a popular choice of business and leisure
travellers to Phnom Penh. The hotel offers Superior, Deluxe, and
Executive Suite Rooms. Unusually at this property, where normally the
suites and executive floor rooms are all on the top floor, at the Sunway
Phnom Penh they are all on the first floor. Floors 3,4 and 5 house all
the Superior Rooms and it is those with odd numbers which are most
popular due to a better view. The second floor offers Deluxe Rooms (all
odd numbers) and these rooms offer guests nice large balconies to enjoy.
All rooms are comfortable and spacious and offer guests, in room safe,
tea and coffee making facilities and bathtub with fixed shower head in
the bathroom. The Executive Suites have a very large balcony, living /
dining area, small kitchenette with cooking facilities and separate
shower and bathtub in the bathroom. The hotel also offers guests free
access to the gymnasium, sauna and steam room. The gym is open from 6am
to midnight. Special rates and online reservations
available. Raffles
Hotel Le Royal -
The Raffles Hotel Le Royal would probably claim to be the best in Phnom
Penh, after all it carries the Raffles name and is housed in a beautiful
French style, and fully refurbished, colonial building. Whether it lives
up to this accolade is another thing entirely. It cannot be argued that
the building alone could win awards, it is stunning to look at, and the
ambience within the hotel is typically 'Raffles'. The rooms however are
smaller than one would expect and more than half the ones we visited
were not as clean as one would expect either (even though we were told
they had just been cleaned as the guests had just checked out), one
staff we spoke to at the hotel nervously joked that it was because it
was an old building it is difficult to maintain. Whether it was a bad
day for the hotel who knows, but the building and nostalgia associated
with the Le Royal can alone win hearts. The hotel offers 137 State
Rooms, 32 Landmark Rooms and numerous suites and these are housed in
three buildings namely A, B, C (no we are not joking!). Building A is
the oldest building and B, C built in 1979 are the most recent
additions. One of the most beautiful parts of the hotel is the pool area
and due to the design of the building we would recommend to guests
staying here that they request a pool view room. The State rooms it has
to be said are very small, some have a balcony which is also very small
but just adequate to sit on. The Landmark rooms are larger and
offer guests a nice working area and the ability of two lines (if you
need the second line opening just contact the reception), and the
benefit of a separate shower and bathtub in the bathroom. Tea and coffee
making facilities are in every room, as is an in room safe, and
international cable TV. The hotel does not offer duvets in any of its
rooms. The beautiful outdoor swimming pool is open from 6am to 10pm as
is the small gym that offers steam room, sauna, and massage
treatments. Check
Special Rates and Availability. Hotel
Cambodiana
- For many years the only major five star hotel in Phnom Penh, the
Cambodiana has kept her age well and is still a favourite of travellers
to Phnom Penh. Located along the mammoth Mekong River the Cambodiana
offers guests a choice of city view and river views. All rooms
offer tea and coffee making facilities, in room electronic safe (on
floors 4 and 5), working area with plugs and sockets above the desk for easy
access, and feather pillows are available on request. The Executive
Floor offers guess benefits such as free soft drinks through the day,
free airport pick up, and the option to have breakfast in the lounge
area or in the main hotel restaurant at no extra cost, unusually it does
not offer the usual benefit of an Happy Hour. The rooms are difficult to
describe at this hotel as some are dark and others light in design, they
are all spacious and comfortably designed and have large windows from
which to enjoy the view. Check
Special Rates and Availability. ============= City
Villa
- The
City Villa is an appartment style condotel. Built in 1995 the City Villa
has only recently began to offer its rooms out for short term stays, and
because of this is only just beginning to understand the needs of such
guests. This said, the staff and management are very courteous and go
out of there way to be of assistance. The City Villa, offers 44 two
bedroom appartments, 6 one bedroom appartments and 4 Penthouses each of
which has two bedrooms in each. Every room is very spacious and each
offers guests a small kitchen area with cooking facilities, balcony, TV
with nearly every possible international channel, large living area that
doubles up as a dining area bedroom and bathroom with bathtub. The City
Villa does not offer in room safes automatically but a safe can be
requested and brought to your room. The rooms even though only 7 years
old are quite aged and not what one would describe as luxurious but they
are clean, comfortable and spacious. The City Villa has a small
restaurant that serves mainly Chinese food with some International
dishes at excellent prices and the quality is very good. InterContinental
- Without
a doubt one of the finest and most luxurious hotels in Phnom Penh, and
is one of the few hotels to have duvets and feather pillows in every
room. The hotel is all you would expect of an InterContinental Hotel and
makes for a perfect escape from all the hustle and bustle outside. The
rooms are all spacious and well equipped if perhaps a little dark
compared to some of the newer designed hotels in Asia. The hotel does
not offer tea and coffee making facilities in every room although it can
be requested. Officially the hotel is supposed to ask you what time you
would like your complimentary coffee delivered to your room after your
wake up call, although some other hoteliers in the city claimed that
this was more myth than fact. Every room offers guests 2 different
telephone lines, which makes it ideal for business travellers
needing to stay connected. Fax machines for the room can also be
requested at a charge. Each is highly comfortable furnished with working
desk, International cable TV, in-room safe, bathroom with separate
shower cubicle and bathtub (with hand held shower). The InterContinental
is also the only hotel in Phnom Penh to offer a true Executive Floor.
The lounge is open from 6am to 10pm and offers guests Happy Hour from 6
- 8pm where house brands are offered with hot canapes to accompany them.
Guests on the Club Floors also can choose between having breakfast in
the lounge or in the main restaurant at no extra cost. Fitness lovers
will like the InterContinental as it offers guests an attractive outdoor
swimming pool open from 7am - 10pm and gym facilities with sauna and
steam room. The gym officially is open from 8am - 8pm but in endeavor to
please guests the hotel have organised that the gym can be opened
outside these hours if a guest
requires. Imperial
Garden Villa & Hotel
- Located
along the Mekong River and adjacent to the Cambodiana this little hotel
cum villas is a gem of a property and utterly unique. The property
comprises of some 44 villas made up of two, three and four bedrooms plus
some 72 more standard 'hotel style' rooms, and 10 executive rooms. 28 of
the Standard rooms all look out over the river, and have small balconies
from where you can enjoy the life and river below. It has to be said
that the room categories here are all a little confusing but basically
if you are looking to stay in Phnom Penh for a short trip and do not
need any more room than a standard hotel room provides then the river
view rooms will be your best option. Alternatively if you need more
space or are travelling with your family then a villa may be better.
Every room has remote controlled air conditioning, tea and coffee making
facilities and an in room safe. The villas all have security video
phone, and are very spacious. This small property offers guests an
International Buffet restaurant, a Japanese restaurant and a bar. For
fitness enthusiasts the hotel offers 2 tennis courts, a salt water
swimming pool and gym which is open from 6am to 10pm. Royal
Phnom Penh Hotel
- No
longer exists. more
reviews to come
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