Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
building under a rooftop awning, like a semi-outdoor
dorm. It's pretty basic (and at the top of many steps)
although the beds themselves are comfortable, and come
with nets. Also has an
ave
rage
sele
ction
of
spacious but
rather bare rooms. Dorm
$3
; fan
$10
; a/c
$15
Golden Banana Boutique Resort
Phum Wat Damnak
T
063 766655,
W
goldenbanana.info/theresort; map
p.139.
Peaceful little hideaway (not to be confused with
the adjacent
Golden Banana or Golden Banana Boutique
Villa
), which is more boutique guesthouse than resort, with
cool bungalows decorated in chic moder
n A
sian style
around an inviting pool. Breakfast included.
$91
Golden Temple
7 Makara
T
012 756655,
W
goldentemplehotel.com; map p.139.
Deservedly
popular little resort hotel - not to be confused with
Golden
Temple Villa
near Artisans d'Angkor - in an ersatz Khmer-
style building set around attractive gardens and a good-
sized pool complete with fancy fountain. The bright,
colourfully furnished rooms have four-poster beds and
balconies, and there's
also
a spa, attractive restaurant and
cookery classes ($10).
$80
Karavansara Retreat
Street 25
T
063 760678,
W
karavansara.com; map p.139.
Attractively renovated
French colonial villa with a range of well-equipped rooms:
choose between the slightly austere Garden Courtyard Rooms
and the fancier Colonial Heritage Suites. Facilities include a
small rooftop pool, plus the upmarket
Taberu
rest
auran
t set in
a traditional Khmer wooden house in the garden.
$89
★
more. Basic dorms
$5
; deluxe dorms
$6
; doubles
$28
Soria Moria
Wat Bo St
T
063 964768,
W
thesoriamoria
.com; map p.139.
Siem Reap's most socially responsible
hotel, established in 2007 by Norwegian expat Kristin Holdø
Hansen and with majority-ownership now passed onto its
staff, giving the local community a long-term stake in the
success of the business. Rooms are bright and cheerful, with
a hint of Scandinavian minimalist chic (superior rooms are
only slightly more expensive, and significantly larger), while
the attractive
Fusion Kitchen
restaurant downstairs serves a
good selection of Khmer classics and international tapas -
all dishes cost just $1 on Wed. Overall it's a bit expensive for
what you get, but for responsi
ble to
urism in action, it can't
be beaten. Breakfast included.
$55
Viroth's Hotel
Street 23
T
063 761720,
W
viroth
-hotel.com; map p.139.
Super-cool boutique retreat
sporting modern rooms with minimalist white decor and
all mod cons, pl
us t
ranquil grounds with a spa and tiny
swimming pool.
$90
3
STREET 20 AND AROUND
Babel
Off Street 20
T
063 965474,
W
babelsiemreap
.hostel.com; map p.139.
Western-run guesthouse on a
quiet backstreet. The large, clean rooms come with a/c and
hot water (some also have bathtubs), and there's a nice
restaurant and bar, with
seati
ng in the verdant hotel
garden. Breakfast included.
$20
European
Off Street 20
T
012 582237,
W
european
-guesthouse.com; map p.139.
Quiet and friendly and
with large, spotless a/c rooms (all en su
ite w
ith hot water)
set around an attractive, shady garden.
$18
Home Sweet Home
Street 20
T
063 760279,
W
homesweethomeangkor.com; map p.139.
Family-run
guesthouse. Rooms come with either fan and cold water or
a/c and hot - decent value,
altho
ugh
som
e of the rooms
could do with a bit of TLC. Fan
$10
; a/c
$15
Mom's
Wat Bo St
T
012 630170,
W
momguesthouse
.com; map p.139.
Long-running place, more of a hotel now
than a guesthouse, but still owned by the same friendly
family. Rooms (all en suite with hot water, a/c, safe and
fridge) are spacious, spotless and attractively fur
nish
ed, and
there's also a nice little pool. Breakfast included.
$22
Mother Home
Street 20
T
063 760402,
W
mother
home.motherhomeguesthouse.com; map p.139.
Despite the name this is actually a hotel, with spacious,
modern a/c rooms, competitively priced, and welcoming
staff. Noth
ing of
ut of the ordinary, but what it does it does
very well.
$23
★
Sala Lodges
South of the centre
T
089 321733,
W
salalodges.com; map p.139.
Stunning boutique resort
with accommodation in eleven genuine Khmer wooden
village houses, sourced from locations around the region
and then dismantled, shipped to Siem Reap and
painstakingly reassembled in situ. Each has been
luxuriously renovated, offering a remarkable combination
of bespoke luxury and authentic Khmer atmosphere. The
result is unlike anything else in the country, like some fairy-
tale rural village, surrounded by attractive gardens with a
lovely infinity pool at its centre. Facilities include a chic café
in the soaring reception building (a work of art in its own
right), and rates include airport transfer, breakfast, free
bikes and tuk-tuk. Pricey, but
memor
able - and rates fall
significantly during low season.
$257
Shadow of Angkor II
Wat Bo St
T
063 760363,
W
shadowofangkor.com; map p.139.
Well-run and
competitively priced modern hotel with pool, restaurant
and spacious a/c room
s, so
me kitted out with traditional
Khmer wood furniture.
$20
Siem Reap Hostel
7 Makara
T
063 964660,
W
thesiemreaphostel.com; map p.139.
Popular and
well-run hostel - a lot more comfortable and stylish than
your average backpacker dive, with beds in attractive
dorms or well-equipped a/c rooms, plus a small spa and
pool, library, pool table, yoga classes, movie screenings and
La Résidence d'Angkor
Achasvar St
T
063 963390,
W
residencedangkor.com; map p.139.
Top-notch
establishment with sympathetically designed
accommodation making the best use of local materials. All
rooms are luxuriously appointed with teak furniture,
Khmer cotton and silk furnishings, and bamboo screens to
