Phnom Penh and around - The Rough Guide to Cambodia - page 77

than budget guest hous e (and pretty good value), if a little
soulless. Free wi-fi. $15
Narin 1 50 Street 125 T 023 991955 or T 099 881133,
W naringuesthouse.com; map pp.58-59. One of Phnom
Penh's earliest guesthouses, this old wooden house has
decent, cosy rooms (some with a/c and hot water), friendly
English-speaking staff, ch eap food in a balcony restaurant
and traveller services. Fan $7
Pacific 234 Monivong Blvd T 023 218592,
W pacifichotel.com.kh; map p.66. The fifty or so a/c
rooms here are large, bright and nicely furnished, with
sturdy Cambodian wood furniture, mini bars and TVs.
Service is excellent. Breakfast included. $28
Sunday 97 Street 141 T 023 211623,
W sundayguesthouse.hostel.com; map pp.58-59.
Welcoming guesthouse on a quiet street with comfortable
rooms, a small restaurant, breezy terrace and a friendly
atmosphere. Internet access a nd traveller services,
including minibuses to Choeng Ek. $8
★

1

AROUND PSAR THMEI CENTRAL MARKET
AND TOWARDS THE RIVERFRONT
11 Happy Backpackers 87-89 Street 136 T 088 777
7421, W 11happy.asia; map p.66. Big, friendly place with
a mix of no-bunk, a/c dorms and simple en-suite fan and
a/c rooms (some without windows) plus a brilliant leafy
rooftop restaurant-bar with pool table, hammocks and lots
of nooks for hidin g aw ay. Next to The Flicks cinema. Dorms
$5 ; doubles (fan) $12
Dara Raeng Sey Cnr streets 118 & 13 T 023 427469,
W darareangsay.com; map p.66. Functional rooms, with
TV, in a rambling corner building conveniently located for
both the riverfront and the French quarter. Staff are
friendly and helpf ul, a nd c an he lp organize day-trips and
onward travel. Fan $15 ; a/c $20
Fancy Guest House 169B Street 15 T 023 211829,
W thefancyguesthouse.com; map p.66. In a great
location near the riverfront, this family-run hotel ticks all
the boxes, with sparkling rooms with a/c and hot showers.
The cheap est h ave no windows, the more expensive have
balconies. $18

TAT 52 Street 125 T 012 921211, W tattooguest
house.com; map pp.58-59. This cheerful family-run
guesthouse is an old favourite with brightly decorated
rooms (optional a/c for a few dollars extra) and good
furniture, internet access, a communal TV and video, and a
rooftop restaurant serving decent Cambodian and Chinese
food. Sister guesthouse TAT TO O , to the south, is a decent
and si milarly priced alternative when TAT is fully booked.
Fan $8

AROUND WAT PHNOM
★

Ra es Hotel Le Royal Street 92, off Monivong
Blvd T 023 981888, W ra es.com; map p.66. Dating
from 1929, this impressive Art Deco hotel, set in lovely
gardens, was restored in 1997 to its original understated
elegance, and still offers every modern convenience.
Engravings of old Cambodia grace the corridors, and the
luxurious guest rooms are individually decorated with
specially commissioned prints and Cambodian artefacts.
There's a choice of restaurants and bars plus a patisserie,
shop, spa and pool. Taking a cocktail at happy h our (d aily
4-9pm; half-price) in the Elephant Bar is a must. $240

BOENG KENG KANG AND AROUND THE
INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT
★

The 252 19 Street 252 T 023 633 1252, W the-252
.com; map p.66. French-run, this superb boutique hotel
stands out for its stylish well-appointed rooms, some with
fab balconies, helpful smiling staff and lovely 13m pool
with loun ging pavilions. The food and cocktails are pretty
good, too. $50
Anise 2C Street 278, off Street 57 T 023 222522,
W anisehotel.com.kh; map p.66. A very popular, well-run
mid-range hotel with eighteen stylishly decorated rooms
(some in a new wing across the street), all with a/c,
minibar, flatscreen TV and safety box. The best have
balconies and there are a few with kitchenettes ($60). Its
bakery produces fresh croissants, while the restaurant
serves delicious Southeast Asian cuisi ne; th e Terrace Café is
a relaxed place for a coffee or cocktail. $47
Goldie Boutique 6 Street 57, between streets 282 & 278
T 023 996670, W goldieguesthouse.com; map p.66. The
a/c rooms in this little hotel are well equipped and brightly
decorated, with free wi-fi, and some have a sw eet b alcony.
The management can help with all travel queries. $20
★

BETWEEN PSAR THMEI CENTRAL
MARKET AND THE OLYMPIC STADIUM
Billabong 5 Street 158 T 023 223703, W thebillabong
hotel.com; map p.66. An unassuming small hotel with a
range of comfortable, en-suite a/c rooms (all with TV),
including quad- shar e family rooms, helpful management
and a nice pool. $50
Capitol 1 14 Street 182 T 12 548409 or T 023 214104
for buses, W capitolkh.com; map p.66. The original
Phnom Penh backpackers' guesthouse, which also runs its
own buses to popular destinations including Bangkok and
Ho Chi Minh. Travellers' cheques are accepted and changed,
and there's an in-house ATM. Rooms have no frills, though
some have a/c and hot water. Th e r esta urant serves
inexpensive food, mostly stir-fries. Fan $5 ; a/c $10
Fairyland Hotel 99 Street 141 T 023 214510,
E [e-mail]; map pp.58-59. A
sparkling guesthouse built in a marble-floored tower with
immaculate a/c rooms and a lift - definitely more hotel

Mad Monkey 26 Street 302 T 023 987091,
W phnompenhhostels.com; map p.66. This well-run
hostel isn't the cheapest but the a/c dorms have big, cosy