2017 UPDATE: This hotel has closed and may be moving to a new location. The street food tour is still operating.
Foodies in particular will enjoy this boutique hotel in a residential neighbourhood 10 minutes from the centre of Siem Reap.
The RiverGarden’s owner is a former chef and she makes sure the food here is great. I had the best amok of my stay in Cambodia! The kitchen is open so you can chat with the chefs, hear the sizzle and smell the deliciousness. The RiverGarden also features a Cooks in TukTuks cooking class, and a street food tour so you can sample the local fare with confidence.
The hotel reflects the personality and priorities of the owner, so you’ll find touches like placemats with cute sayings and a friendly relaxed atmosphere. Kids will love the fish ponds (and the food provided to feed them), the wandering ducks and the two canine ambassadors.
Rooms are in two Khmer style villas, with big patios or balconies. The salt water pool is great for cooling off and lounging around with a cocktail. Near the pool every morning you can watch a monk from a nearby wat bless the hotel — a moving ceremony to witness.
From US70+ per night
– Staff epitomise the old-fashioned values of Cambodia and are genuinely kind
– The RiverGarden provides social support to the community to make Siem Reap a better place for tourists, expats and local people.
– The hotel is close to the river and set in a large garden, so mosquito nets would be beneficial.
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
Nothing washes away the weary stain of travel like a well-put-together rez-de-chausée. From the moment I walk into the Swissôtel’s lobby (designed in homage to the building’s original architect, Chicago legend Harry Weese), I feel like I’m on holiday.
Giving my name at one of the sleek concierge consoles, I linger under the whimsical raindrop-inspired light sculptures. Bubbly Europop floats from the adjacent Amuse bar, where stylish travelers sip even more stylish cocktails.
A bouquet of narcissus embellishes the suite’s clean white lines, which are warmed by worn leather accents. The linens are the kind that brides register for with fingers crossed. And what better way to awaken than to sunlight streaming over a cobalt vista of Lake Michigan, framed by highrises on either side like a parted curtain.
I wondered, more than once, how so modern a hotel nevertheless conveys such grounded warmth. A visit to the hotel restaurant—1950s throwback the Palm—settled that question. It’s an old-school, unassuming service ethic that makes the Swissôtel more than a mere flash of stylish modernity.
From US134+ per night
– Cloud-soft linens with impeccable service
– Downtown location and within walking distance of Lake Michigan
– Slightly overzealous housekeeping service – my travel mug was cleared away, along with the dishes from room service. (They eventually located it and shipped it back to me.)
Chelsea Batten
Review Team
You may forget you’re in dusty Siem Reap, this hotel is so chic. Designed by award-winning architect Bill Bensley and re-opened in July 2013, the Park Hyatt is a true five-star where your stay will be personalised and extremely luxurious.
The hotel is stunning, with art installations and beautiful places to sit throughout. The reflecting pool is the centre of the hotel; you can admire the view from inside the restaurant or the pink Living Room bar, or from a couch or a swing table nearby. Either is perfect for sipping a cocktail or enjoying the treats that accompany your afternoon tea.
Your room, one of 104, is an oasis of calm and is kitted out with everything you can imagine needing or wanting. There are two pools to choose from, on two different floors — the saltwater lap pool and the infinity edge free-form pool — plus a beautiful spa and 24-hour fitness centre.
The Park Hyatt Siem Reap gives back too. They have a strong mission of social responsibility, including supporting two excellent local organisations — the Life and Hope Association and Everything’s Gonna Be Ok — which educate and empower young adults to break the cycle of poverty. They support other NGOs as well, including the Angkor Hospital for Children, the Cambodian Community Dream Organization, Eco Soap Bank, and Naga Earth.
From US350+ per night inclusive of breakfast
– Executive Chef Pisith Theam’s talent and the multiple locations you can eat his delicious food (don’t miss the homemade ice cream in the Glasshouse!)
– Choose your welcome drink from an extensive menu and make your own Nespresso coffee in your room.
– The high tech layered lighting systems in rooms can make it hard to turn on the one light you need in the dark.
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
If temples and post-temple recovery are what you’re after during your Siem Reap visit, Pavillon d’Orient Boutique Hotel is for you.
The Pavillon d’Orient is close to the temples, just 7 km from Angkor Wat. Your room rate includes your own tuktuk driver from sunrise to 10 pm, and he’ll take you to town and to the temples (even pink Banteay Srei, about 40 km away).
You’ll be able to relax after all your touring in the hotel’s two saltwater pools, the gardens, the spa, or in your extremely comfortable deluxe room or suite (new October 2013). The open-air restaurant has delicious food with both western and Khmer selections.
The Pavillon d’Orient’s goal is for guests to receive personalised service and to have a big smile, and they go out of their way to ensure this happens. Staff are extra sweet, even by Cambodian standards.
From US105+ per night inclusive of breakfast, airport transfer, and temple transportation
– Want to eat after a morning of temple touring? Breakfast is served all day
– In addition to your tuktuk driver, room rates also include a car trip to a floating village on the Tonle Sap lake.
– Book in advance if you’d like a massage; there’s only one spa room (but it is spacious enough for a couple).
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor