Hotels in Phnom Penh

Reviews of hotels in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

++NOTICE: This page will be thoroughly updated, with new reviews, HD videos and much more in January 2011. END NOTICE++

Phnom Penh is still very much in its infancy when it comes to tourism development, and this 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.

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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.

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City Villa - The City Villa is an apartment 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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