Siem Reap Hotel

Ten years ago, Siem Reap was a sleeping little town with a few hotels and guesthouses. 10 years on, the town is still coming to term with the rapid mushrooming of hotels after hotels. With the temples of Angkor, the main attractions, the town has seen a fast rise in tourist arrival and the growing of a variety of accommodations ranging from small budget guesthouses to large upscale hotels. However, with close observation, these hotels can be divided into 4 categories:

1. Family-run hotels

Siem Reap family-run hotels form the core component of the hotel service in the town. They are mostly run by local families and original residents of Siem Reap with only a few run by Khmer families from Phnom Penh and other provinces. The Khmer family often lives in a small part of the hotel itself. These hotels are often self-designed mostly in Khmer style, with some in French colonial style and some in Khmer-Chinese. Some hotels are refurbished former residential homes. Most the family-run hotels are in the mid-range and budget with only a few ranging above the 50USD mark. Since the owners are local, they are often good sources of information. Family atmosphere and flexibility are characteristics of such hotels.

Siem Reap family-run hotels are where you can truly experience Khmer hospitality, Khmer food and the local way of life.

2. Expat-run hotels

As the name suggests, expat-run hotels are normally owned and managed by a single or a family of western foreigners. They are mostly tourists-turn-expats and former backpackers who were visitors to Siem Reap in the late 90s. They came; they liked the place; and they wanted to stay a lot longer or for life here. These hotels are often in mid-range and budget, and are mostly concentrated in the Old Market area. In fact, most of the colonial-styled buildings in the area have been rented out to foreigners who would setup restaurants, bars, or shops in the ground floor and hotels or guesthouse in the upper floor. Western atmosphere, bars, restaurants and nightlife are the characteristics of such places.

3. Hotels owned by foreign companies

These are hotels owned by foreign companies or consortiums of Khmer and foreign companies. Almost all are managed by foreign managers. They are large, upscale and luxurious hotels mostly seen on the Airport road and the Angkor road. The design is often a combination of Khmer and western architecture. The service is generally of international standard and the restaurants often serve fine western cuisine such as French or Italian.

4. Other upscale hotels

These are hotels owned by the rich and the powerful in Cambodia. They are often high ranking government officials, politicians or well-know businessmen in Siem Reap and from Phnom Penh. Such hotels can be seen in well-situated locations such as along the Sivutha Street, with some situated along the Airport road. They are generally large with 100+ plus rooms and are often designed to maximize the space with lesser attention to the exterior. In fact, some of them are seen as bulky blocks. The style is often Khmer mixed with a little bit of Chinese depending on the owners. Such hotels often host official and government related functions or meetings.

Siem Reap province guide

Travel tips