Golden Beach Resort

The beach was stunning, with soft white sand, clear water, and beautiful views. I also loved the food. There were plenty of choices, and everything I tried tasted fresh and full of flavor, with lovely presentation. My room was spacious, clean, and comfortable after a day in the sun. The staff were friendly, always willing to help, and made me feel at home. From the moment I arrived, I had a wonderful stay and would happily return. Highly recommended.

The beach was cleaned and raked every day, and the staff were amazing. We spent five nights in a beachfront bungalow, with tasteful decor, a comfortable bed, and a great shower. The road between the bungalow and beach didn’t bother us. Breakfast was decent, and we’ll certainly return. Highly recommended.

We left disappointed and uncomfortable, despite coming in ready to order lunch and spend time there. We’d heard a very positive recommendation from friends who had visited the previous day, so our family group, adults and young children from Phnom Penh, Paris and New York, came to the hotel restaurant hoping for a meal and for the children to use the pool or beach afterward. Before ordering, we asked whether buying food would let us use the pool or beach loungers. Staff said it would. After we tried to settle by the pool, the manager apparently spoke to them, and we were told there was an extra $10 charge per person on top of the food. We then asked about the beach loungers and were told there’d be no fee. Once we’d settled there, though, we were again told it would cost another $10 per person. We asked if we could just eat at the regular beach tables. Staff checked with the manager again, then told us the umbrellas were broken and it might be “too hot for us.” We were essentially told we couldn’t sit there either and should go somewhere else. I can’t tell whether this was disorganization, a policy change, or something else, but it made us feel unwelcome. A simple option would have been to invite us to eat first and then check whether the pool or beach was available. I heard in a business seminar that you should treat every customer as if they were billionaires, and I believe hospitality works best with that mindset. We didn’t experience the warm hospitality Cambodia is normally known for.

We really enjoyed our stay at Golden Beach Resort. Staff met us at the pier and brought our bags to the resort by tuk tuk. It was only a short walk away, and our beach view room was ready early, so they let us check in ahead of time after a long journey. Everyone was friendly and helpful. The room was excellent, with ocean views and a perfect bathroom. The shower had the best water pressure. There is a narrow, busy road in front of the resort and the ocean view rooms, though. Breakfast was lovely, with a buffet plus fried eggs, omelettes, pancakes, fresh pastries, and fruit like mango, pineapple, and watermelon. We had the beachside barbecue one night and ordered from the menu another night. The pizza was outstanding. Cocktails were available at the restaurant, beach, or pool, though there wasn’t a happy hour. The beach was immaculate and swept each morning, and loungers were reserved for guests. There were complimentary paddle boards, plus table tennis and chess set up on the beach. We also treated ourselves to a beachside massage on our first night. There are three pools with plenty of seats and loungers, and beach towels are exchanged through a complimentary token system. It’s in a higher price bracket on the island, but I think the quality is at an international level and makes it good value if you want a treat.