Oudom Sambath Hotel & Restaurant

We had lunch here while traveling from Rathanakiri. The restaurant was accommodating, and both the food and portion size were acceptable, though the price was a little high.

Our suite on the top floor was spacious and very comfortable, with an amazing sunset view over the Mekong river. The man at reception, whose name we didn't get, was professional and spoke excellent English. We were disappointed with breakfast.

The manager was very nice and spoke excellent English, but he seemed to be the only staff member who spoke it, so ask for him. We paid $15 a night for an AC room on the top floor, which felt like a fair price. It's an old hotel still popular with locals, and there are some problems: WiFi didn't work in the upstairs rooms, though it did in the restaurant and on the first floor. The refrigerator was completely out, too. The AC was so powerful it froze me at night, while the blanket wasn't warm enough, so I had to turn the unit off. Laundry service took two days to return my clothes because of communication problems. The riverfront location and top-floor spot for watching the river and sunset were great. It wasn't the worst place I've stayed, and with some improvements it could be a great hotel. With the Covid crisis and so little tourism in the city, it's impressive they're still operating.

We wished we'd had more time here. The owner was terrific and quick to respond, and breakfast was fresh with good coffee. The rooms were clean, with high ceilings, heavy Chinese-style furniture, and huge, comfortable beds. It's a simple place with real charm. The hotel has a Chinese style and feels very local, with a noisy, busy dining area used by lots of local business people and government types. I give it four stars for what it is.