Aquarius Hotel & Urban Resort Phnom Penh

The restaurant made for a really good dinner, with excellent food and superb service. Breakfast was just as enjoyable, with dishes to order alongside the buffet and freshly brewed tea and coffee. We only stayed two days, but the staff were friendly and helpful from the start. They even offered us a cool juice while we checked in. The room was comfortable, with lovely decor, good air conditioning, and a great hot shower. The furnishings and decor in the building gave a strong first impression of quality.

We only had two nights and I wish we could have stayed longer. The staff were so polite and welcoming, and nothing felt like a problem. The Petal massage spa on the 8th floor was another highlight. I had one of the most relaxing massages of my life. The rooftop infinity pool and excellent restaurant are both on the 9th floor, and the facilities were super clean despite the building's age. So many places are within walking distance, though we mostly took a very friendly tuktuk driver for the fun of it.

The bed was comfortable, the AC worked well, and there was a powerful ceiling fan. We also liked the pretty breakfast area and rooftop pool, both with great views. Those are the reasons we gave it three stars, even though we normally avoid critical reviews. The WiFi was poor. We tried streaming on several devices at different times, without success. The pool itself is beautiful, but there were only 12 chairs by the water, and every one was taken when we came by at 4:30 on a Wednesday, before happy hour. The rest of the rooftop seating is tables and chairs for food and cocktails. For a hotel of this size, especially with the pool open to the public and the place branded as a resort, that seemed odd. We couldn't get daylight in our room without giving up privacy. The window faced what seemed to be an office building across a small alley, where people were still around at night, and the only curtain was a blackout one. A second set of white curtains would let in light while preserving privacy. The shower also flooded the bathroom every time. The door didn't seal, and the floor around it was inexplicably lower than the drain. Twenty hours after our latest shower, there was still a puddle by the door while the drain was dry, as the photo shows. As is standard in Cambodia, staff confirmed we shouldn't flush toilet paper here. But there was no waste bin in the bathroom or by the sink outside it. The only bin was uncovered, under the desk in the middle of the room. The stay was okay, but the lack of attention to detail was disappointing.

I still decided to walk in after scammers compromised the booking I had made through booking.com and I had to cancel it. The platform and hotel showed little sympathy about the fraud. One person in charge listened to what had happened, welcomed me, and offered a small discount and free breakfast as compensation. The room and pool area were nice enough. A few weeks later, I emailed the hotel twice about staying another two nights at the end of my trip in Cambodia, but got no reply. It was a very unpleasant and unfortunate experience, and I find it hard to recommend the hotel. I stayed somewhere else on my return. Be aware of scams.