Monsoon Bassac Hotel

I was here for two weeks while waiting for my Visa approval. The location is handy, near Bassac street and a small market. Rooms are basic, and you can hear the street easily. There’s no smart TV, though the premium room does have a balcony. What really soured the stay was being charged $15 for a towel. I’d used it to wipe the FILTHY balcony chair, and I’d already pointed out how dirty it was and said I’d clean it. Maybe there was a language mix-up, but being charged for cleaning their disgusting chair left me with a very negative impression of the property.

The room was fine and the AC worked great, but the hotel is loud, so look elsewhere if you need quiet. As other reviews mention, the shower often had no hot water, even though the sink tap was scalding. Breakfast was self-service and bus station-level. For us there wasn’t hot coffee or tea, despite a cafe operating just a few feet away. I live in Cambodia and travel a lot. Phnom Penh is a regular trip for us, and we like trying different hotels. We won’t come back here. Rates are relatively cheap for the city, and the location is good, but the service was a mess from the start. When my partner and I walked in, the receptionist asked in Khmer, “What do you want here?” My Khmer partner, who is also a hotel receptionist, stopped in his tracks. It felt like she assumed we were a same-sex couple, a foreigner with a Cambodian, looking for a cheap room for a few hours. She softened after he showed our reservation, but was still unprofessional. We’d texted ahead about arriving early because of our transport, saying we’d be there in “one to two hours.” The clerk said early check-in wasn’t possible because she’d assumed we meant “one or two o’clock.” That wouldn’t even be early. While we tried to work out our options, a third person, presumably a guest, showed up. The receptionist stopped them on the way out and abruptly started chatting about something unrelated, without excusing herself. We were left waiting until they were both done. I noticed the sign at reception saying “Bad English, Good attitude!” Then the receptionist demanded to see my visa. She said she couldn’t find it, though it’s the largest and most obvious sticker in my passport. Once she realized I’m a permanent resident, not a tourist, we finally got down to business and they honored the reservation. There was no friendliness, hospitality, or professionalism. The cleaning staff seemed to compete with reception. They held the elevator on the futz floor for over 10 minutes, so I gave up and carried my things up the stairs, passing other guests coming down.

The staff were really friendly, and the cleaning was on time, with everything kept neat. I liked the location too, right in central Phnom Penh with everything nearby. The street wasn’t too noisy, so the room was quiet. It was clean and comfortable, though not brand-new. For the price, the value felt fair, around 4+ out of 5. I was satisfied with my stay at the Moon Bassik Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The area was good, and I enjoyed staying in the premium room. It was clean, and breakfast tasted good. The staff were welcoming and very nice, and they helped sort out a booking error without any trouble.