Riverside Backpackers

The location made things easy: the river was nearby, a busy food market was just up the street, and there were two laundry places next door. I also liked the books and board games, and the $2 fruit smoothies are well worth trying. The Danish siblings who own the place and their Khmer staff were all friendly. My $4 dorm bed had a fan, fast wifi, and hot-water showers. I stayed three nights in late February 2018 after leaving a much less comfortable place around the corner.

The people working there were friendly, spoke English, and could arrange things like bus tickets and tuk-tuks. We paid $15 for two people for two nights in a double room, so it wasn't the worst deal, but keep in mind that you may get what you pay for. Our room was dirty, and a musty smell filled the whole space. We stayed for two nights.

The foosball table in the lobby restaurant was fun. My room was very basic and quite tiny, with a single bed and only a fan. The mattress was okay, but the cover had already developed a lot of lint balls. The shared bathroom wasn't very clean or hygienic, and the room itself wasn't particularly clean either, though it didn't smell. I'm not fussy, and this was pretty much what I expected when I booked, so now you know what to expect. You get what you pay for.

I left my suitcase locked in my room while I went out for lunch, and when I came back less than an hour later it was gone. The owner seemed very guilty but denied knowing anything, even though the owners were the only other people with keys to the room. I had been in Cambodia for eight months, and this happened in November when I was visiting PP to sort out my OZ visa, just two days before my birthday. After arriving in the capital and having all my things stolen within hours, I had to fly home. The staff were rude and tried to ignore me. I wouldn't recommend staying here, though this is just what happened to me.