The Heli Boutique Hotel

The staff are really friendly, though they can have trouble understanding English, so a translation app may come in handy. The rooms are clean and comfortable, but the balcony is too small for two chairs and the hotel views aren't much to look at. It isn't a beach hotel, though. Breakfast felt limited and there wasn't enough. Still, I'd recommend staying here.

Mr. La really seems to care about this place. He’s the best hotel manager I’ve come across, and the staff are attentive professionals. The hotel is always clean, and the pool and patios are both a 10, as is the simple 1920s elegance in the decor. The pool has a personal, zen-like, meditative feel. I’ve been everywhere, like Johnny Cash, and the hospitality feels great whenever I walk in, no matter what time of night. My Phnom Penh experience goes back 25 years. This spa room would cost $100 a night in the US, if not $200, yet it’s so reasonably priced. Highest marks.

The hotel is nice and tucked away from the city's noise, though I did have some concerns about cleanliness. On just our second night, someone was smoking inside the hotel. The smell was so strong I couldn't sleep, and it went on until nearly 1 A.M. That experience with other guests really affected the stay.

The location is the one good thing I can say about this hotel. The air conditioning couldn't be controlled, the fridge door wouldn't close, and the room door opened right beside the head of the bed, among other problems. I had requested a high-floor room with a bathtub, but got neither. I wouldn't recommend it.