Phnom Pich Hotel

We rented two bikes for sightseeing, which was nice. They were in reasonable shape, though very small, and at $5 each they felt quite expensive. The rooms were huge, with high ceilings and two double beds, but the air conditioning couldn't really handle all that space. Our balcony door was stuck, and a wide gap underneath let mosquitoes in. The hotel seemed old and needed some upkeep and decoration, though by local standards in Pursat it felt fairly luxurious. There aren't many hotel choices in town, and we booked two nights through Agoda for $18 a night without breakfast. We changed our plans for getting to Tataï Rainbow Lodge and decided to cancel the second night when we checked in. They had trouble finding our Agoda booking and hadn't known about it, but cancelling sounded easy. At checkout, though, I learned Agoda had already charged me. I had thought my card details were just a guarantee. We couldn't get a refund for that unused night. If we'd known when we asked to cancel, we would have stayed and taken the night bus instead. The owners spoke very little English, which was fine, but made things harder. They said Agoda hadn't paid them yet and had sent a check to cash. I understood their concern, but they seemed not to trust that my girlfriend and I wouldn't also claim from Agoda, or perhaps they didn't trust the bank, and they kept refusing the refund. I was really disappointed. For that price, I found the place disappointing compared with hotels in the same range in Battambang, Phnom Penh, or Siem Reap. If you aren't expecting much, it may be all right. Also, the check they showed me was for much less than Agoda had charged, and the hotel said they couldn't change anything about the booking, so I wouldn't book through Agoda.

I left after the man at the counter copied my credit card. I asked if I could pay by card, and he said yes and took it, then handed it back. Since I hadn't entered my code, I asked again whether I could use it to pay. He said I couldn't. That's when I noticed the copies and asked why he'd made them. He laughed and folded them, saying he could throw them away. I took the copies back and left.

For budget travelers, this is a good value. The rooms are large and super clean, with a decent bathroom and quality that feels high for the price.

The room was good, the location suited me, and it was a good deal at £3 a day. I wouldn't spend more than one day in Pursat.