Bou Phanith Villa

The bathroom was roomy and clean, but the water pressure was disappointingly weak. The water even stopped during my shower, then thankfully came back two minutes later. I also found it hard to locate the hotel: there was no sign or hotel name out front, and the entrance was small. The room looked nice, felt comfortable, and I slept well. At $17, I’d call it an average hotel. One staff member was professional and spoke English well; some others struggled with it, but we could communicate with simple words. I didn’t like having the air conditioner blow directly toward my head.

On my second visit to Siem Reap, I stayed here again. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from good restaurants and the market, and I found the location perfect. The staff are really nice and helpful, the quality for the price is great, and they offer free drinking water.

The staff were young and friendly, and the rooms were spacious with nice city views from the balconies. Breakfast is served every morning from a set menu. There’s also a pool bar, though we never saw anyone tending it. The bathroom was large and looked nice, but the raised plastic tub base flexed under our feet when we showered. We weigh 130 and 175 pounds, and both of us worried it might eventually give way into the room below. The room key is metal and attached to a big wooden block that can be removed. The lock takes several turns and makes loud clicks, which fooled us into leaving our door unlocked and open all day. There’s no elevator, and the rough street outside makes access especially difficult for people with disabilities. The hotel looks nice at first, but parts of it feel old and oddly put together. It seems like they may be cutting corners on necessary repairs, or had someone’s uncle do the work cheaply. On both Saturday and Sunday, very loud flute music and prayer services from down the street echoed through the whole building all day until 10pm. Sleeping in or turning in early was out of the question. For the area and price, the hotel is nice, but those issues stood out.

The location and value for the price were both really good, and the hotel had lovely rooms and decor. Staff were very friendly. Free water, coffee, and tea were available. My one suggestion: don’t pressure people to leave reviews :)