Siemreap Vasinh Residence

The restaurant serves really tasty food, and hotel guests get 30% off, which is a nice perk. My room was roomy and cozy, with comfortable beds, fresh linen and a subtle, pleasant smell. Wi-Fi was weak, and the hotel is around 5 km from the city center. Still, tuk-tuks are easy to find and affordable, so neither issue got in the way of my stay.

The staff were very friendly, and we enjoyed the pool, breakfast and free water refills. The shower was great and the bathtub was amazing. Our room was huge, with a wonderfully comfortable double bed, the best we'd had in three months of travel, it felt like home. There was also a small sofa we turned into an extra bed for our four-year-old. The hotel is in a quiet, non-touristy area, well away from the busy Pub Street. We rented a scooter, and the ride took about 10 minutes.

We checked out the next day and changed hotels. The difference was obvious, and we're now happy and able to enjoy Siem Reap. This place didn't meet even the basic standards of cleanliness, safety or hospitality for us. The room was filthy, with dust thick enough to write in on the surfaces, and the floor looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a long time. A bathroom light was out. The front desk boy said “his department” would replace it the next morning, but nobody came. We found only two thin, old, small bath towels on the bed, no face towels, and a bath mat that looked like a worn dustcloth, with large threads hanging off the edges. There were safety concerns around the pool and in the bathroom. The wooden deck seemed rotten, with holes in a couple of the worst spots right beside the pool. The shower window covering had lots of black mold. There were no rails in the shower stall, whose stone floor was slippery, and it had no door. One sink faucet didn't work properly and shot water straight at me. The food at the hotel restaurant wasn't worth paying for. We'd eaten better at a much cheaper motel. It was only open for breakfast and dinner, and we didn't see anyone eating dinner there during our overnight stay. The location may be in a quiet neighborhood, but the hotel is far from any shop or restaurant, even a small local mini-mart. Unless you have your own transport, walking outside would be very unpleasant, especially after sunset. The street was so dark in both directions that it didn't look safe, with no people or traffic around. Maybe we could have managed despite the lack of nearby places if the hotel had been clean, safe, comfortable and supplied what we needed, but it wasn't. The photos in the listings, including Booking.com, are false. There's no rooftop bar. This place seemed to be run without professional care or hospitality.

The staff made our family holiday a real pleasure. They were professional, outstanding and always ready to help, whatever the time. The restaurant also serves absolutely delicious food. We found the hotel intimate and peaceful, surrounded by greenery, and beautifully decorated. Our room was clean and tastefully furnished. The swimming pool sits in the center of the hotel and is a lovely place to relax. Highly recommended!