Siem Reap is by and far the most visited location within Cambodia – and rightly so. Not only is it the location of the famed temples of Angkor, but it is also home to vibrant nightlife, incredible cuisine, and all the action of a growing cultural destination.
When I decided to visit Siem Reap it was purely at a moments notice, and after scouring the internet for quite a few hours I decided to make my home base the Anantara Angkor Resort. Having been to well over 500+ luxury hotels at this point I was unsure what to expect as Cambodia is still an evolving destination and as such its often hard to determine whether a resort will be on par with the caliber that is expected in more established locales.
Without having to skip to the end here – lets just say that my expectations were met and exceeded.
Lets start with the first thing I loved – the location. Located less than TEN minutes from the airport, yet less than five minutes from the center of the city, the Anantara really couldn’t have been more locally situated.
The minute I grabbed my bags from the baggage carousel at the airport, a member of the hotel was there to escort and pick me up. Upon arrival at the resort itself, I was pleasantly surprised and excited to see an old school Jeep parked in front of the resort. Little throwback details like that are what still make me happy when I visit a new property.
The check in process is handled in the veranda of the exterior, and the service itself was 5-star in quality. Welcome drinks along with a detailed explanation of the property along with staff already moving bags into the room before I was even handed the key made for a very simple and quick arrival process.
The property has two main areas, a grassy courtyard where three dining areas are located, and on the opposite side a large pool where most of the rooms are situated.
Lets start with the dining options – Even though Siem Reap is known for incredible Khmer Cuisine, the Anantara hotel itself is actually home to three options – the first is a cooking experience (Yes, you can learn how to make Khmer cuisine with the chefs here), the second is an outdoor restaurant which is actually home to the number ONE ranked restaurant in Siem Reap (Chi), and the third is the main indoor restaurant which is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
The rooms themselves are gorgeous affairs, with wooden flooring, fantastically linened beds, and in my case, a suite with its own pool, outdoor shower, and dining table fit for a party of 8. I spent a good part of the day between my private pool, the main pool, room service dining (about 3 times in as many hours), and just relaxing in the suite.
When it came to public spaces, I explored the property and was pleased to find that not only did they have a rooftop garden where all the herbs were grown for the on site restaurants, but that the spa was a gorgeous affair with stunning views of the main courtyard.
Overall, I was overwhelmingly surprised and excited by my stay here. All the boxes were checked at this hotel. Superb service with attention to tiny details like the way I liked my room service (with extra hot sauce!), concierge service that included a personalized tour of Angkor Wat avoiding most of the tourist trap areas, incredible location, and impeccably designed rooms that were modern, relaxing, and graciously local in feel.
If you’re going to Siem Reap, or visiting Angkor and all the surrounding cultural areas, you definitely can’t go wrong with the Anantara.
RATING:
Hard Product:
-Location (How close is this to top attractions in the surrounding area?)
Absolutely phenomenal, and close to everything you could need. Not walking distance to the main town but close enough.
9/10
-Cleanliness (Is the grout in the bathroom clean? How good is maid service here?)
Attention to all the details was key here
9/10
-Upkeep (Is the hotel in need of a remodel, or is it being constantly kept up?)
This is a newer property, nothing at fault here, however the spa was in the middle of a renovation
9/10
-Public Spaces (How unique/inventive/useful are the public spaces?)
As a smaller resort there were not a ton of public spaces, but with enough options of places to lounge around or relax in, this was a great hideout from the hustle and bustle of the city
8/10
Soft Product:
-Service (How good is the service here?)
Extremely attentive and kind staff, this was incredible. Communication in English was incredibly easy
9/10
-Restaurants On-Site (Are the restaurants on site somewhere even the locals would go to?)
Amazing food, actually the best I had while in Siem Reap
10/10
-Concierge (Specifically, how effective is the Concierge at helping you with a new locale?)
Everything was attended to, including tours into the city, drivers and transportation, and even small details like cold towels for use during a hot day in Angkor Wat
10/10
TOTAL: 64/70
(35/70 is average)
PROS:
- Modern yet true to the Khmer heritage
- Stunning suites that I didn’t want to leave
- Such kind and amazing staff, from the front office all the way to the wait staff
CONS:
- At this price point there really are none, just take my advice and stay here
SECRETS:
- Book your tours to Angkor through the Concierge, and also ask them about their special Jeep tours
