Wednesday deals: Phnom Penh

Three good spots to rest your head in Phnom Penh

Hi all,

You know when you’re going somewhere you haven’t been before and you open the interwebs search for “hotels in …” and you get eleventy billion results? No? Please tell me your secrets!

With this in mind, last week I started a new edition of the Travelfish newsletter which goes out every Wednesday. In it, I select three places, across a range of budgets, to stay in a destination somewhere in Southeast Asia. They’ll either be places I know to be great, or that look like they should be.

For each, I’ll look up some prices on our partner Agoda, list them along with—as always—the direct contact details for each place. That way you can compare and figure out what works for you. Just a disclaimer here, Agoda is a Travelfish partner, so if you book a room through them a commission may be payable to us.

Ok, so where better for the second edition than the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh? I’ve got something for lovers wanting that “colonial thang”, a modern hotel ideal for those with young kids and a bit of budget, and a bargain-priced eco hotel.

Lastly, if this sort of email is not your thing, please note, you can unsubscribe from this without unsubscribing from the main Travelfish newsletter. They are separate newsletters under the same umbrella, so it isn’t an either/or affair. You can manage what you receive from me here.

As always, suggestions are both welcome and appreciated. Many thanks to those who sent me their favourites after the first issue—they’ve been filed away. Also a big thank you to the reader who suggested another version of this highlighting “the worst hotels ever,” but I’ll pass on that one for now!

Cheers

Stuart

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Three cool spots to stay in Phnom Penh this November

For couples: Pavilion

It might seem counter-intuitive to suggest an older property as a favourite when you’re writing about Southeast Asia’s fastest changing capital city, and yet here I am, doing just that. The thing is, while it is true Phnom Penh’s Pavilion has been around the block more than a couple of times, it does hold up well as one of those special hotels that is executed so well that it remains an easy one to return to time and time again.

While photos of the property might suggest it is a single building, it’s actually a gaggle of four. The much photographed reception begun life as a villa built by former king Norodom Sihanouk’s mother, Queen Kossamak, in the 1920s. Its architecture blends Khmer and French colonial styles, an appearance growing increasingly rare in a city determined to reimagine itself into a ghastly concoction of glass and brass.

If throwing yourself into the arms of colonial chic doesn’t appeal, then this probably isn’t the right hotel for you, but if you want romance, quiet nooks and crannies, a back corner pool few seem to know about, and long slow late breakfasts—in bed perhaps—the Pavilion belongs on your short list.

On Agoda there’s a double room on 22-23 November 2023 for US$88 all in, which is good value, but if you shift your dates around a bit you can sometimes find availability around the $60 mark which is terrific value. Want to compare these to their direct rates? You can contact Pavilion via the details below.

Pavilion: 227 Street 19, Phnom Penh. T: (023) 222 280. https://www.thepavilion.asia/

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Flashpackers and families: Penh House

If the Pavilion’s colonial hangover doesn’t do it for you, and you’d prefer somewhere more modern, then Penh House, over on Street 240 is another of my personal favourite hotels in the city. The rooms are over-sized with plenty enough room for cat-swinging—or an extra bed—and they’re also well decorated and comfortable, but the two things that really swing it for Penh House are both outside the rooms.

Firstly, I’ve found the staff here to bend over backwards helpful and friendly—really, I couldn’t ask more of them. I’m sure you can find obsequious staff—if that’s your thing—at high end joints across the city, but the humanity here I’m a big fan of. Secondly, the roof top pool is really something else. How many places can you cool off in the afternoon heat—or as a wild thunderstorm hammers the city—all the while gazing into a royal enclosure? Roof top pools in Phnom Penh are far more common nowadays than they once were, but this one remains a personal favourite. Should you drag yourself outdoors, the hotel is right on Street 240, with its snazzy cafes, bars and restaurants, plus key sights are but a short walk away.

On Agoda there’s very limited availability, but I found a double room on 17-18 November 2023 for US$93 all in, which is perhaps a bit high for the standard—shift those dates around to see what pops up—or contact them direct to see what they can rustle up.

Penh House: 34A Street 240, Phnom Penh. T: (023) 212 200. https://www.penhhouse.asia/

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Putting the planet first: House Boutique Eco Hotel

You’ll find plenty of joints in Phnom Penh who make a big deal about bamboo straws and offering free water refilling, but if you’re after something more than a bit of tokenism, House Boutique Eco Hotel might make for a good starting point. They do the standard stuff, but go more than an extra mile with considerable renewable energy use, up-cycling—all the wood you see on site is recycled,—intelligent waste policies, local products, well-treated staff and more. Best of all, they show a property can do all this without charging the earth.

The location, well away from the centre of town, might at first seem like an inconvenience, but there’s a traditional—and delicious—food market within easy walking distance, one which I once spent an entire evening exploring on foot with a street food guide. If you want a central location and tourist boutiques, this isn’t the best option, but if you want local, and want to support a business doing things right, House Boutique Eco Hotel is worth more than a quick glance.

On Agoda I found an eco room on 21-22 November 2023 for just US$36 all in, which is terrific value—contact them direct to see what else is on offer.

House Boutique Eco Hotel: 76 Street 57, Phnom Penh. T: (023) 220 884. https://houseboutiquehotel.com/

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Past editions

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So, that’s the wrap this week. I hope you found the above of interest, and if you did, please feel free to send it to whoever you’d like.

One request, if you’ve a favourite hotel somewhere in Southeast Asia, please feel free to send it to me, and I may well include it in a future edition.

Until next Wednesday then.

Safe and fun travels

Stuart