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Home » Reviews » Hotel Reviews » Review: Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor – Siem Reap
CambodiaHotel Reviews

Review: Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor – Siem Reap

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 5, 2024September 5, 2024 13 Comments

a white building with palm trees

a sign in front of a palm tree

I began my time in Cambodia at the historic Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, the original luxury hotel in Siem Reap. This is a very special hotel with much to love about it.

In This Post:

Toggle
  • Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor Review – Siem Reap Luxury Hotel
    • Check-In
    • Room
    • Food + Drink
      • The Conservancy
      • Elephant Bar
      • Cafe d’Angor
      • 1932 Khmer Cuisine
      • Pool Terrace
      • Room Service
    • Spa + Wellness
    • Fitness
    • Pool
    • Service
    • CONCLUSION

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor Review – Siem Reap Luxury Hotel

Known as “La Grande Dame of Angkor,” the hotel opened in 1932 and was designed by French architect Ernest Hébrard. This jewel of French Indochina remains one of the last colonial-era hotels in Cambodia and was acquired by Raffles in 1994. Notable guests have spanned from Charlie Chaplin to Bill and Hillary Clinton, from Jacqueline Kennedy to Charles de Gaulle…and now yours truly! 😉

My nightly rate was $388, but by booking with American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts my stay included:

  • 12:00 pm check-in (based on availability)
  • Room upgrade (based on availability)
  • Daily breakfast
  • 1oo USD property credit
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • 4:00 pm check-out

Note, this hotel was not bookable via the Capital One Premier Collection but is bookable via Chase’s Luxury Hotel Collection with the same benefits as above.

It’s located about 45 kilometers (55 minutes) from the new airport (SAI) compared to only 13 minutes from the old REP Airport that recently closed. Angor Wat, however, is only 10 minutes away and the city center of Siem Reap is walkable, though I recommend using a taxi or rickshaw (about a mile drive, which is a lot on a hot day…).

A friendly valet will greet you upon arrival and help with your bags.

a large white building with palm trees

a man standing in front of a building

a man standing in front of a door

Check-In

After arriving from Singapore, I checked in at about 4:30 pm. My room was ready and I was informed of an upgrade to a Landmark Room, one of the original hotel rooms dating back to the 1932 opening.

a reception desk in a hotel

a room with a table and chairs

a room with chairs and a table

a table with yellow flowers in a room with chairs and a large glass door

a woman in a room with a table and chairs

One very cool vestige of the past at this hotel is the vintage elevator that also dates back to the opening and that is still in full operation today.

a staircase with a wood door and a metal railing

a sign on a fence

a sign on a wood surface

Room

Each floor has lovely common areas near the elevator and stairs.

a room with a statue and chairs

a living room with couches and a coffee table

My room, 3118, was spacious (about 36 square meters or 387 square feet) and included a king-size bed, desk, sitting area, and balcony overlooking the pool.

a hallway with a checkered floor and a door

a black oval sign with gold numbers on a white door

a bedroom with a bed and a rug

a room with a door and a table and chairs a room with a mirror and a table

a bed with a poster above it

a bed in a room

a black closet with a black shelf and a robe

I loved the vintage phone:

a telephone on a table

A generic espresso pod machine was placed in the room as well water bottled in-house. A welcome amenity included a bowl of fruit, bottle of Prosecco, and a sweet treat:

a coffee machine and teacups on a tray

a silver bucket with ice and a napkin on top

a table with a plate and glasses and a card

a glass plate with various fruits on it

a small round object in a container

The marble bathroom was small, but included a toilet, bathtub, shower, and toilet.

a bathroom with a marble sink and a mirror

a shower head and faucet in a bathroom

a group of black bottles with black lids

a group of black boxes on a tray
Bathroom amenities

Food + Drink

The hotel offers several restaurants and bars, making it difficult to leave in a city filled with excellent food.

The Conservancy

My favorite part of the hotel was The Conservancy, a lobby lounge that includes a small bar in the corner (offering coffee and alcohol) and the gentle sound of piano music (with singing in the evening).

a room with a piano and a table

a room with a couch and a table

a bar with a bar and a bar with a bar and a bar with a bar and a bar with a bar and a bar with a bar and a bar with a bar and a bar and

a bar with bottles of alcohol and a counter

a bowl of potato chips and a glass of water on a table

a cup of coffee with a design on top of it

a glass with ice and a leafy drink on a table
Gin Basil Smash
a glass with a drink and a straw on a table
Singapore Sling

a hand holding a white towel

There’s also outdoor seating available (shared by Cafe d’Angor), though it was far too hot during my stay to sit outside, even in the shade.

a patio with tables and umbrellas

You’ve got to meet Raul…the hotel’s pianist in residence, who is both remarkably kind and remarkably talented. This experience places the hotel in a different league and is something worth staying here for.

a room with couches and chairs

a man sitting at a table

Elephant Bar

More iconic than The Conservancy is Elephant Bar, the hotel’s vintage main bar. Dating back to 1932, it offers an excellent menu of food (I had lamb…of course) and excellent cocktails. It is open daily from 4:00 pm to midnight.

a room with a bar and chairs and a fan

a room with a fan and couches

a living room with a couch and a coffee table

a room with a couch and coffee tables

a room with a couch and chairs

a man standing at a bar

a glass of alcohol on a counter
Negroni
a glass with a drink and leaves on it
Gin Basil Smash 

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a small basket of french fries with ketchup on a plate

Cafe d’Angor

Breakfast is available from 6:30 am to 10:30 am every morning (11:00 am on weekends), with a wide selection of local, French, and other Western food, barista-made coffee, fresh-squeezed juices, and free-flowing Champagne (Charles Mignon). There was even an avacado bar!

a room with tables and chairs

a table with white tablecloth and chairs in a room with a door

a table with different fruits on it

a display of baskets of food

a group of baskets of food

a table with different bowls of food

a table with different types of food on it

a table with bowls of food and utensils

a basket with a handle on top of it

a table with bowls of food and spoons

a plate of soup and a bowl of soup on a table with a menu

a sign with white writing on it

a sign with a bowl of food and eggs

a table with food items on it

a table with food on it

a table with different containers of food

a table with pots and bowls of food

a table with food on it

a chef standing in a restaurant

a group of bottles of wine in a bucket

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a cup of coffee with foam in it

1932 Khmer Cuisine

Khmer cuisine is available nightly from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm in a beautiful dining room.

a double doors with glass panels a restaurant with tables and chairs a long booth seating with tables and chairs a restaurant with tables and chairs

Pool Terrace

Food and drink are available poolside daily from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

a man standing behind a counter in a bar

Room Service

Finally, 24/7 room service is available…something I did not try this visit.

a paper with qr code on it
Room service menu in center QR code

Spa + Wellness

I used my hotel credit for a 90-minute massage…which may seem counterintuitive in a city in which inexpensive but excellent massage parlors abound…but the massage was great and I want to call out Sophanna for her excellent techniques…it was a massage that helped to get the knots out of my shoulders.

a brick path with trees and a pool in the background

a massage table in a room

a bowl of water with flowers and a cup of coffee on a table

a bowl of flowers and a bottle of water on a table

a receipt on a leather surface
That’s USD

The wellness area was located inside the locker room and included a sauna, steam room, and cold plunge pool.

a bathroom with sinks and a large mirror

a room with a bench and lockers

a person in a striped shirt in a bathroom

a plant in a pot

a black sign with gold text on a white surface

a tiled bench in a room

a bucket on a bench in a wooden sauna

two potted plants on a counter

Fitness

My only criticism for this property (especially when compared to the Park Hyatt that I stayed at next) was the small fitness center. While still functional, there was very little on offer in terms of strength resistance machines.

a group of bicycles parked in front of a building

a table with a drink dispenser and bananas

a room with exercise machines

a large room with exercise equipment

a gym with exercise equipment

Pool

The pool is the centerpiece of this property and beautiful both by day and night.

a pool with chairs and palm trees in front of a building

a pool with a building in the background

a pool with lounge chairs and trees in front of a building

a swimming pool in front of a building

a pool with a building and a building with a roof and palm trees

a two gold statues next to a pool

a group of lounge chairs on a patio

a pool with a palm tree in it

a pool with a building and trees

a pool with palm trees and a building at night

Service

Kudos to the lovely and professional staff here. Everyone was gracious and there was not a single bad service encounter.

CONCLUSION

I don’t have enough good things to say about the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor in Siem Reap. This is a lovely historic hotel, the kind of hotel that you absolutely have to at least stop by if staying in Siem Reap. It’s quiet, just 10 minutes from Angor Wat, and offers spacious and comfortable accommodations with great service. I cannot wait to return!

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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13 Comments

  1. Christian Reply
    September 5, 2024 at 4:19 pm

    Seems lovely. The Park Hyatt Siem Reap is cut from the same bolt of cloth although each has some better aspects such as the public pool at Raffles. My wife and I stayed at the Park Hyatt at the beginning of the year and were highly impressed. You have to do you but maybe it would be worth looking into on future visits. Also, if you need a driver my wife found one who’s well above average. Even beyond the ruins I’m getting to like Siem Reap more each time.

  2. Ed Reply
    September 5, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    Siem Reap is a blast. The last time I rented an electric scooter for 2 days and drove myself around the temple complex. There are so many small, cozy restaurants in the city to choose from, many set up by expats preparing food from the countries they retired from. It is worth planning a couple nights just to chill by the pool, eat, and walk. The town is already beginning to lose its quaint feeling so the time to go is now.

  3. Aaron Reply
    September 5, 2024 at 5:36 pm

    Just some constructive criticism, but maybe a section on how to get to and from the hotel…and maybe some info on what type of neighborhood/location it’s in.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 5, 2024 at 8:51 pm

      Added info from airport. My concern was that my visit was when the old airport was still open (13 minutes away) but wasn’ t sure how far the new airport was…I looked it up. Yikes, it’s 55 minutes away. What were they thinking?!

      • Christian Reply
        September 6, 2024 at 1:30 am

        They had to put the new airport far enough from the sites that it wouldn’t cause further degradation like the old airport did.

  4. Tennen Reply
    September 5, 2024 at 6:00 pm

    @Matthew, perhaps you hit the publish button too early? The conclusion is missing… And Grammarly (or should we call it Errorly?) strikes again. :-\

    You should’ve added a closeup of your Wellness area selfie; I can’t wait to read the comments about that. :-p

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 5, 2024 at 8:49 pm

      Somehow the Service and Conclustion sections get cut off…I just re-inserted them.

  5. Maryland Reply
    September 5, 2024 at 7:24 pm

    This trip report breaks my heart. I left Thailand because Raffles was on my childhood bucket list. I am fascinated by historic hotels. While checking in I was informed there was now a strike. Apparently in Cambodia they have strikes. Staff made arrangements for other hotels and transport for everyone. It was solar max hot and periodic gunfire in the evening. I was alone and flew back to Chiang Mai the next day, which felt like northern Canada.

    Sometimes stuff doesn’t work out. I will try again. Thank you for the trip report.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 5, 2024 at 8:50 pm

      I’m sorry that occurred but hope you can get back to Cambodia one day!

      • Maryland Reply
        September 5, 2024 at 9:10 pm

        Should i die before, at least I had this great trip report. Remember I never got out of the lobby!

  6. Dave Edwards Reply
    September 5, 2024 at 9:47 pm

    I want a trip report from there by all the new AA ExP’s that earned their status by booking rooms there in Cambodia but no showed.

    But the dumps they are booked aren’t as nice.

  7. WorldTravelGuy Reply
    September 6, 2024 at 9:28 pm

    This was the first hotel I stayed at in Cambodia about 20 years ago. I still have fond memories from that stay.

  8. Heather Reply
    September 7, 2024 at 10:50 am

    I adore grand old hotels and your review convinced me to consider this one.

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