Cambodia offers people from all over the world a surprising number of secure and modern facilities for tourists visiting the country. Investment dollars from Asia and Europe have poured into the region over the past two decades. The number of annual visitors to Angkor Wat alone has increased from less than 10,000 in 1992 to more than 2 million people last year. The Angkor area boasts almost 400 hotels in the nearby small city of Siem Reap including dozens of properties built by leading hoteliers.

Amenities

We visited Cambodia a few years ago and stayed at the Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa located close to Siem Reap’s city center on the Royal Park square. This three-story hotel captures the best of Cambodia’s colonial traditions and culture.  During most of the year, the ruins of Angkor Wat are hot or humid or both. You need a place by mid-afternoon to take a swim, have a drink, and enjoy a good meal before heading out early the next morning.  The Victoria Angkor is an attractive place with clean, air-conditioned rooms located around a central courtyard that is filled with gardens and a spectacular pool.  There are numerous gazebos and shaded lounge chairs around the pool and the interior courtyard to relax on.

There is an outside lounge and a dining room which offer true Asian fusion cuisine with some French influences that will satisfy the most discerning guest.   The spa at the hotel is also highly regarded.  Some Americans who come to Cambodia are concerned about the possibility of coming down with malaria or dengue fever from mosquitoes, but the hotel works hard to not allow the open-air design to create a problem for guests. The Victoria Angkor can sometimes be booked for less than $150 per night including breakfast, so this is a special property for a very reasonable price. 

Area Activities 

Today, Angkor Wat is often rated as the best tourist attraction in the world. It takes two to four days to take in the main sites at Angkor Wat. For the more adventurous there are several remote sites in the region still emerging from the jungle such as Beng Mealea to enjoy with a guide. The nearby Tonle Sap Lake provides a pleasant experience for people who would like a boat excursion around Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. The attractions there include floating villages, local fishermen, a bird sanctuary and similar activities which are best enjoyed outside of the dry season when the water is low from December to March. 

Location 

Siem Reap has a small but expanding airport which offers direct flights from Bangkok, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. Some people take a six-hour drive to Siem Reap from Thailand, but the roads are still a bit sketchy and delays at the border occur from time to time. It is also a six-hour drive from the capital of Phnom Penh.   The best way to reach the Victoria Angkor is to fly direct from Singapore on Silk Airways which is the regional carrier of Singapore Airlines. The hotel has an excellent concierge who will arrange a stress-free transfer and welcome for guests.