julies

I'm overwhelmed with all of the choices of lodging (and I've been looking at suggestions from people here). I've read here that Siem Reap is turning into a little Las Vegas feel (yuk!) type area with non-stop hotels and tourists. I've already figured out that we do not want to be on a main hotel strip type area, and we don't want to be in the chaos of Pub Street. Now I am trying to figure out which area is where we want to stay.

Do we want to be north of the downtown towards Angkor Wat? Do we want to be east of the river? Do we want to be in a location where we can always walk if we want to get to the restaurants? Is a place slightly further out where we'd probably need a tuk tuk most of the time a better choice? Normally we prefer to be in walkable locations, but maybe that isn't the best choice in this city.

We've visited developing countries before and are fine with having to walk down a dusty alley or two to get to our accommodation, and we are not afraid of being in an area that is more local than tourist.

We'd like quiet (if that is possible in Asia) yet fairly convenient as far as location.

Can those of you who have visited please give me suggestions about which general area I should be targeting in my search? We are looking at a stay for six nights, and I don't want to get it wrong and be stuck.

Thanks much.

crellston

The two places we stayed at last year were the Hollywood Angkor Boutique hotel. In a good location, maybe 10 mins walk to pub street but very quiet. A nicely designed modern place, good sized well furnished rooms. Handy for restaurants. $50

The other places was the Seven Candles Guesthouse. More basic but still comfortable. Further out in a less trendy, more local area maybe a 20 min walk to the centre. Lots of good "local" restaurants nearby. Very helpful staff. $25

Personally, I would always favour a place where I can walk to restaurants rather than rely on transport.

There are other places we have stayed at that like the Foreign Correspondents Club which were very nice, but not that quiet. I would avoid the main drag out to Angkor unless you enjoy the company of hordes of tour groups!

needmorevacation

Victoria Angkor, walk able to town but very quiet. A little oasis!

Mutti

We stayed at Golden Temple Villa. It was a wonderful, inexpensive place for us. The rooms were air conditioned and we were offered a free wonderful massage one day. I will say it wasn't fancy, but the service we got was beyond compare. We even sent our laundry out and it came back neatly folded and smelling like sunshine. The meals on site were nothing special, just convenient for an early morning trip to the temples. We had a 5-10 walk to pub street, but it was mostly quiet.

If in need of a guide, I cannot say enough wonderful things about Ankor Journeys. A woman run business, this service included an air conditioned vehicle with a driver and guide. Kanha Reath is the owner and as a teenager, hiked all through the temple area. She is very knowledgeable and met all our requests. A valuable asset to her country!

Enjoy your trip, M.

LancasterLad

Stayed at a place called the Angkoriana for a few nights. Opposite the National Museum on the way to Angkor, quiet and set back from the road, about 15 minutes walk to the tourist area. No complaints.

HappyTrvlr

There lots of rpurists at the temples but Siem Reap in no way resembles a Las Vegas type of town.

julies

Glad to hear it is not really like Las Vegas!

Mutti--I am going to follow up on your suggestion for the guide.

I've spent many more hours finding a hotel than I ever thought I would. I've got the problem that this is rather last minute, and I am looking for 6 nights (we'll be arriving straight from the US so will need some down time too to recuperate from jet lag). Plus, I'll admit that for 6 nights I am rather picky about where we'll stay.

I've looked at all the suggestions I have gotten here and in other posts. Many places had no availability for my dates, but I tried to take into account locations that people had mentioned and been pleased with. This is what I have booked, and I can still cancel so if anyone thinks this is a bad location, please let me know. It is on the east side of the river and back about two blocks, and across the bridge at Hospital Street.

http://www.solitairedamnak.com/

Thanks for all of your assistance.

progol

julies,
It's a great location for accessibility to the downtown area but not actually in it. We stayed in the Golden Temple hotel which is on High School Street, which parallels the street you will be on. Although the road we were on was very busy, once inside the hotel, it felt very removed and there was a sense of being away from any action. If memory serves well, the road that your hotel is on is not quite so busy.

A few impressions of Siem Reap -- it's a very hectic city, much more urban than I expected, so we were a bit shocked when we arrived. It was also incredibly dusty, and the only place we ended up using masks as we did travel by tuk-tuk when touring.

progol

I submitted the post accidentally -- and meant to add --

While we enjoyed visiting the sites, we did find the main temples (Angkor Wat, etc), incredibly crowded which made the experience less than we had hoped for. The secondary temples were more manageable, often making it a more pleasing touring experience.

Given your general desire to avoid touristy destinations and crowds, I just thought you'd like to be prepared for the experience!

julies

progol--

Thanks for the caution (and the reaffirmation about the hotel). I was already somewhat prepared for the idea that this would be tourist central, and when Lonely Planet cited the fact that Siem Reap's population is 135,000 I definitely knew that this isn't some small, sleepy, backwater town.

We will obviously stop to see the biggie temples, but I also have a list made up of some others that are supposed to be quite interesting without the massive crowds.

yestravel

We visited Angkor Wat around lunchtime/early afternoon when I gather lots of people head back to their hotels to escape the heat. It was not that crowded (or hot) at all, much to my delight. And second progol's comments about the secondary temples which we enjoyed. Our driver (we didn't have a guide) was great getting us around to sites when they were less crowded.

julies

yestravel--

Thanks for the live update since we will be there soon and hope for our dates it isn't horribly hot.

progol

We were there in early February 2014. It was quite warm and humid but not brutally so. I don't recall it being too uncomfortable and I'm a bit sensitive when it comes to heat.

There was a lot of haze, though, which felt more related to dust and pollution than to weather-related effects.

zoso

The haze is most likely from the National forest being burned to make Charcoal
to sell. Slash and burn.They are cutting trees down at a alarming rate.The forest
Almost all gone now.
Ive seen it up close and personal.I visit the area often and stay in what's left of the
Forest.

I love the Sofitel. It's the closest to the park.The pool area is very,very huge....and belive me....its sooooooo HOT in Siem Reap.
So,after a day at the park you will love to have a large pool to relax in.

Rooms are very nice and the service is excellent.
I've stayed at the Sofitel in Siem Reap Yr after yr. Last yr twice.

Enjoy!