There are several reviews on the asiahotels.com website - all are positive. It is French colonial style hotel with 130 rooms that opened December 2003. Price is about the same or slightly less than the Sofitel. I will definitely consider it.

I checked tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews - not much on the Victoria but recent reviews of the Pansea have not been good at all. The Shinta Mani is the top rated hotel with many excellent reviews - apparently the owners are building a new larger hotel which opens in May. Sofitel, the #2 ranked hotel also received good reviews.

Craig: have you found any feed back on your web sites about the Days Inn? Now I am vascillating between Shinta Mani (as that wa smy first choice a while ago) or Days Inn which came back with all inclusive (incl airport r/t) of $65 last night. FCC Cambodia, based on report here seems just too much at$120 for what it offers.thanks Jan

Janak626 - I saw nothing on the Days Inn.

Janak626
The rate you got for the Days Inn seems a little high for an April booking. They are showing on the Direct Room website for $50 and for $46 on this site
ahttp://www.passionasia.com/ Both are inclusive of taxes/service charge and breakfast but not airport transfers. Taxi is around $6 each way. Agree that the FCC is overpriced. The one in Phnom Penh is just as nice and charges only half the rate.   

Craig, I just checked the Shinta Mani web site again. Did you see wherein for whatever amount you want to donate, one can buy a pair pf piglets for a family to raise, buy a bicycle for a kid to ride to school, repair a well, purchase school supplies and so on? How cool is all of that for those of us with many heartstrings to be pulled in the name of the world's forgotten people? Am in the process of booking there for 2 nights in early April. what did you decide? (fortunately, ahve not paid any deposits anywhere else, yet.)I appreciate allof your feedback. Jan

I have just booked a room at Angkor Hotel; it's deluxe for US$60 for 4 nights, so $240 in total (inclusive of taxes). That includes a free transfer to the airport, although I don't believe it includes breakfast. Not that it matters, as hotel breakfasts usually turn out to be horrible anyway.

Will report on the hotel when I get back.

Janak626 - I do not have to make any decisions on hotels for a while as my trip is not until Feb. 2006. Very cool about the Shinta Mani though.

checked 6 (SIX!!!) web sites and just booked Shinta Mani for April @ $89 on www.precisionreservation.com (same site as www.planetholiday.com,btw) all inclusive for 2. thanks for getting me back on track, Craig...and my friends all want to "buy" pairs of piglets. just think of the possibilities......

yeh, definitely have those piglets on my shopping list also...

craig---i think i know someone who does not want to raise piglets??

Bob & Craig: I've enjoyed this thread and thank you, again for your help. A while ago, I emailed my list of friends and asked for any kind of school supplies to bring to Siem Reap. I received tons, incl solar powered calculators which our guide suggested. (Once I off-load those things, then the shopping begins---fair trade in my mind) Now, I sent one asking for piglets, et.al. I will post about the Shinta Mani as well as all the rest. Jan

Janak626 - The rate you got of $89 for the Shinta Mani is not all inclusive. That rate is $110 as per the web site. Several sites list it for less than this such as http://www.cambodia-travel.com/shint...hotel/room.htm for $95.

Scotters; I owe you one. THANK YOU. the former site was willing to match the lower fare via a credit but since the res. wasn't confirmed, I canceled it out and booked through your site @ $95. I really appreciate the link. btw, do you have a secret site for 'the lowest" BKK fares? take care, Jan

Jan: I'll be interested to read your feedback on both the Shinta Mani and the Day's Inn when you return. They nearly face each other on the street...

azucena. I have certainly vascillated now haven't I? Shinta Mani is where I started months ago. Ther idea of buying school uniforms and piglets is quite endearing. I will post, compare, and so on. thanks for your time and feedback, too.

a good bkk site is: www.huahin.20m.com and slightly lower is www.asiavoyage24.com....i have only used the hua hin site...

Scotters: great web site for reservations. already have confirmation back and $95 all inclusive includes airport r/t transfer. good deal. thanks. Bob, will try huahin site for that extra night in BKK. thank you