I am seem to be finding the same price for rooms at the Sofitel, Victoria and Meridian in Siem Reap. We are willing to pay a bit more for a nicer hotel. Which do you think has the nicest rooms and overall ambience?
Thanks

the sofitel is very nice and the others are newer i believe so they may have more updated ameneties....the sofitel is in a great location on the way to the entrance to the park...i would probably stay there myself next time...have you looked at pansea??

We stayed at the Sofitel, January 02. The room was lovely, the swimmimg pool was lake sized, the service was excellent, and the buffet breakfast was better than Bangkok's Peninsula, and other meals were superb. After a day of touring, my husband called and asked if he could get his topsiders cleaned. Someone came within 5 minutes, and the shoes were returned, beautifully polished in 15 minutes.

Ask for a room overlooking the pool. The rooms on the other side looked out on an unatractive, noisy lane.

What about malaria pills for a three day stay in Siem Reap? I ask this question every year (twice now we missed the opportunity to fly from BKK to Siem Reap because I am so allergic to most meds and didn't want to be sick.) This time we're going.....(early March) Any thoughts anyone?

Talk with your doctor about anti-malarials. Siem Reap is a malarial risk area.

Your doctor can help you decide the best course of action. Malarone is the drug with the fewest side effects and you only have to take it for a week after leaving the malarial risk area.

If you really cannot take any of the appropriate meds, you can use deet, spray your clothing with pyetherein, not go out in the evenings or eat in open air restaurants or go out in the early mornings, etc. But you need to have this talk with your doctor as your individual factors will determine the best course of action for you.

From <b>www.cdc.gov</b>:

Cambodia: All, except no risk in Phnom Penh and around Lake Tonle Sap. Risk exists at the temple complex at Angkor Wat (Siem Reap).

We are going to AW in Nov., and will take Malarone.

Any more feedback on these hotel choices? I would really appreciate your thoughts on these hotels.

I can only provide indirect feedback. We are visiting in December and my friend who lives in BKK a couple of months each year contacted an expat friend of his who lives in Siem Reap. This latter friend recommended Victoria for us.

I stayed at the Sofitel in January. It's a beautiful place. Service was very good and the pool area is fabulous. The dinner buffet, indoor, was very good.

They also have a dinner buffet outside with some peformances on a small stage. If I was to do it over again, I would avoid this. The food selection was limited and it was not very good. The performances were fine but you could probably find better for less elsewhere.

Had a lovely room on the pool side. The bed was very hard and not comfortable.

I did get sick there. Maybe I accidentally gulped a mouthful of water from the faucet. Maybe. Or maybe it was from the dinner outside. Good thing I had a bottle of P-B.

I would choose a different hotel if I returned simply because of the bed.

Jodo: Just ask Dr. Kathie for a a consult on antimalarials--maybe she'll post her email address for consultations-and I'm sure that she can even write you a 'script; after all, she IS the expert on all of SE Asia, including medical/wellness issues.