16 Best Hotels in Cambodia

The jewel in the crown of Siem Reap hotels, Amansara offers exceptional service, atmosphere, and accommodations in surroundings of understated luxury. The tastefully renovated former guesthouse of King Norodom Sihanouk has become a resort that exudes an old-fashioned grace, where guests enjoy the quiet and me-time comfort of being at home while being indulgently pampered in a hundred small ways. Noteworthy cultural initiatives such as performances and movie screenings supporting the disadvantaged local community are organized regularly, and the resort offers exclusive tours to the Angkor temples, where guests can even arrange a personal yoga or meditation class. The Spa offers an exemplary (by international standards) range of therapies for mind, body, and soul, administered by expert professionals, and the two lovely pools are a haven of highly catered relaxation. The simple yet sophisticated restaurant menu changes daily.

Set on two small islands located a 40-minute speedboat trip from Sihanoukville, this multi-award-winning resort epitomizes the concept of barefoot luxury. Following its name—which translates to "sweetheart" in Khmer—this exclusive island resort is Cambodia's most romantic and a popular spot for honeymoons, weddings, and anniversaries. The villas are all beautifully decorated with driftwood and recycled fishing boats, and come with private pools. Dining menus change daily and the exquisite meals can be savored in a variety of spots around the islands. With a world-class spa, daily yoga, and many water activities, you can do as much or as little as you please.

In a quiet neighborhood, close to the town center and river, this iconic boutique hotel charms with its understated luxury and discrete attention to detail. From the minute you step into the vintage limo sent to pick you up from the airport, you're made to feel welcome and at ease. Refurbished and redecorated in late 2018, the open-plan suites feature teak floors, heavy curtains, marble baths, and all have a private steam room. The main pool and poolside yoga deck in the gardens conjure a calm ambience, and the in-house Heritage Restaurant offers stylish and innovative dining.

At this luxurious seaside resort you can still experience the laissez-faire glamour of Kep in the 1960s and early 1970s. Once a fashionable weekend escape known as Kep-Sur-Mer that attracted Cambodian royalty and international celebrities, the new complex is once again luring Phnom Penh's elites to Kep. Accommodations are in four villas, three of which were built in the 1970s, and a seamlessly integrated fourth, completed in 2012. You can enjoy leisurely hours at the stunning pool overlooking the sea, yoga classes on the lawn, and meals at the resort's new restaurants including the still charming Sailing Club, where water-sports activities and boat rentals are available. Soothing therapies are available at the indulgent spa.

Not only will you sleep and eat in serious style here, your money will also help support community projects bringing clean water, transportation, and jobs to underprivileged communities via the Shinta Mani Foundation. The sumptuous hotel has stunning swimming pools, a great spa, good restaurants, and a cozy bar. Co-owner and star architect Bill Bensley is responsible for the flamboyant design of this property, which features a resort, hotel, and ultra-luxurious pool villas with butler service under the banner of the Bensley Collection.

The Six Senses might be a splurge, but if you're going to go all out, do it on this private island, where the 40 private-pool villas blend into the jungle. At the top of the island is a wellness center that offers the unique spa treatments and massages synonymous with the brand. There's also yoga, cooking classes, kayaking, and more. The food is a real highlight, with both traditional and creative Khmer cuisine, Southeast specialties, and international dishes on offer, cooked with ingredients from the resort's organic garden. There are two restaurants, along with an ice-cream parlor, as well as in-villa dining. 

The layout of these villas, each with a pool or garden view, offers privacy and relaxation in lovingly maintained verdant grounds, and your stay will help the owners' ongoing support for underprivileged locals. The bright, spacious interiors feature modern furnishings made from local wood in a minimalist style, and fresh, colorful splashes with silk cushions and throws. The bathrooms are large, modern, and serene. But Sojourn is a 15-minute drive from central Siem Reap. Its owners also run Beyond Unique Escapes, a socially responsible agency that devises innovative programs for interacting with, and helping the welcoming local community.

If you like the idea of a light-filled contemporary villa with your own private pool, this low-rise boutique resort is for you. Set on the riverbank on Fish Island, just across from Kampot's old French Quarter, the location is handy for visiting the salt flats. The one- and two-bedroom villas feature Khmer mid-century modernist-style furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows with tropical garden views. When you tire of your own pool, there's an infinity pool overlooking the river, and a private beach just upriver. Breakfast is served at the stylish riverside restaurant, but for dinner take the hotel's private boat taxi and venture into town.

Just behind the Royal Residence, this stunning mid-century colonial building was the former French Governor's residence before it was transformed into an inviting riverside boutique hotel. Remodeled and relaunched as an Avani at the start of the pandemic, it now has an on-site gallery with regular exhibition openings. Rooms and suites are in a minimalist contemporary design with gleaming hardwood floors and local art on the walls. There's an additional wing across the road with suites.

One of Phnom Penh's finest hotels is on the far edge of town, where it's long been a favorite of business travelers and tycoons requiring VIP treatment. For this reason the Great Duke may not be the first choice for many tourists, though upper-level rooms offer sweeping views of the flatlands surrounding Phnom Penh. Check out the wineshop in the basement for a unique collection of bottles with prewar labels.

While some Hyatts have a generic, could-be-anywhere feel, this luxury hotel in the heart of Phnom Penh couldn't be anywhere but Cambodia, with a French colonial villa that belonged to a Khmer princess housing the hotel's grand entrance, bars, and restaurants. The plush, spacious rooms are in a sleek building behind the villa and there's a stunning pool overlooking the National Museum and Royal Palace beyond.

Built in 1932 and still featuring the original cage elevator from that year in the sumptuous lobby, this grande dame was restored and reopened after near destruction by occupying Khmer Rouge guerrillas. "The Grand," as Cambodians still call it, is a fine remnant of the colonial days, combining French sensibilities and Cambodian art with Oriental carpets and wicker furniture. Rooms are large and elegant, with balconies that overlook the extensive gardens and the monumental swimming pool. The Elephant Bar is a must for pre-dinner cocktails.

Phnom Penh's ritziest hotel, first opened in 1929, was practically destroyed during the Khmer Rouge years and was meticulously restored by the Raffles group in 1996. A recent renovation has revamped this colonial landmark with modern touches. Surrounded by manicured gardens, Le Royal has an opulent lobby, a tranquil pool area shaded by enormous trees, and elegant restaurants and bars that are a world apart from the chaotic city outside. Guest rooms are furnished with fine Cambodian handicrafts in an elegant colonial style and overlook the pool or gardens. Suites in the main building include claw-foot tubs from the original 1929 hotel. The iconic Elephant Bar is famous for its cocktails (and happy hour), while the sumptuous Restaurant Le Royal serves Khmer haute cuisine.

Occupying the top 14 floors of Phnom Penh's tallest building, the Rosewood offers sumptuous lodgings with sky-high views that sweep across the city from the Mekong to the mountains. The luxurious rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with even more spectacular vistas, especially those overlooking Central Market out to the Tonle Sap and Mekong. There's an enormous indoor heated swimming pool, an impressive breakfast buffet, and outstanding restaurants and bars, including the rooftop sky bar, Sora, named one of Asia's 50 Best Bars. It's just a short stroll to the French Quarter, markets, and riverside.

This unique boutique accommodation consists of just eleven traditional Khmer wooden houses set amidst tropical gardens. The owners transported the ramshackle old homes from different parts of Cambodia to Siem Reap where they restored them into spacious, stand-alone suites, with stories of the buildings and their original owners included in each room. In some ways, the property is like a living museum, the architecture of each house representative of their region. The décor features bamboo furniture, handmade quilts, and rocking chairs. The shaded verandas overlook the garden or stunning pool. The main restaurant, Ma Om, is a breezy space serving outstanding Cambodian food, while the airy Long Table bar in the garden is the spot for sundowners.

Perched on a hill above Kep, this resort eschews the seaside to instead offer guests lofty ocean views and a nature-filled environment. Rooms are set between the lush foliage, with a series of shaded walkways that connects them with the main restaurant and the two slightly hidden pools.