8 Best Hotels in Cambodia

Once the home of a Chinese-Khmer timber merchant family, this historic yellow colonial-era villa on the banks of the Mekong has been immaculately restored to its former splendor, with the addition of a stunning pool and a new accommodation wing. The spacious suites are furnished with antiques and have breezy balconies with river views. Chhlong's colorful morning market is close to the hotel. You can also cycle or stroll Chhlong's Mekong riverside path, taking in traditional wooden houses, a Chinese temple, and Buddhist pagodas, or enjoy a spot of fishing.

A lush green oasis in the heart of bustling Phnom Penh, the Pavilion is set in a lovingly restored building dating to the 1920s, with a swimming pool surrounded by shady palms, banana plants, and jackfruit trees. Choose from more elegant, atmospheric suites and rooms in the colonial villa and more minimalist rooms in several adjoining modern buildings, four of which have plunge pools. All suites and rooms have four-poster beds and sitting areas. The poolside restaurant serves delicious Asian dishes and Phnom Penh's main sights are just a short stroll away.

Twelve Khmer-style villas, all with their own private verandas and charming open-roofed Balinese baths filled with plants and trees, fan around a large blue-tiled pool set amid peaceful gardens at this seafront resort. There's also a private mangrove hiking path just meters from Asian-fusion restaurant Chankiri, which serves a selection of Western and Khmer favorites. It's an ideal resort for families and romantic types who will love the private man-made beach and lengthy jetty, vantage points for impressive sunset views.

This oasis of Khmer-style wooden buildings, lush gardens, and pools filled with lotus blossoms lies along a stone path a couple of blocks from the river in a green neighborhood. Standard rooms are small, while superior rooms are bigger and brighter, overlooking the water and well-tended gardens. All are decorated with traditional Khmer handicrafts such as raw-silk curtains and teak four-poster beds. The open-air restaurant, in the middle of a pond, serves French and Khmer cuisine. The cultural show performed in the hotel's gorgeous theater, designed like a temple, is a must-see. A sister property, Angkor Village Resort, is farther from the city and quieter. Thirty days advance online bookings get a 35% discount.

This resort, between Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, offers guests who value their time and privacy a real sense of retreat from the rest of the world after a busy day of sightseeing. The cottages are laid out among atmospheric, verdant gardens rich with tropical flora, and the pool snakes its way around accommodations so that each guest has a private part of it. The classic Khmer style, with chic modern touches, creates a sense of comfort, enhanced by the service of polite, helpful staff. The resort organizes guided tours and will prepare a picnic hamper for guests exploring Angkor Wat for the day, or an afternoon tea featuring Khmer and international snacks on your return, followed, perhaps, by a restorative spa session.

Located a 30-minute drive upriver from the city center on the banks of the Mekong, this sleek, low-rise resort makes for a relaxing escape. The 18 minimalist suites are decorated in mid-century modernist furniture and Cambodian silk soft-furnishings. Overlooking the stunning 30-meter waterside swimming pool, the Riverfront Suites are the pick, with spacious wooden decks and vistas of the Mekong, Koh Dach (Silk Island), and the city skyline in the distance. The restaurant is superb and breakfast is generous.

It's just a 20-minute boat and tuk-tuk journey from Kratie to blissful Soriyabori Resort, tucked on the northern end of the tranquil island of Koh Trong. The traditional Khmer wooden bungalows set in lush gardens have colonial-style furniture and are decorated with Cambodian textiles and prints. There's a restaurant serving good Khmer and French food next to a stunning swimming pool surrounded by tropical plants and loungers. The resort staff can arrange all sorts of activities on the island and river. Call when you board the ferry in Kratie, and the resort will send someone to pick you up.

The design of this stylish, award-winning French-Cambodian owned boutique hotel seamlessly melds Khmer mid-century modernism to the contemporary eco-friendly style that Viroth’s helped to establish in Siem Reap. The airy spaces are cooled by ceiling fans, the flow of air helped along by retro breeze-blocks, while tropical plants drip from balconies. The light-filled rooms and suites boast long terraces, are decorated with local art, antiques, and bric-a-brac. Bathrooms feature black terrazzo tiles and big baths with rain showers. There’s a striking swimming pool at the center of the hotel, lined with plenty of sun-beds and umbrellas. The staff, who greet guests with icy towels and chilled lemongrass beverages, are some of the best in Siem Reap.