Cambodia's most luxurious hotels: Private islands, posh stilt houses, and a bed in a 616ft-high building
A number of new extravagant openings look set to turn gritty Cambodia into an exclusive retreat for the travel elite
The Independent | 26 September 2016
Cambodia has long been considered one of South-east Asia’s
more gritty destinations, perhaps better suiting the intrepid
backpacking type than the traveller accustomed to cold towels and
cocktails on arrival. But after the country’s first ever private island
resort, Song Saa,
opened in 2012, the luxurious potential of Cambodia caught the eye of
cash-splashing globe trotters tired of the crowds flowing into Bali and
Thailand.
And now the new wave of Cambodian luxury is set to make an even
bigger splash, with three brand-new, top-tier big-hitters set to open in
the coming months. Here, we take a look at the most opulent options for
new hotel stays in Cambodia. How well this new luxury will sit in one
of the world's poorest countries remains to be seen.
The Rosewood Phnom Penh is set on the top 14 floors of Cambodia's tallest building (Rosewood/Facebook)
Rosewood Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is one of the region’s more challenging cities - an often chaotic place where Cambodia’s genocidal recent history hangs particularly heavy. It is also, however, a beautiful destination, sitting where the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers meet and offering an exotic skyline of traditional Khmer architecture.
And there’ll be a bit of added sparkle come next year, when the
Rosewood Phnom Penh opens on the top 14 floors of the Cambodian
capital’s (and indeed the country's) tallest building, the 616ft-high
Vattanac Capital Tower One. Offering a panoramic view of the city and
the Mekong below, its position in the Central Business District along
Preah Monivong Boulevard places guests on a buzzy thoroughfare, barely
1km from top sights including the unmissable Royal Palace.
The luxurious development – designed to resemble a rising dragon -
will feature 175 rooms and suites, a 120-seat bistro, two specialty
restaurants and a sky bar on a cantilevered terrace.
In addition, there will be a relaxing spa with five treatment rooms
and a 20-metre swimming pool on the 33rd floor, no doubt letting you
make the most of those views as you do your laps.
Rosewood Phnom Penh is scheduled for completion in 2017 (rosewoodhotels.com)
Set on its own 30-acre island, the Six Senses offers villa-only accommodation (Six Senses)
Six Senses Krabey Island
The Six Senses brand has made a habit of creating fabulously
luxurious hideaways in far from obvious destinations (see its fantastic
village-like resort in Zighy Bay, Oman), and next year will see its latest open on Koh Krabey, a private island off Cambodia’s south coast.
Comprising 40 pool villas dotted around the 30-acre island – which
lies a short boat transfer from the forests and wetlands of Ream
National Park - all villas include a private plunge pool and some will
also offer that particularly dreamy tropical experience, the outdoor
shower.
An elevated bar will give stunning sunset views out to sea to pair
with your cocktails – and you needn’t feel too guilty about indulging,
as there’s a big focus on wellness here, too. The spa will feature a
menu of ancient Cambodian healing traditions and “multi-day rejuvenation
journeys”, along with yoga and detox workshops. A special juice bar
promises to incorporate the rich varieties of fresh fruits and herbs
from the island.
Fun-sounding extras include Cinema Paradiso - a poolside outdoor
cinema screening classic movies – and an observatory with astronomical
telescope and scheduled stargazing sessions is also planned.
Six Senses Krabey Island is due for completion in 2017 (sixsenses.com)
Just outside of busy Siem Reap, Phum Baitang offers luxury stilt houses (Phum Baitang)
Phum Baitang, Siem Reap
Siem Reap and its temples of Angkor are Cambodia’s biggest draws, and
for that reason the town isn’t short on swish hotels. What it is short
on, however, is peace and quiet, which is why the launch of Phum Baitang
earlier this year offered a welcome dose of tranquillity to the area’s
hotel scene.
Located just outside of Siem Reap, in the Cambodian countryside, Phum
Baitang - which translates as “Green Village” - consists of 45 villas
designed to mimic a typical Cambodian community (on the outside, at
least - your typical rural-dwelling Cambodian is unlikely to have a
Nespresso machine). Wooden thatched houses on stilts are dotted across
the lemongrass and verdant paddy fields, creating luxurious serenity
that’s still within easy reach of the temples teeming with crowds.
All the villas have terraces from which you can thoroughly absorb the
jungle feel – and 20 of them have private pools. The resort also offers
two restaurants: Bay Phsar, which brings local flavours to the table;
and Hang Bay, which draws from across the globe (think wafer-thin pizza
straight from the wood-fired oven in the garden).
There is also an on-site spa, aptly named “Spa Temple”, as it is
carved in stone. It houses five treatment rooms as well as a sauna,
steam room, fitness room, yoga pavilion and relaxation area.
Phum Baitang, Phum Svaydangkum, Sangkat Svaydangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia (00 855 63 961 111; phumbaitang.com). Terrace villas from US$270 (£193) room only.
This is how the villas are set to look at the new Alila resort in the Gulf of Thailand (Alila/Facebook)
Alila Villas Koh Russey
The hotly anticipated Alila Villas Koh Russey will be located on
unspoilt Koh Russey island in the Gulf of Thailand, less than 5km off
the coast of southern Cambodia. The first all-villa retreat from Alila
outside of Bali, the five-star eco resort is set to serve up pristine
bays, dramatic peninsulas, white-sand beaches and tropical forests.
It’s also a good option for families thanks to a kids’ club and
villas that offer the privacy of their own terrace, pool and garden. The
resort is due to open in the second quarter of 2017.
Villas are due to be completed in 2017 (alilahotels.com)
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