| Bedbugs! |
Guest Rating: 4.3 |
robert K.
|
 United States
Solo Traveler
Date of Stay: 25 Oct 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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2/10 |
| Location: |
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4/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
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4/10 |
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| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
2/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
8/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
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6/10 |
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Beautiful grounds, wonderful ambience, elegant building, good (not great) swimming pool. 1. Bedbugs. Lots of them. 2. Bait-and-switch. The check-in clerk took me to a room at the back of the hotel, facing a not-so-quiet street, rather than the "Landmark" room I had reserved. 3. Stretching the truth. Why say you have a 25-meter swimming pool when it's actually 20 meters long? Bedbugs! I saw one running across my pillow in the early morning and squashed it, leaving quite a bloodstain. There were other bloodstains on the sheets. I counted over 100 bites on my left side and didn't bother counting my right side. When I attempted to complain to the front-desk staff, 3 of them said, "Thank you, sir." I wrote the manager a few hours later, and he replied that he was very sorry. He did not offer to refund the cost of my room, or even to pay for the antihistamines that I am taking to control the itching. He said that if I visited again -- at my expense -- he would personally guarantee that I had a better stay. At the bottom of his e-mail was the line, "We are certain that you are not likely to forget this life-changing sojourn that is about to unfold!" He got that right!
While bedbugs were the biggest issue -- I still itch, a week later -- I was also annoyed that the front-desk clerk, at check-in, took me to a room at the back of the hotel, facing a not-so-quiet street. When I asked why she hadn't taken me to the "Landmark" room I had booked, she said that this room was an upgrade. She couldn't tell me why. (English is not her first language, and I speak no Khmer.) The manager later told me that it was a bigger room. I, however, wanted the ambience of the Landmark room, not an extra 15 square meters. (Of course, maybe the bigger room was free of bedbugs!)
I also wonder why they claim, in their service directory, that the hotel pool is 25 meters long, when it's only 20.
Restaurant Tip : Restaurants in the hotel are very expensive. You can eat at some very nice restaurants -- including some excellent French ones -- nearby for half the cost.
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| An oasis among the hustle and bustle of the city |
Guest Rating: 8.3 |
geoffrey N.
|
 United Kingdom
Couple
Date of Stay: 24 Oct 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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6/10 |
| Location: |
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10/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
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10/10 |
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| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
6/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
8/10 |
|
The service throughout my visit was exceptional. Staff were very friendly, courteous and helpful. The hotel was spotlessly clean and well maintained.
The food in the restaurants was superb albeit expensive. The hotel is expensive for Cambodia and occupancy throughout my stay was low. It would have been a good gesture if they had offered free internet (as in a number of 5*hotels these days and discounts for those wishing to dine in.
The gym was rather small for a hotel of this standard. A wonderful hotel to wisk you away from the hustle and bustle of Cambodia's hectic capital city. Be pampered in luxurious surroundings and experience excellent international cuisine with a French influence in the excellent restaurants.
The Khymer decorations and furnishings take you back to older times making the hotel a special place to stay.
It to very interesting to learn of some of the more famous guests who have stayed at the hotel in years gone by including Somerset Maugham, Jacqueline Kennedy, Hilary Clinton, Angelina Jolie for example. The South Korean President was visiting for a meeting during my stay.
Restaurant Tip : Try the seafood buffet on a Friday evening and add on free flow wine for a memorable occasion.
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| Beautiful, elegant hotel |
Guest Rating: 8.3 |
alex H.
|
United States
Couple
Date of Stay: 04 Oct 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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6/10 |
| Location: |
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10/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
6/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
8/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
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10/10 |
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colonial style, excellent amenities, great bar scene, nice spa and pool, good breakfast small room, rather expensive for Cambodia, lack of Internet access, concierge's lack of English skills This hotel was an oasis when coming in from the actual city of Phnom Penh, which is pretty third world. The place is beautiful with lots of character and truly makes you think you might be in the French colonial times. The Elephant Bar is a definite can't-miss. On the negative side, our room was a little small and given that we were paying in Cambodia, at least they could have given us Internet access instead of charging something like US$30/day. Also, the concierge staff needs to improve its English abilities because I felt that I would never get a satisfactory answer to any question and often had to figure things out myself.
Travel tip : For food, hit the places on the River (Qway). Go especially during happy hour (good drink deals) since the city shuts down early. Travel-wise, just hire a tuk-tuk on the street -- it should not cost more than US$2-3 to get most places
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| Relaxing weekend |
Guest Rating: 8.7 |
marko N.
|
 Finland
Solo Traveler
Date of Stay: 21 Sep 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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8/10 |
| Location: |
|
8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
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| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
8/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
8/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
10/10 |
|
Hotel rooms are nice and service in hotel outstanding. Not really things to complain I went to Cambodia without any expectations. Service at hotel from first moment i entered to hotel premises was outstanding. Service attidute of the staff was really good. Hotel is old but it is very well maintained and defenately worth of stay. In hotel premises is easy to get feeling that you have traveled back in time to era everyones interest is to make sure guest in hotel is first priority. Hotel is nicely located, on short walking distance to water front and traffic nearby hotel does not disturb people staying in the hotel. I liked my stay a lot.
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| comment for raffle le loyal in phnom penh |
Guest Rating: 9.7 |
cheung P.
|
 Hong Kong
Couple
Date of Stay: 07 Sep 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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8/10 |
| Location: |
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10/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
10/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
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10/10 |
|
very very nice environment, excellent breakfast buffet no free wi-fi internet service I would recommend people to stay in this hotel
Restaurant Tip : go to the mekong riverside to enjoy some food in some chinese restaurant is recommended for your stay there
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| A great hotel experience in Phnom Penh |
Guest Rating: 9.3 |
andrew C.
|
 Ireland
Business Traveler
Date of Stay: 03 Sep 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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10/10 |
| Location: |
|
8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
8/10 |
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| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
10/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
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10/10 |
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Charming old colonial building spacious room, great bars and food. Reasonable price. Housekeeping could have been faster. For such a high end place- the gym was a little shabby. Was a bit far from the river but still easy to reach. I stayed 3 days at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh. The hotel has a charming colonial ambience- consistent with Raffles-branded hotels in Siem Reap, and Yangon. The Elephant Bar had an excellent happy hour. The pool and the restaurants were great. While it is a bit far from the river- I walked the entire distance in about 15 minutes. This stay was great value for the money- although the price I paid might just be the low season price.
Travel tip : The concierge was able to suggest two surprisingly good and inexpensive Khmer restaurants.
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| Great place for a short break. |
Guest Rating: 9.3 |
irene Y.
|
United Kingdom
Couple
Date of Stay: 12 Aug 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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8/10 |
| Location: |
|
8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
10/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
10/10 |
|
Lovely colonial style hotel with excellent service. The Elephant Bar was too smoky too sit in. Service was excellent. Lovely restaurant. Close enough to the river and Central Market to walk. Bathroom was very old-fashioned but in keeping with the hotel. Needed a tuk-tuk to the Russian Market which cost $4. We really enjoyed our stay and would return for another short break. as most people spend the morning sight seeing, the pool is peaceful at that time but it can be busy by lunchtime.
Sightseeing/Attractions Tip : Tuk-tuk drivers will negotiate substantially. They are also happy to drive you around and wait to collect you - these trips are the best deal.
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| Nobbing in Phnom Penh |
Guest Rating: 10 |
thomas B.
|
United States
Couple
Date of Stay: 08 Aug 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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10/10 |
| Location: |
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10/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
10/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
10/10 |
|
Good location, great breakfast, quiet and mellow, historic I stayed here 40 years ago. It's in a little better shape today. It was a great choice.
Sightseeing/Attractions Tip : The Hotel is within easy walking distance of everything, but we rented a tuk-tuk for the day because we had so much to see.
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| Great experience |
Guest Rating: 9.3 |
tala D.
|
United States
Couple
Date of Stay: 05 Aug 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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8/10 |
| Location: |
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8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
10/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
10/10 |
|
True colonial style with a true colonial style price tag! I truly enjoyed my experience at the Raffle Le Royal Hotel in Phnom Penh. My partner and I arrived not knowing what to expect and were so pleasantly surprised by the hotel, the staff, the food: the whole package. It was a bit pricey ($5 for a can of soda), but as my internet package was so good it all worked out to a good deal in the end. I also appreciated the professionalism of the staff, and that when I had any queries or complaints (small) they were dealt with immediately. True service. True style. And truely good.
Sightseeing/Attractions Tip : To go anywhere, a tuk-tuk is best. Just be prepared for inflated prices outside the hotel. But with a little bit of negotiation you can bring down generally to what is considered fair prices for foreigner residents, that is versus foreign tourists. Local prices would be expecting too much. Ask the Conceirge for a fair price to where you're going before you head out.
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| Very Happy with the stay |
Guest Rating: 9 |
james L.
|
United Kingdom
Solo Traveler
Date of Stay: 03 Aug 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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8/10 |
| Location: |
|
8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
10/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
8/10 |
|
Lovely place, relaxing, just far enough out of the centre. Service excellent, I will be coing back. Highly recommend
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| Royal Hotel |
Guest Rating: 6.7 |
henry V.
|
United Kingdom
Business Traveler
Date of Stay: 26 Jul 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
|
8/10 |
| Location: |
|
6/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
2/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
8/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
8/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
8/10 |
|
- Good rooms
- Amazing pool
- Good food
- Lovely staff
- Location (relatively close to the airport) - Very expensive internet
- Room theft
- Location (not in the center of town) Raffles is a beautiful hotel and steeped in history (read John Swain's "River of Time" for a sense of its place in history). The rooms are great and the pool/gym are as good as you'll find in Phnom Penh. Location is okay (close to the airport) although not close to the center of town.
I had one unpleasant experience though. I had some money in one of my bags which I didn't check until I got back home and then I discovered that $200 had been taken. My fault for not putting the money in a safe but still very disconcerting knowing that someone had been through my bags. The bag in question was only in the hotel.
Sightseeing/Attractions Tip : Call up CLA (Cambodian Living Arts) and visit one of their amazing classes.
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| Phnom Penh |
Guest Rating: 6.3 |
scott M.
|
United States
Business Traveler
Date of Stay: 26 Jul 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
|
8/10 |
| Location: |
|
6/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
6/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
6/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
6/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
6/10 |
|
The pool area was quite nice, and the lobby lounge was comfortable. Room furnishings were below par for a star rating.
All the extras were extremely expensive eg. internet, mini bar, restaurants.
location was a little far from activities. The history of the Raffles hotel in Phnom Penh, is a reason to stay there, considering some of its past guests. However I found the rooms to be poorly decorated, and the ammenities lacking for a 5 star rating. The restaurants wre extremly pricy and the food quality was average. There are better choices in the city for a more central loccation.
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| Nice hotel but pricey |
Guest Rating: 7.3 |
michelle J.
|
United States
Other
Date of Stay: 17 Jul 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
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6/10 |
| Location: |
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6/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
8/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
8/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
6/10 |
|
* Great service at checkin
* Beautiful hotel
* Conveniently located My sister and I stayed at Raffles Le Royal for two nights during our stay in Phnom Penh, before we went to Siem Reap. The staff was very courteous and the service was great. The hotel was just a short tuk tuk ride from downtown. The grounds and architecture were really very beautiful too! The prices were really expensive though. We arranged for a ride from the airport through the hotel--that probably cost twice as much as what you could negotiate for yourself if you randomly came into the airport and found a tuk tuk. Also, a pair of AA batteries in their lobby store cost $4.50! They really try to gouge you there! I'm on the fence whether I would stay there again or whether I would look for a smaller boutique hotel the next time.
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| Huge Hotel with All the Amenities but Pricey |
Guest Rating: 6.3 |
tim S.
|
United States
Solo Traveler
Date of Stay: 09 Jul 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
|
4/10 |
| Location: |
|
8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
8/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
8/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
6/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
4/10 |
|
Location, amenities, nice pool Very expensive, too large for my taste, room not up to standard with rest of the hotel This is a European/American style hotel in the middle of a third world city. The place is sprawling and it is a long walk to reach the restaurant or other parts of the hotel. The prices are very high, even by American standards, and the food and drinks are overpriced as well. The rooms are fair but not great and don't match up to the rest of the hotel's decor andfeel
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| Raffles Le Royal Hotel Phnom Penh |
Guest Rating: 9 |
stacey R.
|
United Kingdom
Couple
Date of Stay: 01 Jul 2009 |
| Value for Money: |
|
8/10 |
| Location: |
|
8/10 |
| Staff Performance: |
|
10/10 |
|
| Hotel Condition/Cleanliness: |
|
10/10 |
| Room Comfort/Standard: |
|
8/10 |
| Food/Dining: |
|
10/10 |
|
Exceptional service
Beautiful Colonial Building From the moment we were met at the airport, we were treated to the exceptional service of Raffles Phnom Penh. The staff were the most polite, helpful and friendly staff I have ever come across. Exceptional.
The hotel itself is beautiful. The rooms were more traditional/elegant than modern. The happy hour cocktails in the Elephant Bar a bargain. The spa is more functional than luxurious. Great massage though.
Want to go back already!
Restaurant Tip : Romdeng. A fantastic non-profit, non-government and non-denominational organisation, its mission is to restore safety, health, dignity and education to Cambodian street children. At Romdeng they receive training in the culinary and service arts, thus giving them the means to raise income for themselves.
Excellent food in a beautiful terrace setting.
The really adventurous can try tarantulas or silk-worm larvae!
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