Hôtel de la Paix

Description:

• This chic, modern hotel is the height of cutting edge. The original design -- a sort of Art Deco meets minimalist meets Khmer decor -- is a refreshing change from the colonial-heavy influence of popular hotels like the Raffles or Victoria . This is not a chain hotel (the private owner is Cambodian-Thai), so the place has a personal and flamboyant feel to it. Staff is incredibly friendly and appears invested in providing a wonderful experience for guests. Spacious deluxe rooms come with black-and-white color schemes, accent pillows in deep purple, and silver wall hangings and lamps. A white marble bathtub lies a couple of feet away from the foot of the bed. Around the corner is the funky stone shower console with tropical shower head. If you decide to splurge on the two-story spa suite, get the corner unit (room no. 346), which comes with a huge balcony equipped with a private stone tub, lounge chairs, a love seat with a pretty bodhi tree bas-relief carving behind it, and a cozy dining table. There's a large, partially outdoor pool with an indoor enclave at one end. If you are around at noon, make sure to glance at the marble Apsara statue in the main lobby -- a single ray of light filters through a cleverly placed hole in the ceiling and shines on the statue's head. The moving design is a good indication of the thoughtful touches throughout the hotel that pay tribute to the architecture found at nearby Angkor Wat.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010
•  Very Highly Recommended 2010