Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra
A behemoth hotel by local standards, this 238 keys property exudes charms and elegance aplenty with architectural details like stately arches and columns and a large, lush garden replete with comely pavilions and water lily ponds.
When we visited, the beautiful Mouhot's Dream was undergoing renovations and will reopen in Q3 2018 with modern French menus. The Citadel has an inviting outdoor verandah to dine on the Asian and Western cuisine the restaurant serves. So SPA by L'Occitane here offers outdoor foot massage and various therapies within small but comfortable treatment rooms
Smiles and sincerity beam from most of the staff we encountered at this sizable resort. There is also a laudable effort to impress guests with exquisitely presented welcome and turn-down amenities but we wonder aloud why a glass of wine is offered at the bath tub but no staff at the hotel is able to make a bath to complete the experience.
A lot can go wrong when planting a huge property in a heritage town like Siem Reap and we are glad that Sofitel Angkor has averted most of the design pitfalls. Granted the dated rooms are not the most inspiring but the extensive lawns, large free-form pool and lush tropical gardens more than perk up guests' experience collectively.