Montra Nivesha

Rooms

The rooms all share the same traditional style, by which we mean the Bangkok tradition of ca. 1973. Expect wood floors, panelled ceilings, big beds and chests, all varnished to a deep shade of brown. Most rooms are big, none are small, and each comes with wooden armchairs and a surfeit of decorative objects. It’s worth splashing out on a first-floor Deluxe Double/Twin Pool View rather than one of the ground-floor Deluxe Double/Twin Garden Views, as they get a smidgin more light and open onto a very pleasant covered terrace, with comfy seating at one end if you fancy a smoke. The Montra Suites have a Jacuzzi, and the Family Suites are perfect if you're bringing the kids.

There are scented oils burning in your bathroom, ceiling fans, shuttered windows and air-conditioning; everything you need to keep cool. Quirky bathrooms come with pink 1980s baths and good overhead showers.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

The deep dark atmospheric Reahoo restaurant serves meals throughout the day, with a menu offering Khmer food alongside Western staples below silken hanging lamps. Or, eat on the terrace overlooking the pool, with the gardens gathered around you and the odd statue of Buddha to keep you calm. Expect smoked fish soup with coconut milk, fried chicken with cashew nuts, stuffed tomato with minced pork. There’s a short vegetarian menu, too. Later, retreat to either the first-floor Rama Lounge or the pool-side Asura Bar; their signature cocktail offers a unique twist on the Singapore Sling!

Breakfast is a surprisingly solid menu, with homemade jam and good bread, eggs cooked to order, and the eternal congee if you fancy a break from stodge. There’s also Earl Grey tea, strong coffee, and fruit squeezed or chopped.

If you want to dine out, head to the nearby Wat Bo area for a wide choice of Khmer restaurants, or Barrio for informal French food.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• This ancient capital's principal temple is Angkor Wat: surrounded by a 5km moat, it's the largest religious building in the world
  
• Visit the 216 giant, stone faces chiselled into the walls of Bayon
  
• Head to Ta Prohm where the roots of giant banyan trees hold temple ruins in their mighty grip
  
• Banteay Srei has wonderful pink sandstone temples and exquisite stone carvings
  
• The night market is a 15-minute tuk-tuk ride away, and is full of great artifacts
  
• Visit The Tonle Sap, Asia’s largest freshwater lake, which floods with monsoon rains and teems with fish
  
• Bliss out in the hotel's Sita Spa. The Herbal Steam Sauna is the perfect way to wind down, plus there are seaweed wraps, honey milk Jacuzzi baths and an invigorating foot massages
  
• Reception can book cooking lessons at a local restaurant, language classes (if you're brave) and (fixed) hot-air balloon rides

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cooking classes
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Hot air ballooning
• Language courses
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Traditional cultures
• Well being

Kids

Although all ages are welcome, bear in mind that space is limited and your neighbours may welcome peace.

Family friendly accommodation:

The Deluxe Family Suite - Garden View has a kingsize bed and two singles. The Signature Family Suite is the largest of all, with four single beds.

Cots Available, Family Rooms

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Montra Nivesha is at the northern end of central Siem Reap, central Cambodia. It's a 15-minute drive from the entrance to the Angkor complex.

By Air:
Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (46km) is the closest airport. If you're flying in from abroad and can't fly straight to Siem Reap, aim for Phnom Penh Airport then take a connecting flight.

From the Airport
Public transport is confined to only the very biggest cities in Indochina and taxis are not always reliable, so as a rule we'd recommend booking an airport transfer through your hotel.

By Boat:
It's possible to take a ferryboat or speedboat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap via Tonle Sap lake (4-6 hours), but choose your vessel with care. The crossing can be extremely rough, the boats overcrowded, and the lifebelts non-existent. Some of slower cruises (2-3 days) are much more civilised - the hotel can recommend and book a 1-day speedboat trip or a 3-day cruise, through their tour operator Hanuman Tourism.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Cambodia and getting around