Teaming up with ASMA, Cambodia’s brightest young architects, Viroth’s Hotel pays witty tribute to the country’s brief flowering of modernist architecture with a double-retro bow to the tropical Bauhaus revival. Think Kampala, 1958: diplomats’ wives, remittance men, a table of quiet, intent fellows plotting the overthrow of the regime. But the crisp white lines of the 2 wings are softened by drooping vines and burgeoning evergreens, while public spaces flow gently into one another, from lobby to lounge to bar to pool, all furnished with vintage-style Scandinavian furniture.
A bold winding staircase leads up to an equally bold walkway connecting the 2 wings, while underneath a pool, tiled pristine white, shimmers in the midday sun. The 35 rooms are little oases of Tropical Modern, with more clean lines and top-of-the-range fixtures and fittings, each decorated with a few well-chosen and fun pieces of bric-a-brac (chopped palm fronds, mounted sickles, door knockers). Ideal for the young and design-conscious, and surprisingly comfy for everyone else.
Highs
- Bright, witty, elegant design and lots of welcoming public spaces, with greenery sprouting left and right
- A sociable bar, decent restaurant and serene spa with fruity treatments
- Lovely staff and a lovely manager, all keen to make anyone feel at home without being obsequious. Many remember your name
- An easy 20-minute tuk-tuk from Angkor Wat, and you'll be given a breakfast basket if you want to go for sunrise
Lows
- Bathrooms are compact and functional rather than lavish, and the towels were a bit stale
- Lying by the pool puts you slightly on stagey display from the lobby and lounge areas, which sit on lower ground
- It's not the quietest place on earth
Best time to go
Winter - mid-November to February - is best and also the most popular time: it's dry and relatively cool. Avoid March to May, they fry you alive. The rainy season - June to November - is also an option, it usually only rains for an hour and the rest of the time it's bearably muggy, and everything is lush and green.
Our top tips
Wat Bo is up and coming, and a welcome alternative to the screaming tourist and backpacker ghettos of the Old Market. New bars and restaurants spring up all the time. In the afternoon, wander up the river: where the hotels stop is one of the most idyllic spots this side of Wiltshire, pretty much still in the centre of town.
Location
Viroth’s Hotel is in a quiet side street in the Wat Bo area, a little north of the throbbing tourist ghetto, within walking distance of the river and plenty of restaurants and bars. Allow 20 minutes by tuk-tuk to the entrance of the Angkor complex, and around 50 minutes from the airport. Note that this is not Viroth's Villa in Street 23.
By Air:
Fly to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (45km). If you're flying in from abroad, aim for Bangkok, then take a connecting flight.
From the Airport
As a rule of thumb in Indochina you should arrange for your hotel to pick you up from the airport.
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.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Cambodia and getting around
Airports:
- Siem Reap Angkor International 45.0 km SAI
Other:
- Beach 540.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 1 independent review from i-escape guests
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