Address: 46 Chu Van An Street, Hue, Vietnam
Website: http://www.hongthienhotel.com/
USD$8 w/o b'fast, a/c
The sleeper coach bus stopped us right outside this hotel which we'd booked with the previous hotel back in Hoi An which was quite a neat trick! They hurriedly took us up to a room on the first floor (as they had a busload of other tourists to pitch to) and although one of the smallest rooms we've seen so far, with a tiny bathroom to match, it had a sort of cosy air to it and was very clean so we took it up at USD$8 per night without breakfast.
The low ceiling helped make it feel like we were sort of in a hut or hobbit hole, with us having to remember to watch our head everytime we stepped into the bathroom! Cable tv, air conditioning, a fan and wardrobe were provided and altogether it was a nice enough stay. Too bad for the town of Hue though- quite devoid of tourist attractions so we only stayed two nights much to the hotel's disappointment (who never missed a chance to ask us to book a city tour with them everytime we went out/into the hotel).
Overall, a nice/cute time in Hong Thien. Right in the middle of a small cluster of backpacker hostels and a stroll to your usual tourist-aimed restaurants; about 10-15 minutes away from more local eateries.
Rating: 7/10
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Vinh Huy Hotel- Hoi An, Vietnam
Address: 203 Thuong Kiet Street, Hoi An, Vietnam
Website: none
USD$10 per night, wi fi, pool?
We were recommended this place by the staff at TM Brothers Cafe back in Nha Trang after booking our onward bus journey to Hoi An. They probably take a commission for doing this but if it's a decent hotel and meets one's budget, then there are two happy parties.
We were met by staff of the hotel after the bus dropped us off at the centre of town and taken by taxi to their hotel which suited us perfectly being exhausted by the long overnight journey. It's located on a street just past the busy Hai Ba Trung street which has many hotels of its own, on a quieter road occupied mostly of small local convenience stores. It's about a 10 minute walk down south to the Old Quarter, where the old buildings of the past provide the town's relaxed vibe.
Our room (USD$10 per night) was pretty clean, with a wardrobe, dresser, cable tv and a small window looking out onto the roof. The fan (no a/c) was a small one pinned to the ceiling and was set on high power which meant that you were either a bit cold or a bit stifled. The bathroom was quite clean, with the shower prone to be extremely hot; almost boiling if the tap was turned too much to the left hand side!
There was also a mini fridge offering chilled water and beer, as well as a basket of 'goodies' (eg. chips, chocolate) all for purchase, of course. Their choc chip biscuits saved us one night when we were feeling particularly peckish after having a light dinner earlier on of a baguette and baked beans which we'd previously bought last week or the week before.
The staff were overall friendly, with one thing of note: having been woken up at around 11am to a woman having a screaming fit with someone. From what we could figure out, the lady must have been a member of staff who must have had good cause to be so angry for a good 10 minutes, but didn't exactly demonstrate professionalism by her behaviour!
Overall, a decent stay in a tourist town. The room was actually frequented by ants, and is located bit further away from the Old Quarter, but not too far as to be totally lost in the common lives of the residents.
Rating: 7/10
Website: none
USD$10 per night, wi fi, pool?
We were recommended this place by the staff at TM Brothers Cafe back in Nha Trang after booking our onward bus journey to Hoi An. They probably take a commission for doing this but if it's a decent hotel and meets one's budget, then there are two happy parties.
We were met by staff of the hotel after the bus dropped us off at the centre of town and taken by taxi to their hotel which suited us perfectly being exhausted by the long overnight journey. It's located on a street just past the busy Hai Ba Trung street which has many hotels of its own, on a quieter road occupied mostly of small local convenience stores. It's about a 10 minute walk down south to the Old Quarter, where the old buildings of the past provide the town's relaxed vibe.
Our room (USD$10 per night) was pretty clean, with a wardrobe, dresser, cable tv and a small window looking out onto the roof. The fan (no a/c) was a small one pinned to the ceiling and was set on high power which meant that you were either a bit cold or a bit stifled. The bathroom was quite clean, with the shower prone to be extremely hot; almost boiling if the tap was turned too much to the left hand side!
There was also a mini fridge offering chilled water and beer, as well as a basket of 'goodies' (eg. chips, chocolate) all for purchase, of course. Their choc chip biscuits saved us one night when we were feeling particularly peckish after having a light dinner earlier on of a baguette and baked beans which we'd previously bought last week or the week before.
The staff were overall friendly, with one thing of note: having been woken up at around 11am to a woman having a screaming fit with someone. From what we could figure out, the lady must have been a member of staff who must have had good cause to be so angry for a good 10 minutes, but didn't exactly demonstrate professionalism by her behaviour!
Overall, a decent stay in a tourist town. The room was actually frequented by ants, and is located bit further away from the Old Quarter, but not too far as to be totally lost in the common lives of the residents.
Rating: 7/10
Ngoc Trang Hotel- Nha Trang, Vietnam
Address: 56 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Website: none
If you like a clean, hotel-like budget place to stay, then this is it! Located just behind the TM Brothers Cafe which is one of the most popular bus companies serving Vietnam, Ngoc Trang is the place to go. There's countless hotels in this beachside town which probably encouraged the owner to give us a great price of 150 000 VND per night (around USD10) when we were wandering around.
It's quite new looking, with clean sheets, a wardrobe, dresser and cable tv hung up over the smallish room. The bathroom is spanking clean, with one of the best hot showers we've had on the trip! No wi fi here but there is a computer in the lobby with internet access. After three days, the room was cleaned which was a nice gesture.
The Nha Trang beach, what everyone comes here for is only a 5 minute walk away, with the touristy area filled with restaurants, clothing stores and art shops nearby too. The Tan Son Pagoda and the local eateries are also within walking distance, but a bit of a further hike away.
Overall, a good place to take a relaxing rest in Nha Trang close to all the major attractions. Tucked in a quiet street, away from the roaring of the motorbikes is always a good place to be at in Vietnam.
Rating: 8/10
Website: none
If you like a clean, hotel-like budget place to stay, then this is it! Located just behind the TM Brothers Cafe which is one of the most popular bus companies serving Vietnam, Ngoc Trang is the place to go. There's countless hotels in this beachside town which probably encouraged the owner to give us a great price of 150 000 VND per night (around USD10) when we were wandering around.
It's quite new looking, with clean sheets, a wardrobe, dresser and cable tv hung up over the smallish room. The bathroom is spanking clean, with one of the best hot showers we've had on the trip! No wi fi here but there is a computer in the lobby with internet access. After three days, the room was cleaned which was a nice gesture.
The Nha Trang beach, what everyone comes here for is only a 5 minute walk away, with the touristy area filled with restaurants, clothing stores and art shops nearby too. The Tan Son Pagoda and the local eateries are also within walking distance, but a bit of a further hike away.
Overall, a good place to take a relaxing rest in Nha Trang close to all the major attractions. Tucked in a quiet street, away from the roaring of the motorbikes is always a good place to be at in Vietnam.
Rating: 8/10
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Hai Duong Hotel- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Address: 82 Bui Vien Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Website: http://www.fantastic-tour.com/
This was the first decent priced place that we found after getting off the bus from the airport at the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, in District 1 down south of the city. Most other places were about USD$12-20 and up so if you're on a budget, this is the place to go. As with most other hostels here, it doubles as a travel agent so it's convenient if one needs to book flights, tours etc.
Our airconditioned room (USD$10/185 000 dong per night) is great to walk back into after a day of sweating around Saigon and its crazy traffic. It's well sized, with a wardrobe, writing table, and comprehensive cable tv (including FTV!!) and slightly cleaner than the bathroom with its tempermental hot shower but is great value for this price. There's also free wi fi which is a great bonus.
Endless other hotels and travel agencies are located around this popular area, along with Vietnamese and Western style restaurants, several bakeries (like the ABC Bakery on Pham Ngu Lao Street with its rich chocolate cake) and the Ben Tranh Market and bus station which is about 10 minutes up Le Loi street. Hai Duong is also a few blocks away from the best beef noodle soup in Saigon, so if that isn't enough to recommend this friendly place to you, I don't know what is.
Overall, probably one of the best value places to stay in town, complete with little luxuries like the air conditioner and cable tv. Close to or walking distance from all the major tourist attractions makes this place a popular choice for budget travellers.
Rating: 8/10
Website: http://www.fantastic-tour.com/
This was the first decent priced place that we found after getting off the bus from the airport at the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, in District 1 down south of the city. Most other places were about USD$12-20 and up so if you're on a budget, this is the place to go. As with most other hostels here, it doubles as a travel agent so it's convenient if one needs to book flights, tours etc.
Our airconditioned room (USD$10/185 000 dong per night) is great to walk back into after a day of sweating around Saigon and its crazy traffic. It's well sized, with a wardrobe, writing table, and comprehensive cable tv (including FTV!!) and slightly cleaner than the bathroom with its tempermental hot shower but is great value for this price. There's also free wi fi which is a great bonus.
Endless other hotels and travel agencies are located around this popular area, along with Vietnamese and Western style restaurants, several bakeries (like the ABC Bakery on Pham Ngu Lao Street with its rich chocolate cake) and the Ben Tranh Market and bus station which is about 10 minutes up Le Loi street. Hai Duong is also a few blocks away from the best beef noodle soup in Saigon, so if that isn't enough to recommend this friendly place to you, I don't know what is.
Overall, probably one of the best value places to stay in town, complete with little luxuries like the air conditioner and cable tv. Close to or walking distance from all the major tourist attractions makes this place a popular choice for budget travellers.
Rating: 8/10
Bassac Guesthouse- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: 128, Street 3 Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh
Website: http://www.basacguesthouse.com/
This guesthouse is in a good location surrounded by the river to the east, local restaurants including a pretty good dim sim one with the popular freshly steamed pork buns out the front, the Independence Monument, the Royal Palace and one very nice Louisiana Fried Chicken burger eatery where we might have eaten three meals in a row!
Our fan room (USD$7 per night) was quite clean and decently sized, with a clean bathroom and cable tv. One of the pillows were stained and we had to request for another one. It was a nice stay to end our time in Cambodia, except the three flight of stairs that we had to conquer everytime we came back to the room as the air conditioned rooms were all placed on the second floor. One thing that was weird was the cleaner that we encountered several times who looked only like, 14 years old!
There was no wi fi but there were two computers downstairs in the lobby for internet use which was ok at downloading websites but for some reason wasn't strong or fast enough to send emails which was quite irritating. It was still better than nothing though, as internet access didn't seem to be a common service offered in guesthouses in this city.
Overall, a nice, good value guesthouse in a convenient location for tourists ready to explore the main attractions. Nothing spectacular to recommend itself but nothing major to complain about either.
Rating: 7/10
Website: http://www.basacguesthouse.com/
This guesthouse is in a good location surrounded by the river to the east, local restaurants including a pretty good dim sim one with the popular freshly steamed pork buns out the front, the Independence Monument, the Royal Palace and one very nice Louisiana Fried Chicken burger eatery where we might have eaten three meals in a row!
Our fan room (USD$7 per night) was quite clean and decently sized, with a clean bathroom and cable tv. One of the pillows were stained and we had to request for another one. It was a nice stay to end our time in Cambodia, except the three flight of stairs that we had to conquer everytime we came back to the room as the air conditioned rooms were all placed on the second floor. One thing that was weird was the cleaner that we encountered several times who looked only like, 14 years old!
There was no wi fi but there were two computers downstairs in the lobby for internet use which was ok at downloading websites but for some reason wasn't strong or fast enough to send emails which was quite irritating. It was still better than nothing though, as internet access didn't seem to be a common service offered in guesthouses in this city.
Overall, a nice, good value guesthouse in a convenient location for tourists ready to explore the main attractions. Nothing spectacular to recommend itself but nothing major to complain about either.
Rating: 7/10
Okay Guesthouse- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: 5 Ph 258, Phnom Penh
Website: none
We saw a poster of Okay Guesthouse from the backseat of a tuk tuk driver and decided to check it out. I'd also heard about it from my research and vaguely recollected that it received a good review. It's excellently located near the Independence Monument and walking distance from the Royal Palace and its attractions, as well as the Tonle Sap River but not too close to it as to be met with the swarms of mosquitoes that reportedly come from it during dawn and dusk. Down this quiet street, there are also a few old internet cafes and restaurants to be found and is almost hidden behind a big tree at the entrance of the guesthouse.
After battling our way through the semi-permanent residence of tuk tuk drivers metres away, we checked into the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night). There's many, many rooms in this guesthouse and ours was down a quiet corridor with the window facing the hallway outside which with no iron bars across it, didn't make it a very secure arrangement. Closing the window meant that the room got hot and stuffy quite quickly with the fan on, due to the lack of air circulation. The room was relatively small, with a small cable tv and table. The bed looked ok for cleanliness, but the ensuite bathroom was great- looking relatively new, clean and had the most wicked shower head- think full volume for once! Possibly the best shower we've had so far on the trip.
The guesthouse is a popular destination for many backpackers, with the place buzzing with people throughout the day. They also offer comprehensive tour and booking services too which can be quite convenient, and a restaurant too which served food until late. We had toast and omlette, as well as a banana pancake which was quite nicely made, after a less than satisfactory dinner.
We only stayed here for one night as we were desirous of a place with internet services, and had found a place nearby.
Overall, a good place for budget travellers to stay, having a typical busy backpacker atmosphere with plenty of people to meet. The rooms are smallish and impersonal, but the amazing shower almost makes up for it! Location is great for first time travellers to Phnom Penh, with many tourist attractions a walk away, as well as restaurants and a good burger place called Louisiana Fried Chicken on the corner. Would be much improved if it provided internet though.
Rating: 6.5/10
Website: none
We saw a poster of Okay Guesthouse from the backseat of a tuk tuk driver and decided to check it out. I'd also heard about it from my research and vaguely recollected that it received a good review. It's excellently located near the Independence Monument and walking distance from the Royal Palace and its attractions, as well as the Tonle Sap River but not too close to it as to be met with the swarms of mosquitoes that reportedly come from it during dawn and dusk. Down this quiet street, there are also a few old internet cafes and restaurants to be found and is almost hidden behind a big tree at the entrance of the guesthouse.
After battling our way through the semi-permanent residence of tuk tuk drivers metres away, we checked into the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night). There's many, many rooms in this guesthouse and ours was down a quiet corridor with the window facing the hallway outside which with no iron bars across it, didn't make it a very secure arrangement. Closing the window meant that the room got hot and stuffy quite quickly with the fan on, due to the lack of air circulation. The room was relatively small, with a small cable tv and table. The bed looked ok for cleanliness, but the ensuite bathroom was great- looking relatively new, clean and had the most wicked shower head- think full volume for once! Possibly the best shower we've had so far on the trip.
The guesthouse is a popular destination for many backpackers, with the place buzzing with people throughout the day. They also offer comprehensive tour and booking services too which can be quite convenient, and a restaurant too which served food until late. We had toast and omlette, as well as a banana pancake which was quite nicely made, after a less than satisfactory dinner.
We only stayed here for one night as we were desirous of a place with internet services, and had found a place nearby.
Overall, a good place for budget travellers to stay, having a typical busy backpacker atmosphere with plenty of people to meet. The rooms are smallish and impersonal, but the amazing shower almost makes up for it! Location is great for first time travellers to Phnom Penh, with many tourist attractions a walk away, as well as restaurants and a good burger place called Louisiana Fried Chicken on the corner. Would be much improved if it provided internet though.
Rating: 6.5/10
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Smiley's Guesthouse, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Address:Taphul Road
Website: http://www.smileyguesthouse.com/
Like most of the guesthouses in Siem Reap, the exterior is quite pretty- a large, multi- levelled orange coloured building down the end of a short narrow laneway from the road.
It is a short walk from the main road and the only KFC that we saw, as well as about 10 minutes away from the Centre Market, and the tourist area around the Old Market.
We checked into the cold shower fan room (USD$6 per night) which on the face of it, was really nice. Towels and bed covers were provided in the very large room, along with a wardrobe, writing table and chairs, as well as a balcony overlooking another block of rooms. The one thing that let it down majorly was the ensuite bathroom, which was absolutely filthy. There were plenty of unknown smears and globs on the walls which made it quite evident that even the cleaners regard the bathroom as too dirty to handle. We decided that the condition of this all-important room couldn't be overcome, particularly as it happened to be the first night of another bout of stomach sickness for me :(
We changed rooms to the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night) the next morning which was actually significantly smaller in size, but the main thing was that the bathroom was cleaner (although it could still have done with a good bleaching down). The room was again very nicely decorated in Cambodian style, and the balcony overlooked the front yard of the guesthouse. Another thing to note was that the connection of the free wi fi access was quite at a disadvantage here compared to the other room, with it pretty much unable to connect. At least they provide a few computers for internet downstairs near the lobby for this purpose. The rooms here also come with cable tv which seems to be standard here in Cambodian guesthouses- a great thing!
A note on the staff- they were very keen to secure our services on hiring tuk tuks or joining tours to various tourist attractions around town from the get go, continuously asking us where we were going the first few days that we were there which got quite annoying. Eventually they realised that we were going to make our own plans but the constant sour facial expression of a particular staff member there wasn't a nice thing to come back to after a day of exploring the town!
Overall, a very good value stay in this town of Angkor Wat for the use of a welcoming room, cable tv and internet. A great location too to the nearby markets and restaurants where the staff eventually leave you alone with their sales pitches (after trying but getting nowhere).
Rating: 8.5/10
Website: http://www.smileyguesthouse.com/
Like most of the guesthouses in Siem Reap, the exterior is quite pretty- a large, multi- levelled orange coloured building down the end of a short narrow laneway from the road.
It is a short walk from the main road and the only KFC that we saw, as well as about 10 minutes away from the Centre Market, and the tourist area around the Old Market.
We checked into the cold shower fan room (USD$6 per night) which on the face of it, was really nice. Towels and bed covers were provided in the very large room, along with a wardrobe, writing table and chairs, as well as a balcony overlooking another block of rooms. The one thing that let it down majorly was the ensuite bathroom, which was absolutely filthy. There were plenty of unknown smears and globs on the walls which made it quite evident that even the cleaners regard the bathroom as too dirty to handle. We decided that the condition of this all-important room couldn't be overcome, particularly as it happened to be the first night of another bout of stomach sickness for me :(
We changed rooms to the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night) the next morning which was actually significantly smaller in size, but the main thing was that the bathroom was cleaner (although it could still have done with a good bleaching down). The room was again very nicely decorated in Cambodian style, and the balcony overlooked the front yard of the guesthouse. Another thing to note was that the connection of the free wi fi access was quite at a disadvantage here compared to the other room, with it pretty much unable to connect. At least they provide a few computers for internet downstairs near the lobby for this purpose. The rooms here also come with cable tv which seems to be standard here in Cambodian guesthouses- a great thing!
A note on the staff- they were very keen to secure our services on hiring tuk tuks or joining tours to various tourist attractions around town from the get go, continuously asking us where we were going the first few days that we were there which got quite annoying. Eventually they realised that we were going to make our own plans but the constant sour facial expression of a particular staff member there wasn't a nice thing to come back to after a day of exploring the town!
Overall, a very good value stay in this town of Angkor Wat for the use of a welcoming room, cable tv and internet. A great location too to the nearby markets and restaurants where the staff eventually leave you alone with their sales pitches (after trying but getting nowhere).
Rating: 8.5/10
Green Guesthouse, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: 53 Street 125, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Website: none
We came here after being booted out of the previous one and what a nice stay it was! As the name suggests, it is very green with the exterior of the building painted green and the staff who wear green coloured uniforms. The lobby and the rooms are more 'hotel-like' than strictly 'guesthouse' which is a very nice change! We paid US$8 per night for our fan room which was medium sized, with an ensuite bathroom, cable tv and wardrobe. It was very clean and not a trek to get up to, with a lift from the lobby and only one flight of stairs up. You can pay for wi fi in the rooms otherwise there is free wi fi in the lobby as well as internet from the two computers. As with most places of accommodation, booking of tours and buses to other cities is available so we reserved our bus tickets to Siem Reap here for US$5 each which included a hotel pickup to the coach bus that would take us there.
We only stayed a night before leaving up north but will most likely come to stay here again when we're back in Phnom Penh to catch our flight out.
Overall, one of the most comfortable stays yet, with friendly staff, hotel-like rooms as well as a view of the city from the windows.
Rating: 9/10
Website: none
We came here after being booted out of the previous one and what a nice stay it was! As the name suggests, it is very green with the exterior of the building painted green and the staff who wear green coloured uniforms. The lobby and the rooms are more 'hotel-like' than strictly 'guesthouse' which is a very nice change! We paid US$8 per night for our fan room which was medium sized, with an ensuite bathroom, cable tv and wardrobe. It was very clean and not a trek to get up to, with a lift from the lobby and only one flight of stairs up. You can pay for wi fi in the rooms otherwise there is free wi fi in the lobby as well as internet from the two computers. As with most places of accommodation, booking of tours and buses to other cities is available so we reserved our bus tickets to Siem Reap here for US$5 each which included a hotel pickup to the coach bus that would take us there.
We only stayed a night before leaving up north but will most likely come to stay here again when we're back in Phnom Penh to catch our flight out.
Overall, one of the most comfortable stays yet, with friendly staff, hotel-like rooms as well as a view of the city from the windows.
Rating: 9/10
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tattoo Guesthouse, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: Street 125
Website: none
We came across this guesthouse after one of the two kids that were hanging around a few guesthouses that we were checking out (which we didn't quite like) very persistently offered to take us there to have a look! We were in an area near the Psar O Russei which is quite residential as opposed to the more known backpacker area next to Boeng Kak Lake, and although was described by more than one travel website as being 'in the middle of nowhere', isn't quite true. As just mentioned, the place is about 5 minutes walk away from a market, as well as several Chinese restaurants and local eateries on the main road of Monivong.
Tattoo Guesthouse (sister guesthouse of Tat Guesthouse a few units away) has about four levels of rather large rooms which definitely need a lift as the stairs are a pain to walk up after a day of exploring in the sun and heat! We paid US$7 for our fan room on the third floor which came with cable tv, a dresser, an old fridge (which wasn't connected and didn't look very desirable anyway) and a window overlooking the city. The room was clean with cool tiled floors, and the hot shower bathroom was also quite clean. There is no free wi fi connection but there is free internet downstairs. We stayed for three nights and were going to stay one more night before leaving for Siem Reap however on the fourth morning when I went downstairs by chance, the staff informed me that we'd need to leave that morning as they'd booked a large group arriving that day and needed our room. This wasn't a nice surprise and hardly professional as they'd told us to just pay upon our departure and should have told us about this previous arrangement.
One other curious thing that happened on our second day was the reluctance of the staff to allow us to make a quick phone call to a nearby travel agent with whom we had booked a day tour for that day. As the tour would only go ahead with a minimum of 4 people, we were told to ring up on the morning and check that it was still on. The staff mentioned that the call would cost them more (the amount was hardly substantial) as the number had a different prefix to their own, or something like that. It wasn't really a big deal, as the call only took half a minute but this came as also a slight annoyance from the attitude of the staff.
Overall, a good value place to stay at to explore a less touristy part of Phnom Penh. The rooms are great for the cost but the staff would definitely benefit from a customer service and general hospitality management course!
Rating: 7/10
Website: none
We came across this guesthouse after one of the two kids that were hanging around a few guesthouses that we were checking out (which we didn't quite like) very persistently offered to take us there to have a look! We were in an area near the Psar O Russei which is quite residential as opposed to the more known backpacker area next to Boeng Kak Lake, and although was described by more than one travel website as being 'in the middle of nowhere', isn't quite true. As just mentioned, the place is about 5 minutes walk away from a market, as well as several Chinese restaurants and local eateries on the main road of Monivong.
Tattoo Guesthouse (sister guesthouse of Tat Guesthouse a few units away) has about four levels of rather large rooms which definitely need a lift as the stairs are a pain to walk up after a day of exploring in the sun and heat! We paid US$7 for our fan room on the third floor which came with cable tv, a dresser, an old fridge (which wasn't connected and didn't look very desirable anyway) and a window overlooking the city. The room was clean with cool tiled floors, and the hot shower bathroom was also quite clean. There is no free wi fi connection but there is free internet downstairs. We stayed for three nights and were going to stay one more night before leaving for Siem Reap however on the fourth morning when I went downstairs by chance, the staff informed me that we'd need to leave that morning as they'd booked a large group arriving that day and needed our room. This wasn't a nice surprise and hardly professional as they'd told us to just pay upon our departure and should have told us about this previous arrangement.
One other curious thing that happened on our second day was the reluctance of the staff to allow us to make a quick phone call to a nearby travel agent with whom we had booked a day tour for that day. As the tour would only go ahead with a minimum of 4 people, we were told to ring up on the morning and check that it was still on. The staff mentioned that the call would cost them more (the amount was hardly substantial) as the number had a different prefix to their own, or something like that. It wasn't really a big deal, as the call only took half a minute but this came as also a slight annoyance from the attitude of the staff.
Overall, a good value place to stay at to explore a less touristy part of Phnom Penh. The rooms are great for the cost but the staff would definitely benefit from a customer service and general hospitality management course!
Rating: 7/10
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