Cambodia: Siem Reap - Frangipani Villa Hotel Review

Hi everyone, i just got back from 2 weeks trip in Nepal, and i got sick in the last day in Kathmandu, serious bacteria infection and diarrhoea, =(

But that is a very rewarding trip, John and I went for 5 days trekking in Everest Based Camp trail, then Kathmandu and Pokhara. 

So yea, you can expect the post about Nepal.... after Cambodia and Pai posts. :P

With this post, let's start my journey to the mystery city, Siem Reap.

Siem Reap is not in my list, but John. 

He always wanted to see the world heritage site, he admired every world heritage sites ever since he touched the Egypt pyramid few years back.

For this year birthday, he makes a wish to go Angkor Wat with me, there i gave my Laos solo trip up (was too close with his birthday), and planned the 5 days birthday trip for John.

To kick start the Siem Reap post, lets start my all time favourite, the hotel review.

If you're my blog's follower, you should know the few things that concern the most when choosing a hotel or guest house. 

To recap, things that i concern the most about hotel as following:

1. not in the city centre yet not too far from there

2. convenience to go everywhere

3. handy  

3. bright room

So my choice is Frangipani Villa Hotel II.

The not very obvious hotel entrance. 

The hotel has fulfilled all of my concern, except the bright room with more natural sunlight.

I booked the room from Agoda with about RM100 per night (with discount, not sure about the normal price) for 4 nights standard double room.

Everything on the photos seems nice, reviews are good, yet when we get into our room, we realise our room's only window is facing the hotel's another building, mean limited sunlight.

And the warm light make the room even darker (well some ppl defined it as romantic).

Except than the lighting problem, everything of the hotel is so great and worth the money.

Pros of Frangipani Villa Hotel II:
1. Nice hotel deco and breakfast in the pool side.
2. Quiet although located on the main road side.
3. Convenience store, laundry and restaurant around the hotel.
4. Tuk tuk to the city centre (pub street) is less than 5 minutes, or 20 minutes very very slow walking distance.
5. Always has tuk tuk / taxi waiting in front of the hotel.
6. Very friendly staff with tour, taxi, spa, massage, laundry service. Attached with restaurant and pub.
7. Traditional music performance (as you can hear in the below video) by evening.

Cons of Frangipani Villa Hotel II:
1. Some dark standard room (window facing Hotel I)
2. A bit pricy compare to other hotel in Siem Reap.

Suggestion: 
1. Pay some extra to get a balcony room for better sunlight.
2. Choose Frangipani Villa Hotel II rathen then I.
(I and II building is side by side, but II is newer and room is bigger. Some II balcony rooms facing pool, resturant where customer has breakfast is in II, while pub is in front of I.)
3. Do not take tour from the hotel, cost is 10% to 20% higher than outside. (i will explain the cost tuk tuk, entrance fees and plan in next post)

I'm really happy with the location of the hotel.

FYI, Siem Reap is not a big town, the city centre aka pub street is like the golden triangle area of KL (of course don't expect tall and fancy building, i mean the area ONLY), maybe smaller, just 3 to 4 streets actually. Of course this is not included the local hub area eg the local morning market and resident area la.

One of the simplest town that i had ever been. Green is airport, red is hotel and pub street, purple is temples, yellow is sunrise watching platform.

As i mentioned in the Pros, hotel is less then 5 minutes tuk tuk ride away from the tourist hub (tuk tuk driver will ask for $3, don't give a damn, i pay only $1 everytime, tell them you know the price and you know how near the place is).

Alternatively, walk from hotel to Pub Street is only 20 minutes (very very super slow walk).

In fact, walking along the river is quite enjoy, so you may take tuk tuk in the 1st one or two day to familiar the road, then later by walking to save your transport cost, or purely for killing your time (because except Angkor Wat, you've absolutely nothing to do in Siem Reap)

red is pub street aka hub

So now come back to the hotel outlook and internal deco.

I dunno what is their style of deco, if you want my description, that will be simple and clean.

From the roadside

Lounge / pub of the hotel

Mix with Europe style

Not to forget the issue of Cambodia.

In I building

Very comfy lobby, as good as sitting here with nothing to do and enjoy the traditional music performance by evening.

Sorry we didn't get much photos of the hotel, yet i found a video clip that taken by me, from the entrance to our room (room was too dark to be recorded though).

So take a look to give you a brief idea of the hotel. 

And below are the photos that didn't recorded in the video clip, the pool side and restaurant aka breakfast dinning room.

Although the pool is small, but if you only got 3 days temple visit and one whole free day for relax and shopping, the pool can defo refresh your from the damn hot sun. 

We never dine in the restaurant except the complimentary breakfast for 2 provided daily, but we gone through the menu, they serve western and traditional local foods, the price isn't really expensive (but of course still expensive than outside la), but surely they've great atmosphere and quiet dining environment. 

The breakfast served by order, several choice of breakfast set with bread buffet, you can take as many different kinds of breads and jam as you like.

Although breakfast is in order basic, but if you want more egg, bacon, sausage or anything else, you can let them bring you more.

John always order a big breakfast set with a plate (yes, a plate) of extra crispy bacons, and they always serve you with the wide smile that can melt your heart. 

Airy and bright design

Breakfast by the pool side every morning

yet protect the privacy of ppl who are swimming by the tree wall

nice color setting

even you don't order extra, one set portion is big enough

night view, lots of tuk tuk waiting outside. So don't worry about the transport. P/s: left is I building, and right is II building.

In one fine evening, John and I decided to find a good place for drink and read, we don't want to stay in the hub because of the noise, then we decided to go back to our hotel's lounge. 

one of the corner

free nuts.

They serve the best fruit punch that i ever had, and absolutely nice and quiet environment although the hotel is located at the road side, yet hidden behind the trees the planted by the owner for more privacy.

Overall, Frangipani will likely to be my first choice but i will defo pay more for the deluxe room or request a room that facing outside but not building. 

So next post will be my plan, the cost and how to look for a guide and tuk tuk driver. Stay tuned.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

20121212, 1012pm

Rach in allergy mood.