On a recent trip to Siem Reap — which commenced as most of our trips do, with endless searches, exhaustive tab opening, and much comparison shopping — we thought we had booked the perfect undiscovered gem of a hotel.
Home Indochine D’angkor offers just 20 rooms in a charming old colonial home with a saltwater pool surrounded by jungle and walking distance to the town center. Better yet, rooms start at just KHR98,000 — about $24 USD.
The little boutique stay was everything we wanted — except undiscovered. As we proudly posted our first poolside picture, the social media comments began to pour in: “Love Home Indochine!” “Always stay there when I go to Siem Reap,” “I stayed there too!” and even, “Tell Ms. Vannak I said ‘Hi’,” in reference to one of the staff members.
Even so, we loved every second of our three-day stay in this budget hotel that feels like a luxury. The Indochine staff picks you up in a tuk-tuk from the airport, offer free bicycles for guest use, and the property is just ten minutes’ walk from Pub Street and Angkor Night Market, and a ten minute ride from Angkor Wat.
The rooms feature old-school touches like four-poster beds with privacy curtains, ceramic tile flooring with flower motifs, and oil burners making the rooms smell great and which the cleaning staff refill and relight each day.
But they aren’t without modern touches like digital safes, fridges, minibars, kettles, and crisp white linens.
When we entered our room, my name was spelled out on the bed in greenery and cute Cambodian-style plaid robes were hung out for us.
The room was large enough that, when we hired a teacher from town to come and give us a private yoga class, the three of us could set up mats and practice in the room with no problem.
A so-so set breakfast was included with our stay. The American breakfast wasn’t totally warm when it arrived, and featured lackluster sausages, eggs, and toast, while the continental offered yogurt, granola, fruit, and baguette slices.
We chose to eat our other meals outside the hotel, but they do offer a full, low-priced menu of international and Cambodian dishes for those who want to dine on the premises. We did opt for several beers and well-made cocktails at the pool swim up bar, an intimate four-seater small enough to make you feel like you are at your own villa.
The staff deftly prepared mojitos and daiquiris, and the beers are under US$2 a pop. When we checked out, after three days downing a few rounds in the pool each day, our bill came out to US$47. Not too bad.
However, thriftier options are always there if you’re looking for it: There is a fake 7-Eleven located just outside the hotel gate, where beers can be had for well under US$1 and no one would care if you drank them by the pool. Home Indochine is laid back like that.
Interested in Siem Reap? Check out Coco Travel’s other features on the charming resort town:
5 spots beloved by Siem Reap locals: galleries, happy pizza, and after-hours bars
Sip the city’s best coffee in the secret artsy alley beloved by Siem Reap locals
FIND IT:
Home Indochine D’Angkor
Street 27, Wat Bo Village
Siem Reap
Header image: Home Indochine D’Angkor/Facebook
All other photos: Laurel Tuohy/Coconuts Media
