Holiday Hotel Battambang — Hotel in Battambang

This place has a very central location in Battambang, close to the bus offices and the central market, and less than a 10-minute walk to the main bar and restaurant area. ||||TV and wi-fi work very well. Effectiveness of wall fans is a bit variable (some a bit weak, or too far from the bed - I looked at a number of different rooms); but you might be able to get an additional standing fan, if you ask. (It's almost never hot enough to need A/C, I don't think; that, of course, costs extra.) ||||The bathrooms are very rudimentary; but at least there's hot water in the shower (on a main circuit, not through individual heaters) - a real rarity in this country! ||||The family owners are very friendly, and speak quite good English. There's a good range of snacks, soft drinks, beer and water on sale in the lobby at quite reasonable prices (maybe a little bit more than a corner store on some things, but not crazy). ||||It's hard to argue with $5 a night - you'd usually pay around that for a shared dorm in a hostel. And I think most of the comparable hotels nearby try to charge at least $6 or $7 for a private room.||||||||On the minus side, they only seem to have bottom sheets - which don't fit the mattresses well, and soon come off and wrinkle up. Also, the first room I stayed in had no bathroom mirror. And the firmness/comfort of the beds is very variable (I can't deal with soft foam mattresses) - but they'll do their best to accommodate...

I stayed there 2 weeks. Excellent value for money, $5 room with a fan, $10 for aircon. One spoke great English, the others basic English. All very friendly. The first room I was in had the most fantastic view - 305, 405, 505 all have great views. Wifi was a bit faint in 505, and I'd chosen only a fan, which I found too hot, as this room faces the sun. So I asked to move to one with A/C and better wifi, which they happily did. The rooms come with 2 bottles of water, shampoo, soap, toothbrush. They don't top these up, but you're entitled to them every day, so just ask and you'll be issued water etc. No fridge, but I gather that's standard in this price-range. It's cheap to eat out, anyway. I hired a bike, and there's plenty of space in the foyer and another room they don't mind you putting bikes and motos. It was clean, though they only came to clean my room once in the 2 weeks I was there. The area has lots of restaurants nearby, like Nary's Kitchen, another one which does cooking classes, and HOC just around the corner. Also Sunrise cafe, and Psar Nat market. So food is no problem. Also enjoyed the fact that it was not a night-life street, so the only sounds were sometimes children playing in the evening, and some traffic, no party sounds. I really enjoyed it. Room was pretty spacious,...

The hotel is currently a building site. They are constructing the on-site restaurant for the hotel. However, there is no protective screening and there is construction work being carried out directly in the reception of the hotel. Please take this into account when booking. I would wait at least 6 months before booking here. Then the restaurant will be finished and the whole experience will definitely be better. ||POSITIVES: || - Nice pool area (shame about the construction right next to it)|| - Rooms are a good size and the bed is comfortable. || - Good location within walking distance to everything in Battambang. ||||NEGATIVES:|| - Construction work constantly starting at 7.30 am in the morning. || - The staff behind the desk don't speak much English which can be difficult. || - Room cleaning seems to be done on a random basis. Even when they ask you if you want it done and you say yes, it isn't always done. I stayed for three nights and the room wasn't cleaned at all. || - The internet was very patchy. One night it didn't work at all. || - The staff in the evening seemed to be more bothered about facebook rather than helping guests. When i said i had an ant problem in my room, he handed me the can of spray as if to say "sort it...