Novotel Sihanoukville Holiday Resort — Hotel in Khaet Preah Sihanouk

I stayed at Novotel for a New Year’s Eve getaway with my partner, and overall, the experience was a mix of highs and lows. The hotel itself was absolutely gorgeous, with beautifully designed rooms and incredibly friendly staff. We truly felt that we got great value for our money in terms of accommodation and service. However, while I don’t want to take away from the beauty of the hotel, I do want to share some of my thoughts regarding the New Year’s Eve party, as I believe there’s room for improvement.

The New Year party was priced at $100 per person, including a seafood buffet and free-flow wine, which sounded promising. Unfortunately, the execution was a let-down for me. The event started at 6PM as I remembered. But accessing the beach was restricted a bit before that. My partner and I planned to take some photos with the sunset on the beach, but I couldn’t make it because of the registration. It took some time due to the large crowd, and while I understand that handling such an event can be challenging, the delay resulted in us missing the sunset. One of the foreign staff members also seemed to be having a rough day, which I understand happens, but I could sense his frustration when he tried to help, and I wouldn’t say that was comfortable for us to be at the receiving end.

The setup of the party was another concern. Seating was pre-assigned, and guests were placed at shared tables, similar to a traditional Cambodian wedding. While this might work for some, it would have been nice to have the option to choose our own seating, especially since we were seated next to a smoking guest. When we asked if we could move to a standing table due to the smoke, our request was declined, which made the experience a bit uncomfortable.

As for the food, while the wine selection was enjoyable, the buffet itself was underwhelming. The seafood options were quite limited, and there wasn’t much flexibility in how the dishes were prepared. For example, the salmon was only available as part of a papaya salad, and the shrimp could only be grilled. I had expected a bit more variety, perhaps including sashimi or additional preparation choices.

The stage setup also felt somewhat low-quality, which took away from the overall festive atmosphere. Given the setting and the reputation of the hotel, we had hoped for a more magical and well-organized experience.

I still appreciate the effort that went into hosting the event, but that night was definitely not a...

I would like to compliment Mr. Virak, who has made my stay at Novotel Sihanoukville extremely pleasant.||Mr. Virak always anticipates my needs, puts himself in my shoes, and goes the extra mile to make sure I am comfortable. His service is beyond thoughtful and truly exceptional.||On Day 1, when I needed a quiet spot for a meeting, he patiently followed me from the restaurant to the lounge then to the lobby and finally back to the lounge—just to help me find the perfect quiet corner. He even brought me an extra table for my laptop, turned down the music, and checked in on me every hour to ensure everything was okay.||On Day 2 during breakfast, he saw me with my laptop and, knowing I needed to work, offered me a seat in a closed area for some peace and quiet. He was so attentive to every detail—asking if he should turn on the lights to reduce glare from my screen, checking if I needed anything to eat or drink, and even closing the door for me when he noticed more people walking past.||Later that evening at the beach bar, while I was working again, he noticed I hadn’t plugged in my charger. He quietly brought me an extension cord and asked if I needed to charge my laptop. That level of attention is rare.||As a trainer, I’m honestly very impressed by Mr. Virak’s dedication and attentiveness—so much so that I will be using his service as an example in my future customer service classes.||I didn’t get the chance to see him on the day of my departure to thank him again, but I hope this message can be passed along. He truly made a lasting...

I really liked the breakfast..and that the hotel is located at the beach. After going into the water a few times...my swimwear now smells like raw sewage. After washing in hot water with heavy detergents..the smell lingers and the swimwear had to be disposed of. There is a waste treatment in the water beside the hotel. The staff in the cafateria has a habit of reserving tables for their friends...and its disgusting and exclusionary behavior. A male staff member did this to me twice during breakfast...and his manager was happy to support this behavior as i tried to find a place to sit in the busy cafateria. Sitting at a table joined together... these nasty people finish their meals and then move their plate to my direction. So i would search for single tables and this staff member in the photo would make that difficult. The hotel is poorly designed and a death trap.I smashed my index finger in the heavy balconey door....the pillows were awful and i suffered damage to me neck....i fell entering the bar area because my sneaker got caught in the seperate stone grates in the floor. Although a woman staff came to assist me... she soon began to make light of the situation as though a 50 y.o woman falling is a joke. My pants were damaged.. I cut my knee....and the pain to my left foot being trapped in that grate was excrutiating. The manager quickly ran away and did nothing to assist. Avoid this place if you can. It is quite expensive and i only chose it because it was newer and supposed...