La Maison d'Ambre — Hotel in Khan Daun Penh

My wife had stayed at La Maison d'Ambre before on NGO business but this was my first time and it proved to be everything I'd been told. We had the Arab-themed Casablanca suite, which was large, airy, clean and well appointed ... and very blue. It's half a lifetime since we were in North Africa, but we were instantly transported back by the incandescent decor, tiled floors, the giant bedroom and the enormous raised bathtub, complete with bathe-and-rinse flexible shower hose. We didn't use the kitchenette because we spent almost every spare moment we were at the hotel - between lots of sightseeing - in the rooftop bar/restaurant. Being out of season (i.e. late June) meant we were often the only guests there for breakfast, cocktails and, on two evenings, dinner/tapas. One of our real highlights in Cambodia was sitting at a corner table sipping barman Song's excellent cocktails and observing the street life down below at the junction of 110 and 19 Streets as dusk fell and and the evening came alive. La Maison d"Ambre is not five star, but you're not paying five star prices. You're paying for a very comfortable hotel in central Phnom Penh, lifted above its competitors by its hip and stylish decor, its charm, a great rooftop bar/restaurant and some of the friendliest and most helpful staff you'll find anywhere in the world. My wife may return later this year and...

Located on Street 110, just a few minutes walk from Wat Phnom, the river, the old market and central market. To me this hotel is perfectly situated. Please note that the 9.5km distance to/from the airport can be deceiving with PP’s overly congested rush hour traffic. Off hours can be 20 minutes, however peak can run closer to a full hour.||This hotel/guest house has an artsy feel to it. The room we stayed in was quite spacious, with high ceilings and a sense of comfort. It was also equipped with a small kitchenette, including appliances like a microwave, mini fridge and toaster. The staff was hospitable and accommodating. They also offer breakfast for a price and a limited room service menu. ||Only downsides were that they only featured foam pillows, nothing compressible like down or synthetic feather, resulting in a bit of a stiff neck, and the shower floor was not pitched towards the drain, making the rest of the bathroom a bit of a flood zone while using the shower. ||Overall I’d recommend the place for the location, and because I found the price reasonable enough. I expect I’ll be staying here again in the...

Many seem to like this place (“wow, big rooms!”) but I found the whole experience so frustrating that moved out after 1 night. The staff are indeed quite pleasant and do their best to make up for the deficiencies. On arrival, my room was smelly so the moved me to another. The TV didn’t work and they fixed it. The door of the wardrobe was misssing a hinge but I decided to keeep quiet. Maybe my bad luck but these were indicative of a hotel that’s in need of an overhaul. It’s like someone saw an article on ‘minimalist chic’ as per the Philippe Starck hotels and thought to try it on the cheap by buying some IKEA lamps (the switch came off in my hand) but otherwise economising on the furniture. No pool and no restaurant to speak of. They do serve breakfast but (imagine a lady with a toaster, a kettle and a frying pan)...