Golden Temple Retreat — Hotel in Siem Reap

The room we have on the 2nd flr is extremely nice (however, we did not enjoy our main flr pool-side room very much because it felt a little claustrophobic as the only window is the door to the pool which is also your only privacy). After waking up early to ‘no power’, we were happy to be moved to the second floor which was not only a better room but had a balcony overlooking the pool. The beds are Kingsize and comfortable and the washroom is large and most rooms include both a rainforest shower and a bathtub. There is a make-up mirror and chair and a sofa in the living room and a stocked fridge and TV (but only access to Netflix and You-Tube (no channels). There are bathrobes, slippers and a security safe. Oh, and air conditioning.

The service is exceptional. Everybody is so nice. When you book this hotel and they ask you if you want things such as a SIM Card, I suggest you say YES, as in Cambodia, it’s a process. It requires an on-site picture where you have to blink continuously. Sounds weird and it is, but for U$7, let the hotel staff do it (Note: we prefer manual SIM’s as we can never trust our local telco not to bill roaming when we use an e-SIM).

Breakfast is included & is extensive. Happy hour is like 2-5pm (or similar) for cocktails (and they’re refreshingly awesome (especially if you order a pitcher (and get two for the price of one)! Note that you can get service poolside, which is nice. Live like royalty for a few moments. Treat yourself!

The hotel is nicely laid out with traditional statues, pictures & cultural accessories and welcomes you with lotus petals on your bedside as well as a large bowl of banana chips, nuts and a drink.

A quick edit: Note that the Spa on the 4th flr is well worth a visit. They do an excellent job. I had a TWO HOUR ‘hot oil’ massage and my partner has a TWO HOUR ‘Aromatherapy’. Both were extensive full-body massages and well worth the money especially. Since the hotel gives you each a U$15 credit towards the cost (so around U$50 total, not including tip).

Sorry: Another edit / addition. I noticed that the Hotel had a sign by the laundry bag, saying, “Special 20% discount for every time you purchase Laundry, Dry Cleaning and Pressing Service”. Now I wouldn’t normally check the price list for Hotel Laundry but was shocked at how reasonably priced they were - and now with a 20% discount! How can one go wrong. I it 3 underpants, 12 golf shirts, 1 t-shirt & one pair of pants into the bag and gave it to the front desk. When I returned this afternoon, a basket of folded clothing was sitting right on the sofa. Regular price U$20.50 less a discount of U$4.10 for a Total of U$16.40!!!! How can you beat that!! Now that’s service! Love this place.

There were even some noisy neighbours back from the bar after midnight last night who decided to continue with their loud talk but one call to the front deft and 15 minutes later, people were able to rest again....

SIem Reap has the ageless charm that appeals to the young and young at heart. The Golden Temple Retreat offered me a safe clean place to unwind, as a solo female traveler. They offered me complimentary airport pick up service, complimentary WiFi and complimentary breakfast... the photo of their long pool surrounded by trees and many fountains pouring water in the pool sealed the deal. There was no need for me to go outside to shop around for tours, massages or meals. Everyone at the Retreat is friendly and excel in hospitality. Arena, a petite Cambodian young woman listened to me as I explained my needs. Lots of Temples, strong handed massages, Psar Leu market, tuk tuk transportation, circus acrobatic performance and a balloon ride. Arena found me a pleasant tuk tuk driver named Ravi The fresh air, wind in my hair and exotic feel of the transportation was well appreciated by me. She also found me an English speaking tour guide to keep me company on my three day Temple pass and Psar Leu market. Signet, the tour guide also took excellent panoramic photos. He added three photos of me on the photo by having me stand on doorways or sitting inside the window frames. The Psar Leu market sells exotic fruits and merchandise. The large bowls filled with cooked insects appealed to the child in me but I passed them up. Signet language skills allowed me to purchase fruit and photograph the market. Cambodia accepts dollars, just make sure that the bills are not torn or damage. Ravi, the tuk tuk driver also took me to the circus to appreciate the acrobatic training of young Cambodian performers. The Golden Temple Spa has several skillful therapist but I chose to favor two therapist. Kit with her strong confident skillful hands won my attention. Darin, a male blind massage therapist won my curiosity and empathy. The Spa offered me a discount and I needed the healing therapy, so, I binged on massages ... around 20 hours in six days. I am a massage therapist and I do value the health benefits of massage therapy. The Golden Temple Retreat has creative chefs, serving delicious meals with style.The quality of the food and reasonable fees kept me loyal, so there was no need to eat some place else. The rooftop has a colorful garden setting, where I enjoyed the happy hour and some of my meals, while enjoying the sunset. The sound of the many fountains pouring water in the pool calmed my mind, while I napped on the lounge chaise surrounded with tall trees and plants. On my last night at the Golden Temple Retreat, Sims, the manager found me an evening food tour to experience Taste Siem Reap ....Upscale restaurants, known for their Chefs ... I still prefer the ambiance and quality of the food at the Golden Temple...

My family and I had an exceptional experience at Golden Temple Retreat, thanks to the incredible hospitality of the staff! Our great trip began as soon as we landed in Siem Reap, as Marida and our driver Thorn, met us right outside the airport with chilled aromatic hand towels and smoothly transported us to the hotel! Once we settled in our beautiful rooms, including a free upgrade for my parents, we dined at the hotel restaurant and were blown away! Phurin is especially noteworthy for our entire stay, as he was attentive, and went above and beyond for my family! He took great family photos and videos, worked long hours, and always checked on us! He truly made our time in Cambodia amazing and special, and made us feel like royalty! I highly recommend the 3 day private Magical Tour, especially with our tour guide, Sinet, and our driver, Thorn. Sinet was educational, engaging, and answered all of our numerous questions about history, culture, and life in Cambodia. He’s one of the best tour guides we’ve ever had! This tour included an incredible sunset boat ride with cocktails and delicious food cooked by the hotel chefs. Also included in the 3 Day Magical Tour was a cooking class with the phenomenal head chefs, Heat and Khemarak. It was so much fun, and it made the trip so memorable! We even had certificates with our names on it, plus the food was outstanding! The wonderful executive chef, Borin, cooked a delicious private lunch for us right by the temple, also part of our 3 day Magical Tour! Also, breakfast was included and we really enjoyed getting to know Van, and we looked forward to seeing him each morning! We attended a Christmas Eve Gala that was put on by the hotel, and it was such a beautiful addition to our trip. The staff put hard work into the decorations, food, traditional dances, and overall experience! We love Cambodia, and we would not want to stay anywhere except Golden Temple Retreat as it enhanced our family trip tenfold. The entire staff was incredible! Also the spa team was amazing and we all enjoyed our affordable massages! Their happy hour by the pool and at their skybar is exceptional! We also appreciated Tung checking on our experience and quickly responding to any...