Raffles Hotel Le Royal

Hotel review

Raffles: the hotel that needs no introduction, and deep pockets. Raffles is Phnom Penh’s finest and most famous establishment, right next to Wat Phnom in the northern quarter of the city. Enter and behold white marble, elegant lighting and fine furniture in the Conservatory. Head straight on to the courtyard pool(s) - one for adults and one for kids. Renovated rooms are sleek and sophisticated, with the mod cons to satisfy even the most choosy of clientele. Try to bag a Personality Suite, named for the famous names who walked the corridors of Raffles: Jackie Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle and Somerset Maugham. The high ceilings, wooden floors, marbled bathrooms and marvellously shaped beds mean these rooms are in high demand. Breakfast at Cafe Monivong is a good place to start the day - but this reviewer would recommend giving it a miss for lunch or dinner (downtown Phnom Penh warrants time to eat your way around). Breakfast is wide ranging - with eggs, many varieties of smoked fish, fruit, breads and other treats on groaning tables around the restaurant. Restaurant Le Royal is DIVINE - French food done well with some nods at Khmer tradition. Try the rack of lamb, preceded by some house-smoked sea bass, or tuck in to the duck breast - your bouche amused by the scallop and green mango starter. The sommelier recommends some lovely wines pour venir avec. The lunch set menu is reasonably priced (if you’re used to European prices), and can be enjoyed in the fine crisp white dining room looking out onto the pool. If you have room (who doesn’t?), waddle to the vertiginous dessert table at the centre of the restaurant, and load your plate with tiny sweet treats inspired by both Khmer and European traditions. Once you’re done zipping around the various markets and tuk tuk-ing around central Phnom Penh, unwind in the hotel’s spa. Smaller than expected, but good quality massages in a serene and pleasant environment. Dip in the plunge pool post massage, and sip on some cleansing cold teas. Afternoon tea (British or Khmer-style) awaits those still hungry. Alternatively, head straight to the Elephant bar - a stalwart of history. Sip on Jackie Kennedy’s tipple of choice (la femme fatale), or the house negroni. The bar itself is fantastic - the walls are covered with photos of the hotel’s long history (Raffles was the Red Cross HQ during the Khmer Rouge regime, and housed journalists and others). It really feels like you’re stepping back in time here - or maybe that was the strong gin! To sum up, Raffles Hotel Le Royal really is THE place to stay in Phnom Penh. If luxury and a sense of history are your thing, then it's a complete no-brainer, and worth every penny!

Poppy Empson Review published: 31/10/2018