Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra
"Situated in the city's elegant Old Quarter district with nicely landscaped gardens, the Sofitel is both relaxed and sophisticated. Its 201 rooms in a colonial-style building have views of either the Mekong or Bassac rivers. No one can fault its location: Key city attractions including the Royal Palace, the National Museum, and Sisowath Quay are steps away. Understated pastel-colored decor includes a few Khmer architectural touches like delicate lintels, French-style furniture, and velvety brown wood floors (for a true splurge, try the 1,600 square-foot Opera Suite with Hermès amenities). The diversity of choices in the hotel’s roster of restaurants will remind you that travelers come from all corners of the world: There’s La Coupole, with Western and Asian specialties; the rustic Italian Do Forni; and Hachi, a Japanese restaurant with six private tatami rooms. If all the decision-making about where to dine is tiring, get a spa treatment that blends French influences (you are at the Sofitel, after all) with traditional touches, like the Mandarin Crumble Scrub or a no-oil Khmer massage that uses deft finger pressure for muscular stretching."
