Monkey Republic Kampot Cafe, Bar & Kitchen

One of the best hostels in Kampot! Monkey Republic offers a great mix of comfort, social vibes, and affordability. The dorms and private rooms are clean and well-maintained, and the beds are super comfy. The bar and restaurant have a chill atmosphere, with great food, drinks, and live music. The staff is friendly and always ready to help with travel tips. Perfect for backpackers looking to meet new people and enjoy Kampot’s laid-back vibe!

Monkey Republic is the perfect place to stay if you want to be near the town of Kampot, but not right in the noisy centre. Quick walk to the centre where you will find plenty of great pubs and restaurants, but you could also just hang out and chill at Monkeys, which also has a nice restaurant and friendly staff. I had a private room which was very comfortable and had everything I needed.

More like MOSQUITO REPUBLIC!! They didn’t accept when I asked to leave my bags for a few days in their luggage room, even though I stayed here and spent money . There are way better places 5-10min outside of town with pools for the same price . Monkey republic smells like sewage . So yeah . 1 star .

The hostel’s beds, cleanliness, and organization are good. However, they are definitely dishonest. When you sit in the common area, they constantly come over and give you the menu. This is a hostel; I’m not obligated to eat or drink in the common areas. Even if you made this mandatory and said it’s your procedure, then: 1. You should state this on the relevant booking site. 2. Didn’t write it there? Then inform guests at check-in. I’ve been traveling for 10 months. In this hostel, I asked the reception for hot water. I can understand if drinking water or hot water is chargeable because it might be difficult to access clean water in Cambodia. I said I needed hot water to make coffee. They told me bringing in outside food or drinks is forbidden (I also don’t understand this—does that include water?). Besides, I wasn’t bringing anything from outside; I was just asking for hot water. The woman at the reception said, “Listen to your mama, young boy!”—a very condescending tone! Then she continued, “We normally don’t give hot water, but I’ll make an exception this time. I see you have a bandage on your arm, so I’ll give it to you this time.” I had a bandage on my arm because I had an accident. I replied, “What does that have to do with anything? This is my situation—it’s irrelevant.” I added, “If you charge for hot water, you could’ve just said so in the first place. Paying for it is not an issue for me.” In short, she dragged the conversation out, made it clear she was pitying me, and acted condescendingly as if giving me free hot water was a huge favor. I wouldn’t even rate their hospitality. By the way, this message isn’t directed at the Cambodian staff. If that’s the case, it’s for the Western owners of this hostel. I suggest reviewing your policies and communicating them properly to your staff.

To start with the positives- the staff here are lovely. Free water is provided as well as free refills and the food in the restaurant is very good. Our room was very clean also. Our superior private room with an ensuite had no hot water for an entire day. We raised the issue with the hostel and were told nothing could be done, as the hot water was powered by solar energy. They did offer free breakfast as compensation, which we appreciated but still meant we had to shower with cold water. We also had a poor night's sleep. The beds were uncomfortable, the AC was weak which made the room warm. It was also not noted anywhere on the booking website that the hostel is surrounded by bird-attracting speakers. We understand this may not be in the hostels control, however it did really impact our sleep and would have been useful to know beforehand. Some parts of the hostel were fairly run-down (like the hallways and stairs, rooms and restaurant were fine) which isn’t a major issue, but wasn’t pictured on the booking website anywhere so was unexpected. It was a bit disappointing to see such a significant difference as we were drawn to choose this hostel because of its appearance.

5 Stars – Amazing Stay at Monkey Republic! I had a fantastic stay at Monkey Republic in Kampot! The atmosphere is super relaxed, the rooms are clean and comfortable, and the common areas are great for meeting fellow travelers. The food at the restaurant is also delicious and well-priced. A special shoutout to Su Liing at the reception—she was incredibly kind and helpful! She went above and beyond to make sure I had everything I needed, gave great recommendations, and always greeted me with a smile. It really made my stay even better. If you’re looking for a great place to stay in Kampot, I highly recommend Monkey Republic. I’ll definitely be back!

Nice staff, clean rooms (pillows need a thorough washing). Pleasant restaurant there is somewhere to sit, unfortunately the menu is poor - (I don't know if it is modeled on British-American cuisine or what). Well, and standard either French or German. 🤦This time in the room I had loudly behaving Germans if you want to talk then leave the room after all you have plenty of space outside.

Truly tranquil all round standout experience at Monkey Republic. I booked for 4 days and stayed a month. I send big gratitude to the management and team at monkey, everyone so friendly, kind and professional. The gardens, the gorgeous food and chilled atmosphere are well worth it and such value for money. Thanks again to you all for making my stay so memorable. See you all again soon. 💜😇🙏