Sala Lodges

Soul Survivors: Cambodian Tradition Lives On At Sala Lodges

"To stay here is to inhabit actual, traditional Khmer wooden houses relocated to a Siem Reap site from across Cambodia, each built between 1956 and 1985 and once owned by everyone from carpenters to fishmongers, with the largest a former army barracks. Eleven stilted lodges feel like a serene, self-contained village, distinguished by intricate roofs and carvings, terrace whittlings, small vegetable patches, and even transplanted palm trees, with views over brimming gardens and sunken rice paddies. Sensitive updates add modern bathrooms, wifi, air conditioning, and handsome furniture from Rajasthan as a nod to nearby Angkor’s Hindu origins, while newly built public spaces (pool, bar, restaurant, and lodge) adopt a concrete look the Phnom Post called 'uber-chic' that complements rather than overwhelms the heritage dwellings. Born of a grueling de- and reconstruction inspired by Cambodia’s nomadic tradition—and occasionally sacrificing houses to repair others—the project aims to offer 'real living' in homes the founders insist 'have souls'; since opening in 2013, it’s hired locally and from the hospitality schools where the owners teach, even as most guests are foreign." - Mitchell Friedman

"A love for the lush Cambodian countryside and its charming rural architecture led four Swiss and French friends to open Sala Lodgesin 2012. They amassed 11 stunning examples of the wooden homes on stilts that punctuate the Khmer landscape, hiring carpenters to carefully select, disassemble, transport, and resurrect them on alush village-like property in Siem Reap not far from the temples. Each house has its unique style and story to tell—the oldest ones date to the late 1950s. Antiques, canopied beds, soft lighting, and pastel-hued fabrics, updated with essential modern-day luxuries like air conditioning and rain showers, now fill the majestic structures. Indigenous trees and plants like palm, papaya, and banana trees, and rice fields populated by little frogs and chirping crickets, are an ode to local village life. The generous layout of the rooms and verandas lends a languid atmosphere perfect for taking in the property’s enchanting sights and sounds while contemplating the splendor of Angkor."

Sala Lodges, a Design Boutique Hotel Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

"Sala Lodges provides beautiful wooden bungalows in Siem Reap. It offers easy access to popular attractions like the Old Market and the Night Market. They are both just a 7-minute walk away. It has a salt water swimming pool, a poolside bar and offers free Wi-Fi. Sala Lodges Siem Reap is located 9 km from Siem Reap International airport and 8 km from Angkor Wat Temple. Tonle Sap Lake is situated 11 km away, while Wat Damnak Pagoda is a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The Resident Royal Palace, the Post Office and the Angkor National Museum are a 15-minute walk away. The accommodation feature a khmer-style décor with wood flooring, traditional furnishings and a private balcony. They are fully air conditioned and feature a comfortable seating area and a modern bathroom. Toiletries are available for free. In-room facilities include a minibar and a hair dryer. The Sala Lodge Restaurant serves Khmer (local) dishes, as well as, Western dishes. The pool bar serves a selection of refreshing beverages." - My Boutique Hotel (en)

Sala Lodges (Siem Reap, Cambodia) 1 Verified Reviews | Tablet Hotels

"There was a time when Asia’s luxury villa hotels were pretty uniformly modernist and minimalist. But lately the traveling public has developed a taste for something a little more rustic, a little more handmade, and Sala Lodges, in Siem Reap, just a few miles from the temples at Angkor, are precisely that. These houses are no reproductions — they’re authentic handmade houses, some fifty years old or more, transported from all across the Cambodian countryside and reassembled here on this site." - Tablet Hotels