The Five Senses Boutique Hotel

A perfect location for exploring the city. Surrounded by the markets, great eating places and bars. The staff were all friendly and helpful. I arranged my trip to Ankor Wat with them. The driver was most accommodating with lots of water all morning

The pool chairs were a little uncomfortable and the bath in the room took over an hour to fill.

The rooms are really good value for money! Our room was huge and extremely nice. The pool and reception are open 24/7 and the staff is always available to help. The location is good to visit Angkor Wat and there are always plenty of Tuk tuks available on grab or via reception, it takes about 15 minutes. It’s about a 7-minute walk to the town, so it’s doable whilst also being far away from the noise.

The internet was quite slow in our room.

The staff was wonderful and very helpful! The hotel was very clean. Breakfast was great and in a good location.

The TV didn’t work

So, I understand the difference between a hotel, which is higher end, and a boutique hotel, which is usually a bit lower on the scale but quaint and more culturally embedded in Cambodian traditions. Boutique hotels are lower than a hotel but higher than a guesthouse and usually higher than a resort but on par with a hotel resort depending on other factors. With that in mind this is also Siem Reap, which has a healthy tourism industry. It is not a big city like Phnom Penh but with so many tourist dollars going into its economy, the locals have adapted and there is a lot of competition. Firstly, the location is fantastic. You’re just across the river from Pub Street and all of its pubs, restaurants, shops, and nightlife. But you’re also far enough away from it that you’ll get a glimpse into everyday Cambodian life. From the guy fishing the river, to the River Night Markets, pagodas, and restaurants where the locals hang out. There are souvenirs, jewelry and other items for sale in the foyer that are reasonably priced. There is a small pool, which is private and suits its purpose. The rooms are generous but the space within is not used to maximum effect. We got a free upgrade to the twin double room (303), but the extra space was wasted. The double rooms (301 and 302) have a sofa. I recommend asking for the 202 room if you stay there it has the best layout, avoids some of the privacy issues mentioned later, and is only one floor up.

The biggest problem with this hotel happens as soon as you arrive. You have to carry your bags yourself up the stairs. No one offered to help and I would have been embarrassed to ask the young girl there to do it for me, so I carried them up two flights of stairs myself. This would not suit someone who was frail. The bathrooms have a serious privacy issue. In 303, the window into the bathroom made it possible to look straight into the room. They could not see into the shower area but they could see the basin and the bedroom. In 301, the curtain in the bathroom did not close properly and was just the right height to expose the pubic area. Anyone could look in from a balcony and get an eyeful. 202 did not have this issue from memory but there are other issues with the bathroom. Water runs all over the bathroom floor. It could be a slipping hazard if you are not careful. The two drains in the bathroom are not well placed for the water to flow out properly. There is a strange bathtub in the bedroom in 302 and 303. I don’t see the point of it. It is huge and made of concrete. It is almost a small swimming pool. I used it for shelf space, which is lacking in the room. The wardrobe is not wide enough to fit any clothes on a hanger. And what few shelves in the room are taken up by art. Most surface space is taken up by the food, minibar items and other clutter. There is just not enough space to put things on or in. We did not unpack our suitcases fully despite staying there for four days. The breakfast is not very good. In fact, the cook told us that the Khmer noodles were not delicious. One of the few items on the menu was not available. The breakfast was passable. You have to ask for a second coffee if you want one. There is not much choice. The fried rice was nothing special either so if they can’t cook Khmer food, there is not much hope. The room is too big for the air-conditioning unit so it is warm during the day, but the unit blows directly on the bed at night.