249 326
CAMBODIA
249
October14
isn’t aggressive. The beer and food is (mostly) cheap. And the place has got a little
buzz all of its own. So when my eldest daughter and I decided to have a weekend away
together, I thought Siem Reap would be the perfect place: a bit of culture, a bit of history
(which she studied at school), and some shopping and eating!
On previous trips, I had stayed in four-star and no-star ($15 a night) accommodation
respectively; both were great. This time I opted for something different: Raffles Grand
Hotel d’Angkor. The hotel had recently sent some lovely images through to
Expat Living
,
and one of our editors, Katie, stayed there on a previous trip, so I thought as a treat it
would be nice to stay somewhere special. The original hotel opened in Siem Reap in
the early 1930s, and my daughter and I were both excited about staying in a place so
full of history.
On arrival, the hotel – which is a creamy yellow colour – didn’t seem as “manicured”
as the Raffles in Singapore. Yet it’s still grand. Based on the “palace” hotels of Europe
of that period, with its raised portico, shutters and balconies, it’s also linked by gardens
to the current royal residence of Siem Reap. The hotel is superbly maintained inside
and has a real “old world” feel. We were absolutely wowed when we were upgraded to
one of the two suites; Hilary Clinton had stayed in it recently while in Cambodia on a
diplomatic visit. How’s that for “historic”?
The pool