The One Hotel, Siem Reap, CambodiaFor a change and by way of providing a contrast to the elegance and supreme service of The Park Hyatt Siem Reap, we decided to spend a couple of nights at the One Hotel Angkor. The One Hotel is, as far as we know, unique, in that it has only one room (or suite) in the hotel. Having booked a pick-up service from the hotel, we were surprised when a tuk-tuk turned up, but we went with the flow and crossed our fingers that the luggage would fit! It did, but it required a member of hotel staff to hang onto it during the short hop from the Hyatt.
On arrival at the hotel, which is located on a bustling alley-way off Pub Street, the centre of club and bar culture in Siem Reap, we were warmly greeted and served a welcome drink of orange, pineapple and ginger juice. The reception area, on the ground floor, is part of an art gallery, which had some interesting modern art and an Angkor Wat photography exhibition. The owners of the hotel also own the adjacent 3-room hotel, cocktail bar and spa. DiningOur room rate included breakfast, which was served on the roof terrace at any time we chose. The order had to be placed the night before however, which is not ideal if you are planning to be out late. The menu included fresh fruit, western egg dishes or Cambodian noodle dishes. Each day croissants and pains-au-chocolat were delivered unordered (these were better than they look in the photos). Food was fine - not the best breakfast we have had, but a good way to start the day. The orange juice was wonderful (similar to Hyatt Hua Hin) - made from asian green oranges we suspect.
On our day of arrival, we had a BBQ dinner on the terrace. The set-up of the terrace was beautiful, but due to the unseasonable weather, there were some problems getting the coals lit and so we had a long delay. Making small-talk with a waiter for 45 minutes kills the romance stone dead. The starter of green salad was uninspiring (especially in a country where delicious mango, papaya and pomelo salads are standard), but it was nice that they had both steamed and fried rice available. Protein options were huge Mekong Prawns, pork, chicken and fish. Although we had said in advance that we like spicy food, the seasoning was bland (we are very experienced with Indochinese food). |
The RoomWe were soon escorted up the very steep, narrow stairs to the first floor of our suite. Here, a huge sleigh bed dominated the room, behind which were dual sinks, a sunken bath and rain-shower. The furniture in the room was not of the quality we expected - it felt very like a DIY project. Fittings were also not good - some electric sockets were wobbly and at one point started sparking when we were changing a plug. In general, the room did feel clean, but the dullness of surfaces in the bathroom area suggested either cheap materials or poor cleaning technique. However it was serviced regularly throughout the day.
The reason that we booked The One Hotel was because of the roof terrace. Here, not only is there a large day bed and dining area, but also an outdoor shower and a jacuzzi tub. Lying in the jacuzzi was fantastic (although it took a long time to fill) - listening to the buzz on Pub Street whilst relaxing in the warm bubbly water. Unfortunately, there was a small ant problem by the day bed, but we covered it in towels and it was manageable. |
Overall Impression
The One Hotel in Siem Reap is a great idea but is executed poorly. The rooftop terrace is a real delight and would make staying in the hotel worthwhile for many. However, the quality of the main room is not up to scratch at this price-point. Food was ok but nowhere near as good as many other options we had in town (Wat Damnak and Touich were particularly memorable and much better value). Staff tried very hard and service was mainly good. It was great that they were flexible enough to give us an airport pick-up and drop-off (included in our package) from the Park Hyatt, as we had 2 nights there after leaving the One Hotel.
At this price-point, a number of standards were missed. Bathroom amenities were near non-existant (eg no conditioner), fittings were poor (if not dangerous) and there were some problems with communication. We booked a driver and tour guide through the hotel for a day and were advised of 'surcharges' for certain temples, but the exact amount was never made clear despite our repeated requests. Thus, it was a surprise to find a guide surcharge for the extra distance to Banteay Srei (although we expected a driver surcharge).
If you visited Siem Reap as a backpacker and want to re-visit, stay in the lively centre and enjoy yourself in better surroundings than previously, the One Hotel may be for you. However, at $250++/night, the hotel is poor value and we would recommend other options in the city.
At this price-point, a number of standards were missed. Bathroom amenities were near non-existant (eg no conditioner), fittings were poor (if not dangerous) and there were some problems with communication. We booked a driver and tour guide through the hotel for a day and were advised of 'surcharges' for certain temples, but the exact amount was never made clear despite our repeated requests. Thus, it was a surprise to find a guide surcharge for the extra distance to Banteay Srei (although we expected a driver surcharge).
If you visited Siem Reap as a backpacker and want to re-visit, stay in the lively centre and enjoy yourself in better surroundings than previously, the One Hotel may be for you. However, at $250++/night, the hotel is poor value and we would recommend other options in the city.