Borei Angkor Resort & Spa

The entry gate trimmed in Cambodian flags gives little hint to the large, imposing hotel hidden behind. As one of Siem Reap's oldest properties, the Borei Angkor has been revamped and renovated over the years. The current incarnation welcomes guests into a palatial lobby of gray stone and soaring ceilings capped off with skylights. A towering brass lotus-leaf sculpture reaching across the room gives a dramatic focal point. Upholstered benches topped with green pillows and glass coffee tables add a bit of midcentury coolness that wouldn't be out of place in California. But the staff dressed in traditional garb and musicians playing Khmer music throughout the day keep guest firmly grounded in Southeast Asia. A sweeping staircase leads to function rooms upstairs. It's a rather impressive and regal spot, aimed not just at tourists, but at local businessmen and women, who seem to frequent the hotel for various events. 

Located east of the city center, the Borei Angkor is across the Siem Reap River and near the local Psar Leu Market. It's right off the national road to Phnom Penh, which gets clogged with traffic at all hours, but thankfully the hotel is set back far enough to be well insulated from noise. Guests can experience the real Siem Reap and its local markets in this neighborhood, but few tourist-oriented facilities exist. You'll need a tuk tuk to go into town or explore the main drinking and dining area around Pub Street. And compared to other hotels in the area, you're an extra five to 10 minutes from the airport and Angkor Wat. However, some guests could consider it a pro to be far from the tourist hordes and the chaotic city center. And with all of its great facilities, the resort makes for an excellent oasis.

Overrun in polished wood from the hand-crafted wooden bed frames to the hardwood floors to the trim and accent walls, the guest rooms have a distinctly Khmer feel that includes decorative brass filigree in some rooms. But all rooms have small balconies with a tidy set of chairs and a table to enjoy pool or city views. As expected for an upscale hotel, rooms are equipped with flatscreen TVs, safes, minibars, coffee stations, and free Wi-Fi. The extremely spacious suites also have a separate living room area. Deluxe Rooms bathrooms are a simple state of affairs -- white tile, black vanity sinks, and a shower/tub combo with a plastic shower curtain. By contrast, the Landmark Rooms and the suites have emerald-green tiles, sprigs of bamboo, and a standing shower with a separate soaking tub as well. (Suite tubs have a whirlpool feature.) Overall, Deluxe Rooms are a level below the others looking rather worn and in need of the same refinement other rooms enjoy.

Simply put, the Borei Angkor has some of the best facilities in Siem Reap. The beautifully decorated Mudita Spa here is top-notch, including private honeymoon suites with tubs, traditional Cambodian herbal saunas, and a hair and nail salon. There's also an excellent fitness center here, complete with cardio machines and weights, plus an adjacent sauna, steam room, and hot and cold whirlpools (separate for men and women). But perhaps the most popular feature is the large free-form swimming pool with a whirlpool on one end. The Aha Rosil snack bar by the pool feeds peckish swimmers and sunbathers.

A full-service business center caters to the businessmen and women that also hold meetings and functions in the rooms above the lobby. And a few on-site shops give guest a easy spot to grab souvenirs.

For dining and drinking, the resort has the Borei Cafe, which serves a free buffet breakfasts and Khmer and international cuisine for both lunch and dinner. There's also an outdoor venue, the Pavilion, where the hotel has live Apsara dance performances along with dinners on several nights of the week. Just outside the resort's main entrance, the Kasin Lounge does high tea, pastries, cakes, and cocktails, which guests enjoy seated in a cluster of comfy chairs by an artificial waterfall. Inside the hotel, the Tropicana Bar serves drinks looking out over the pool. A live band performs there every night.