Bou Savy Guest House

The Bou Savy Guesthouse doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's a warm and inviting guesthouse that's often fully booked in high season. Why? Because this spot is a great value and has a friendly, family-home vibe. In fact, the three-story red house was actually once a home that has steadily been turned into a guesthouse and expanded over the years. The original building houses the rooms, while a small garden sits to the side along with a swimming pool and the hotel's open-air restaurant. There is no lobby here -- the cash register area of the restaurant serves as the check-in and information point for the guesthouse -- and there's always someone on duty. The red-brick floored dining area has thick wooden tables and chairs, and is slightly snazzier upstairs, with colorful cushioned love seats and sofas where guests can relax. As this is really the only large public hang-out space at Bou Savy, it's easy to meet other travelers and there's an amiable and relaxed atmosphere throughout the hotel. Expect to see plenty of couples, solo travelers, and groups of friends here.

Bou Savy Guesthouse is just off National Road 6 which runs through central Siem Reap. While the National Road is a busy thoroughfare, the hotel is located down a quiet dirt road which sees little traffic and feels as if it's located in the countryside. However, there are plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops within a five to 10 minute walk. The bustling tourist core of this lively little town is a bit further, and destinations like Pub Street and the Old Market area can be reached in just over 15 minutes on foot. There are plenty of tuk-tuks out on the main road to whisk guests into town in just a couple minutes. Angkor Wat complex is a 15-minute drive from the hotel, and the international airport is 10 to 15 minutes in the other direction by car (a bit longer by tuk-tuk).

There are only 30 rooms at Bou Savy, all of them are similar save for the choice of cheaper rooms that don't come with air-conditioning. Each category features a choice of single, twin, or a triple configurations (the latter of which consists of a double and single bed). The triple rooms are of a good size, and suitable for families. The rooms are fairly basic and lack safes, closets, or extra furniture, but they have light tiled floors along with contemporary Khmer accents in the curtains and textiles. The white walls are mostly bare and beds are made with white linens. What little furniture there is comes in simple black shades and has basic silhouettes. All rooms have free Wi-Fi and mini-fridges along with TVs, although they are older tube style units. Bathrooms are small, but have snazzy zebra tiles to liven them up. These are wet rooms, though, which won't be appealing for all guests -- this means that the shower is not separated from the rest of the bathroom and much of the bathroom floor and some fixtures will become wet when showering. There are windows in each room, but they have bars across them and don't open.

While budget guesthouses in Siem Reap often don't have much in the way of facilities, Bou Savy is better than most. There is a small swimming pool here to beat the heat, and the guesthouse has a two-floor restaurant area open throughout the day and evening. The upstairs area has large cushioned rattan seats and sofas, while the downstairs has regular table seating and is open-air, serving up both Khmer and Western dishes at cheap prices. Breakfast is simple, but free and tasty. Wi-Fi is also free and the hotel runs a free airport pick-up. The hotel can also help arrange tours and tickets of local sights, including the Angkor Wat complex.