Hotel
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor
Siem Reap's grand hotel since 1932, an Art Deco landmark with a pool, spa, Cambodian restaurant and the celebrated Elephant Bar.
A sociable hostel on Rose Apple Road with dorms, female-only dorms and private rooms, two swimming pools, a rooftop bar and nightly events.
Good to know
Mad Monkey Siem Reap is a sociable budget base in town. It sits on Rose Apple Road and is designed for travellers who want a social atmosphere, plenty of facilities and the chance to meet others heading to the temples.
The accommodation covers a wide range of budgets. There are standard dormitories with six or eight beds, female-only dorms, and a smaller four-bed dorm with extra comforts, as well as private rooms, including doubles, twins and a triple, for couples and friends who want their own space while still enjoying the hostel's social side. Availability varies, so book ahead in the high season, especially for the private rooms.
Facilities are generous for a hostel. There are two swimming pools, which are a real advantage after a sweaty morning at Angkor, along with a poolside bar and restaurant and a rooftop bar. The social calendar is central to the experience: a nightly meet-up offers discounted beers from 7pm, and further events start late in the evening. If you value quiet nights, ask for a room away from the bar areas, or consider a calmer guesthouse instead.
Mad Monkey suits solo travellers, backpackers and groups of friends, and its female dorms give women travelling alone an extra option. Staff and fellow guests are a good source of tips on the Angkor temples, the Tonle Sap floating villages, the silk farm, the Landmine Museum, the Angkor Night Market and Pub Street, all of which the hostel highlights for its guests. Sharing a tuk-tuk to the temples with people you meet here is an easy way to keep costs down.
Rose Apple Road is within easy reach of the centre, so the Old Market and Pub Street are a short walk or tuk-tuk ride away. Contact the hostel by phone or through its website for bookings, and check the latest details of rooms and events online before you arrive. Bring a padlock for lockers in the dorms, and earplugs if you are a light sleeper. Private rooms are the better choice for couples who want to join the social life by day but sleep well before an early sunrise start at Angkor Wat.
Six- and eight-bed dorms, female-only dorms, a four-bed dorm and private doubles, twins and a triple.
Yes, it has two swimming pools.
Yes, several female-only dorm options are available.
Yes, a poolside bar and restaurant and a rooftop bar.
It is sociable, with a nightly meet-up from 7pm and later events, so light sleepers should bring earplugs.
On Rose Apple Road in Siem Reap.
Solo travellers, backpackers and groups of friends.
Through the Mad Monkey website or by phone.
Attraction
Suryavarman II's 12th-century temple to Vishnu, the largest religious monument in the world and the centrepiece of the Angkor World Heritage Site.
Restaurant
Chef Joannes Riviere's dinner-only restaurant in a traditional wooden house, serving regularly changing eight-course tasting menus of seasonal Cambodian produce.
Café
A speciality coffee café open since late 2014, blending Australian café culture with Cambodian touches, known for espresso, cold drip and simple breakfasts.
Bar
An intimate cocktail lounge on Street 26 styled after 1930s Shanghai, serving martinis, a Raffles-recipe Singapore Sling and home-style Chinese dishes.