Soria Moria Hotel, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Soria Moria Boutique Hotel, Wat Bo Road, Salakamrouk, Siem Reap, Cambodia

T: +855 (0) 63 964 768 | E: booking@thesoriamoria.com

www.thesoriamoria.com

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This contemporary boutique hotel in the heart of Siem Reap (your base for the Angkor temple complex) boasts a real commitment to responsible travel – environmental practices help reduce energy consumption and waste, but it’s the hotel’s positive impact on the local community (including its staff – through the employee partnership scheme it’s Cambodia’s only employee-owned hotel!) that makes Soria Moria so ‘Good’. The hotel partners several local projects and makes it easy for guests to get involved. It’s surprisingly peaceful considering its location – you’re never more than a 5-10min walk from the restaurants, markets, bars and other attractions of Siem Reap.

Accommodation: Rooms are spacious, sleek and modern with all the mod-cons (large western-style en-suite bathrooms, satellite TV, mini-bar etc). Rates range from approx. US$40-60 per night including breakfast and pick-up service.

Food and drink: The fusion restaurant is very good (we enjoyed the breakfast buffet and one evening meal during our stay) but the dishes are (perhaps) a little on the small side (we were probably getting too used to large and cheap street snacks!). The small and friendly Rooftop Bar was fantastic for inexpensive cocktails – the list is extensive and there are regular promotions running (including a $1 Night with all food and drinks at that price – really!). Sipping a cosmopolitan while watching the sunset and enjoying the panoramic views from the rooftop are some very happy memories that have stuck in the mind…

Facilities: While you wait for your tuk-tuk, you can relax in the light and airy hotel lobby where a small shop sells Fair Trade and charity project hand-crafted souvenirs. The hotel also offers traditional Khmer massage and spa treatments, and a ‘fitness room’ (we didn’t visit but I believe it’s like a very small gym if you’re desperate for that sort of thing while on holiday). And for a bit of Vegas-style indulgence you could try the Rooftop Bar’s jacuzzi!

Recommended for… Those who want a peaceful stay (with all the mod-cons) within the hustle and bustle of Siem Reap

Be aware that… The feel is quite European (the founder is Norwegian) so maybe not for you if you’re looking for a real Cambodian experience

‘Good’ credentials:

  • An Employee Ownership Scheme allows local employees to own shares in the business (currently a 51% stake with plans to increase in the future); locals are paid a decent wage and benefits package
  • A training programme in partnership with three local NGOs (Anjali House, Sangkheum Centre for Children, NEDO) allows young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds to work and train within the hospitality industry
  • The Soria Moria Higher Education Programme sponsors currently support 12 students
  • Soria Moria supports a number of local organisations and NGOs, promoting them to guests and selling local Fair Trade and NGO products in the hotel’s shop
  • They encourage guests to donate clothing and other items (especially if you need to make room in your suitcase!) in their collection boxes. Items are then distributed to poor families in the community.
  • Electricity and water consumption are reduced wherever possible
  • Bottles, cans and cardboard are recycled (juice cartons are crafted into wallets!)
  • The kitchen’s cooking oil is recycled and given to Angkor Children’s Hospital to be used for Bio diesel for their generator
  • Food waste is given to local pig farmers
  • Soria Moria sells Love Cards and rents White Bicycles on a non-commission basis with all proceeds going towards education projects

 

(Date of visit: January, 2011)

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The River Garden Restaurant, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The River Garden (Hotel and Bar/Restaurant)

(near) River Road, Siem Reap, Cambodia

www.therivergarden.info

Open to the public 7am – late, 7 days a week

You could almost get lost trying to find The River Garden – the website gives a location but no exact address (it’s near the River Road) – but take a tuk-tuk as it only takes 5 minutes from the center of Siem Reap. We went on a Tuesday which was a stroke of luck – turns out that’s ‘Teapot Tuesday’ when the cafe serves a small selection of cocktails in pretty Khmer teapots (and only for around £5)! We daintily drank Long Island Ice Tea and their own special (i.e. strong!) Green Frog (named after a recent species discovery in the mountains) in the lovely private garden and pool setting.

Food: The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks – a mix of Khmer cuisine, Asian dishes and western comfort food. (Their chocolate brownies are named ‘the finest in Siem Reap’!). The bar serves beer, wine, cocktails, juices and smoothies.

The kitchen also runs the popular ‘Cooks in Tuk Tuks’ cooking lessons which involve a trip to the local market to source produce.

The River Garden is also a hotel with a select few chalets available (if you’ve used the accommodation, please tell us what you thought via the comments board below or send in your own blog post. Similarly, they also arrange ‘voluntourism’ packages – tell us your experience if you’ve been on one).

Recommended for… Visiting on a Tuesday if you like civilised (and cheap!) cocktails

Be aware that… If you’re walking there, be prepared to be walking along some very long roads with no signs

‘Teapot Tuesday’s at The RiverGarden

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Staff are well-paid with additional employment benefits to the Cambodian required standard
  • General rubbish is a problem in Siem Reap so The River Garden work with the local community to clean up the surrounding streets – children who bring 5 kilos of rubbish to their English or dance classes at the local pagoda, get in for free (this is popular).
  • They compost waste from the kitchen and the chickens to use in the garden – they also teach the local community how to improve their own soil through composting.
  • The River Garden staff uniforms, and any other sewing needs, are provided by a local sewing lady and her family business ‘The Tin Shed’ (which was soon to be demolished by the local government)
  • English-speaking visitors are invited to volunteer a couple of hours a time to teach English to local monks and school children

 

Date of visit: January, 2011

 

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