HOTEL REVIEW: REFLECTIONS ART BOUTIQUE HOTEL in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Posted by Johanna
on
5:58 PM
in
asia,
budget hotels,
Cambodia,
hotel review,
Reflections Art Boutique Hotel,
Siem Reap
It's all about the jacuzzi. But the jacuzzi doesn't work—at least most of the time when it matters.
We booked a snazzy jacuzzi suite at the Reflections Art Boutique Hotel for two nights in September at a steal: $96. Cut-rate prices are, however, the norm in Cambodia and the thrifty traveller will find cheaper alternatives elsewhere in central Siem Reap (Map).
You'd be hard-pressed to find rooms with more character and style than Reflection's. The funky little hotel's decor is kitschy, over-the-top, but earnest and entirely lovable.
Each room has a different theme. Ours was called Moody and it features graffiti on the walls and a small patio with a big jacuzzi that can fit up to eight people. We saw another room with an in-suite jacuzzi called My Secret Garden, which looked newer and more inviting.
The service was excellent and the bed comfortable. The staff always had smiles on their faces and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Swan-shaped towels, flowers and a personal note greeted us upon arrival. Wonderful! They also lent us the hotel's brand-new bicycles for free, which we used to stroll around the temples.
The bad
The hotel is just begging for some polishing—a thorough one—which is a pity because the hotel holds so much promise. The furniture in the lobby, though cute, looks used up. In our room, the floor was filthy, the walls looked scratched and faded and so did the toilet. The bath is huge and includes a rain showerhead, but the clunky concrete floor floods after a few minutes in.
The phone doesn't work, nor does the MP3 player.
The ugly
Oh jacuzzi, how you tantalized and evaded me!
On our first night in Siem Reap, we arrived at the airport at 10 p.m., where the hotel's tuktuk driver picked us up, no problem, and delivered us at the hotel's doorstep within 30 minutes.
Excited to try the jacuzzi, we jumped in immediately, but it didn't work even after an hour's prodding by the staff. We were then moved to the My Secret Garden room but the jacuzzi in there wasn't working either. So the Moody room found us sleeping dejectedly that night.
The culprit: water problem in the neighborhood. It's not clear if this is permanent.
The next day, we left early for the temples but happily went home around 6 p.m. to a working jacuzzi. We were able to use it for about an hour and a half, after which we grabbed some eats outside the hotel. When we got back at around 9 p.m., the jacuzzi was dead again until we checked out early the next day.
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
We picked this hotel because of the in-suite jacuzzi, so imagine our disappointment when it didn't work most of the time. Still, I was impressed by the staff's attentiveness so I gave this hotel a 3. Without them, I'd give it a 2.
We booked a snazzy jacuzzi suite at the Reflections Art Boutique Hotel for two nights in September at a steal: $96. Cut-rate prices are, however, the norm in Cambodia and the thrifty traveller will find cheaper alternatives elsewhere in central Siem Reap (Map).
Pros:
* Soft, king-sized bed
* Impeccable service
* Unique decor
* Spacious room
* Free breakfast with lots of tasty options
* Free airport pick-up
Cons:
* Jacuzzi doesn't work after 8 p.m. or whenever it decides to annoy you
* Intermittent Wi-Fi connection
* No working phone in the room, so it's a walk to the reception everytime you need something
* Crumbling exterior needs a touch-up
* Far from the old market and the touristy area of Pub Street. We felt unsafe walking there at night.
* Surroundings can get noisy. We asked the staff to turn down the volume of the hotel's sound system and they kindly obliged.
Tips:
* Check for promo and early-bird rates on Agoda.com and Booking.com. We booked our room on Agoda for a fraction of the price published on the hotel website ($125).
* Try the delicious welcome drinks made of lime juice, tequila, grenadine, sugar and salt.
The good* Try the delicious welcome drinks made of lime juice, tequila, grenadine, sugar and salt.
You'd be hard-pressed to find rooms with more character and style than Reflection's. The funky little hotel's decor is kitschy, over-the-top, but earnest and entirely lovable.
Each room has a different theme. Ours was called Moody and it features graffiti on the walls and a small patio with a big jacuzzi that can fit up to eight people. We saw another room with an in-suite jacuzzi called My Secret Garden, which looked newer and more inviting.
The service was excellent and the bed comfortable. The staff always had smiles on their faces and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Swan-shaped towels, flowers and a personal note greeted us upon arrival. Wonderful! They also lent us the hotel's brand-new bicycles for free, which we used to stroll around the temples.
The bad
The hotel is just begging for some polishing—a thorough one—which is a pity because the hotel holds so much promise. The furniture in the lobby, though cute, looks used up. In our room, the floor was filthy, the walls looked scratched and faded and so did the toilet. The bath is huge and includes a rain showerhead, but the clunky concrete floor floods after a few minutes in.
The phone doesn't work, nor does the MP3 player.
The ugly
Oh jacuzzi, how you tantalized and evaded me!
On our first night in Siem Reap, we arrived at the airport at 10 p.m., where the hotel's tuktuk driver picked us up, no problem, and delivered us at the hotel's doorstep within 30 minutes.
Excited to try the jacuzzi, we jumped in immediately, but it didn't work even after an hour's prodding by the staff. We were then moved to the My Secret Garden room but the jacuzzi in there wasn't working either. So the Moody room found us sleeping dejectedly that night.
The culprit: water problem in the neighborhood. It's not clear if this is permanent.
The next day, we left early for the temples but happily went home around 6 p.m. to a working jacuzzi. We were able to use it for about an hour and a half, after which we grabbed some eats outside the hotel. When we got back at around 9 p.m., the jacuzzi was dead again until we checked out early the next day.
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
We picked this hotel because of the in-suite jacuzzi, so imagine our disappointment when it didn't work most of the time. Still, I was impressed by the staff's attentiveness so I gave this hotel a 3. Without them, I'd give it a 2.
