Greetings from Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The 'el cheapo Bangkok Airlines flight to Siem Reap, PO905 required few compromises. The cabin crew provided professional, attentive service and even served a snack on the 60 minute flight. The Cambodian visa on arrival (VOA) process broke the magic spell as it assumed knowledge passengers did not have and multiple queues without adequate signage added to the hectic confusion.

The widely advertised complementary airport transfer to the Somadevi Angkor Hotel never made an appearance and the cabs and Tuk Tuk drivers and touts naturally wanted arriving passengers to remain ignorant of the transfer possibilities: the standard quoted fare into town is ten U.S. Dollars. So, after attempting to negotiate a cheaper rate I decided to walk into town like I have frequently done on previous expeditions during the past forty years. Deliberately confusing information and exaggeration led me to guess the distance to be under ten kilometers; ha.

After two hours carrying my twenty-four pound backpack and beginning to feel the straps digging into my shoulders, I decided to stop in a little air-conditioned refreshment stand for some rest and rehydration. There I learned I hadn't even walked half the distance to town and my pedometer already showed 18 thousand steps or about nine kilometers! As every other Tuk Tuk driver passing me paused to offer their service and the fares continued to drop from $10 down to as low as $1, I finally succumbed to fatigue and shoulder strap pain and offered the next guy who stopped 10,000 Cambodian Riels or about $2.50 and with casual banter he accepted. I soon realized why as the 15 minute trip gave him an extended opportunity to vigorously pitch his guide services for later in my stay. When we reached the hotel and I saw how far the trip actually turned out to be, I doubled the fee I paid him and arranged a phone number where I could call him for future service.

The prebooked Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa Hotel is the one I used during a previous visit to this area. However, in the 14 years since then, a lot has changed. Starting with the complementary airport transfer that never materialized, the "welcome" drink turned out to be an awful half juice glass of tepid lemon grass tea. After just one sip of mine I set the remainder aside noticing many other similar unfinished glasses in the lobby. I can't imagine that no one in management has noticed how unpopular this "welcome" drink is with hot and thirsty arriving guests, especially considering the fact that I found the hotel lobby without air-conditioning!

Some of the reception desk staff have limited command of English making it difficult for me to communicate with them. After being chased out of the dining room where I wanted to continue working with my laptop on "postcards," the current hotel general manager, Mr. Sitha Chey responded to my request for use of the business center by showing me to a desk in the lobby! As the temperature inside is unbearably hot, I could not work there very long. Air conditioning in the dining room is fine during the advertised breakfast hours, but is deactivated otherwise. Someone is vigorously managing cost controls without regard to guest comfort. The WiFi in the lobby area as well as in my third floor room is fast and reliable.

I extended my stay twice using the Agoda booking agent for a total of eight nights and then decided to head back to Bangkok. On the last morning I lost my balance in the dining room and fell to my knee with no real damage. However, predictably, everyone in the vicinity immediately turned their attention to my plight, offering every imaginable assistance accompanied by exaggerated expressions of concern.

During one of my daily walks I stumbled on a new building complex under construction a block from my hotel and paused to investigate. The Koulen Summit Condo staff already is conducting their shake down cruise while the workmen finish last minute details on the structures, interiors and furnishings. The elegant building appears to be a hotel, though the signage confused me. Designed as a condo complex, it is currently being repurposed as a deluxe hotel. Unsure if the place might be a hotel, I ventured in to enquire. Sure enough, manager Mr. Brosslee assured me, it is a hotel among other things!

The street level exterior is designed to be a strip mall, all stores currently unoccupied and being promoted to future tenants. The interior is divided into one, two, three and four bedroom suites (condos), but every sleeping room is independently keyed so that it can be rented as a normal hotel room, albeit sharing a large multipurpose common room that would be a combination living room, family room and kitchen when used in the condo configuration. Ultimately, the condos are to be sold I presume, but in the interim, the facility is generating income as a hotel. Checking, I found all the popular booking agents like Agoda have listings, but also several other less usual agents like Airbnb. At this early stage of the property opening, promotional rates are unbelievably low; like $40 including breakfast for a single room.

 

Until I pause again to reflect and report,

Peace,

Fred L Bellomy
 

Siem Reap: Elegant bodhisattva statue standing in the middle of the Somadevi Anchor Hotel lobby.

Siem Reap: Sign at the entrance to the Somadevi Anchor Hotel where I stayed.
 

Siem Reap: One of the decorative bas-reliefs seen around the lobby of the Somadevi Anchor Hotel where I stayed.

 

Siem Reap: One of the decorative bas-reliefs seen around the lobby of the Somadevi Anchor Hotel where I stayed.

 

 

Asia, an orientation map.