WHAT’S IT LIKE? Ambient music and French jazz floated through the air as I entered this quintessentially cool boutique hotel. Walking past the azure pool through a garden of mature palm trees and foliage, The Pavilion immediately established itself as an escape from the hustle and bustle of Cambodia’s capital city.
The main building was constructed in the mid-1920s and the owners have retained the distinctly Khmer and French elements throughout. Manager Sreipeou and her staff had attended to every detail: the platform beds in the garden were perfect for lounging (while reading one of the books from the small library in the lobby), the citronella candles and strategically placed anti-mosquito machines.
WHERE IS IT? Forty minutes from the airport, The Pavilion sits across the street from the Botum Pagoda, and is just a block from the Royal Palace and National Museum. Sisowath Quay is a five- to 10-minute walk, while just around the corner on Street 240 are some of the most promising and fashionable boutique shops in the city.
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 20 beautifully appointed, non-smoking rooms, many of which have garden or terrace areas. Four have a private 6m x 3m pools, and one has a private Jacuzzi.
ROOM FACILITIES: All rooms and suites have an inviting French colonial feel. Four-poster beds with crisp white linens, a comfortable couch for relaxing, and modern amenities in the bathrooms made me feel right at home. A television, plush towels, floral floor tiles and paintings by local artists decorate each spacious room.
RESTAURANTS & BARS: The poolside bar-cum-restaurant serves a delicious free breakfast of baguettes, fruit, locally grown coffee and fresh-squeezed passion fruit juice. It becomes a bistro and drinks café during the day and by night it serves up a variety of drinks as well as Khmer and European specialties (the raviolis were delicious).
BUSINESS FACILITIES: Equipped with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Laptop-free guests can also use one of the four computers in the lobby for email and web surfing as a light breeze blows through the airy space.
LEISURE FACILITIES: An outdoor swimming pool.
PRICE: Between US$50 and US$100 per night.
VERDICT: Luxury at Lonely Planet prices, with helpful reliable staff, Pavilion is an oasis in this capital city.
CONTACT: 227, Street 19, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, tel 855 23 222 280, www.pavilion-cambodia.com
Christina Kautzky
