Daun Penh

Raffles Hotel Le Royal

History, gardens and a quiet base in the old city

In short

Raffles Hotel Le Royal opened in 1929 and is the grand colonial hotel of Phnom Penh: low, cream-and-shuttered buildings around a garden and pool in the quiet embassy streets near Wat Phnom. It is the choice for history and calm rather than views, and its Elephant Bar is a city institution in its own right.

Checked

September 2026 - listed as five-star by public hotel directories

Photo: Rlr.marcoms, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Part of our guide to Luxury hotels in Phnom Penh

At a glance

The short version

Area: Daun Penh, near Wat Phnom
Rating: Five-star
Style: Colonial heritage, garden and pool
Walk to: Wat Phnom, the riverside, Central Market by tuk-tuk
Rates: Confirmed on enquiry - they change daily

Questions travellers ask

Is it walkable to the riverside?

A short tuk-tuk ride or a 15-minute walk. The hotel is deliberately set back from it, which is much of its appeal.

Is it good for families?

Yes - the garden and pool make it one of the easier luxury stays with children.

Phnom Penh

Other ways to stay here

All of them

Riverfront and BKK1

Luxury hotels in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh's luxury hotels sit either on the riverfront near the Royal Palace or in BKK1, the leafy district that holds the city's best restaurants. Traffic makes the choice matter: a kilometre in Phnom Penh can take twenty minutes at the wrong hour.

Riverfront: Views over the Tonle Sap and Mekong, walking distance to the Royal Palace and National Museum
BKK1: Quieter, leafier, and where you will eat best
Daun Penh: The old administrative quarter, closest to the main sights

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Converted villas, mostly in BKK1

Boutique hotels in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh's boutique hotels are concentrated in BKK1 and the streets around it, many of them converted mid-century villas with a courtyard and a small pool. They put you within walking distance of the city's best restaurants and away from the riverfront traffic.

Where: BKK1 and the surrounding streets, with a few near the river
Typical shape: A converted villa, ten to twenty-five rooms, courtyard and plunge pool
Why BKK1: Tree cover, wide pavements by Phnom Penh standards, and the best eating in Cambodia

See the detail