Which side of the river, how far from Pub Street, and how early you are getting up for Angkor.
In short
Siem Reap accommodation is concentrated in three areas: the Old French Quarter and riverside for walkable restaurants, Wat Bo across the river for quieter boutique stays, and the Charles de Gaulle road towards Angkor for the larger resorts. Almost everywhere is within fifteen minutes of the temples.
Siem Reap is where Cambodia does luxury properly. Colonial-era grand hotels sit near the Old French Quarter, and design-led resorts spread along the Charles de Gaulle road towards Angkor. Rates are a fraction of equivalent properties in Bangkok, and almost everything is within fifteen minutes of the temples.
Where they are
The Old French Quarter, the road towards Angkor, and quieter grounds across the river
What you pay for
Space, gardens, a real spa, and staff who handle the 4.30am temple start without complaint
Distance to Angkor
Fifteen minutes or less from almost anywhere in town
Boutique hotels are Siem Reap's strongest category. Small owner-run properties, many of them converted villas with a courtyard pool, cluster around Wat Bo and the lanes off the river. They cost a fraction of the resorts and are usually the better experience.
Where they are
Wat Bo across the river, and the lanes behind the Old French Quarter
Typical shape
Fifteen to thirty rooms around a courtyard pool, often a converted villa
Why here
Land was cheap enough to build small and green, and the market rewards character
Siem Reap has more budget accommodation than it has budget travellers for most of the year, which keeps standards high and prices low. Private rooms with air conditioning and pool access are widely available at what would be dorm money elsewhere in the region.
Why it is cheap
Supply built for peak season has to fill in the other eight months
What you can expect
A private room, air conditioning, wifi and usually a pool
Where
Spread across town; the cluster near Pub Street is loudest and often the cheapest
