FCC Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The chic minimalist exterior has become the landmark of Siem Reap Town. Restored from the old French Governor's mansion, FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) Angkor exudes an old colonial charm.

Adhering to it's minimalistic theme, the interior is modern and sleek. Muted colours are chosen as the colour palette. Instead of room numbers, each room is named after a spice that is commonly used in South East Asian cuisine. I stayed in Pepper. The bathroom is spacious with a bathtub. Instead of a tap, water flows out from the tiles to fill the tub.

Right outside the room is a very inviting oblong pool. At the end of the pool is a Jacuzzi. And behind the Jacuzzi is Visaya Spa where one can rejuvenate one's tired soul from exploring Angkor Wat.

There is a restaurant that serves good food. The breakfast is scrumptious with plenty of options. Try the local porridge for breakfast, the soup is incredibly flavourful. There is also a pool table on it's ground, as well as a boutique and a gallery.

http://www.fcccambodia.com/angkor/

Stay: May 2005
Character ★★★★
Cleanliness ★★★
Service ★★★★
Location ★★★
Value ★★★


FCC facade


Pool






Rooms are named after spices




Bathroom


Scrumptious big breakfast


FCC facade at night

Angkor Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The owner of Angkor Village, a french architect, designed and modeled his resort after a traditional Khmer village, following in detail the Khmer architectural style. Each villa is set on stilts, suspended over the lotus pond. The landscape design of the whole resort is carefully thought out and beautifully executed. There is also a swimming pool in the compound.

Like all traditional Khmer architectural style, the room has a high ceiling. The interior decor of the room has an old colonial flavour. I especially like the dark wood four-poster bed. The balcony is good for relaxing and enjoying the view of the lotus pond. There is a bathtub in the bathroom.

Worth mentioning is the theatre just opposite the resort, also owned by the owner of Angkor Village. It offers traditional Khmer dance and music performances, and stages plays of ancient Khmer mythologies. Both the exterior and the interior of the theatre is exquisitely designed. Using alot of gold and amber colour, it gives off a dramatic and opulent feel. The dim ambient lighting definitely set us in the mood for the performance. Dinner is included in the ticket fee. The cuisine is Khmer-French fusion. A really interesting combination. The caramel pork rib soup is unforgettable. Although the price is higher than everywhere else that offers similar performance and includes a buffet dinner, the quality of the performance and food here is definitely worth paying the extra dollars.

http://www.angkorvillage.com/

Stay: May 2005
Character ★★★
Cleanliness ★★★
Service ★★✩
Location ★★★
Value ★★✩


Resort compound


Central pond and water feature


Inspired by traditional Khemer village


Lush garden


Lounging area


Four-poster bed


Study


Glass door to balcony


The theatre

La Villa Loti, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Hidden behind lush foliage is a rustic 2 storey Khmer style villa. Stepping in, I felt a relaxing atmosphere immediately. It is like stepping into someone's secret garden ...

I arrived earlier than the check-in time. From the entrance, there is a red brick pathway leading to the main building. A very polite staff met me at the gate & showed me to a guest room so that I can put down my backpack and rest my feet temporarily while the room assigned to be is being house-kept. Next, she brought me an ice cold drink and cold hand towel to refresh myself, and offered me an area map. By then I was deeply impressed by her genial disposition. After my stay, I often use the service at La Villa Loti as the benchmark of good service. And I come to expect more from big establishments since such a small guesthouse can be so exceptional in their service, big hotels which invested so much in training their staffs should be able to provide service as good as, if not better, than that of La Villa Loti.

A charming and beautiful place, there is a really sweet love story behind La Villa Loti. A French came to Siem Reap for rural development project & fell in love with the place and married a Khmer girl. They later opened this guesthouse (the owner prefers to call it guest-hotel – " neither hotel nor guest-house, but hopefully the best of both") & named it after Pierre Loti (1850-1923), a french novelist.

As for the room, the Ventilation in the room is good as the room features a high ceiling. The floor and most furniture are made of wood. Everything is very clean and simple but not without character. The only thing I would complain about is that the wooden wall partition between the rooms are very thin and I can hear the flushing of the toilet next door. What I like most about the place, other than it's first-class hospitality, is the corridor cum balcony with hammocks which allows me to laze under the sun when I am not out trying to be Lara Croft.

It's location is also one of the closest to Angkor Wat, conveniently located on the route to the ancient temple.

When it was time for me to leave, the whole fleet of staff was out to bid me goodbye. Now, that's what I call a starry service. It made my stay an unforgettable one.

http://www.coconut-hotel-angkor.com/html/index.php?lang=en

Stay: May 2005
Character ★★★
Cleanliness ★★★
Service ★★★★
Location ★★★★
Value ★★★★


Entrance of La Villa Loti


The red brick pathway


"Well hidden" reception area


Reception area


Garden


Balcony cum corridor


Balcony cum corridor


Breakfast

Costa Lanta, Koh Lanta, Thailand

Set along the beach of the tranquil island of Koh Lanta lies 22 cubic structures. At a glance, these cubes look like empty wooden boxes being randomly left in the area. Upon closer inspection, one will realize that there is more then meets the eye.

Two sides of the "box" are wooden panels that can unfold to reveal a self-contained stylish lodge. Understanding a city dweller's need to escape from it all & yet be able to enjoy the convenience of modern-day amenities, each lodge is complete with fluffy duvet & air conditioner, bringing urban dwellers like myself, close to nature without compromising comfort. Aptly bringing across the resort's concept – "an equation between urban comfort & the desire to escape from it".

While it's wooden exterior blends perfectly with it's natural surroundings, it's minimalist concrete interior exudes urban-chic. A member of Design Hotels, Costa Lanta is simple yet contemporary.

To me, Costa Lanta is all about the perfect balance between nature & the urban lifestyle, & finding balance within ourselves.



http://www.costalanta.com/
http://www.designhotels.com/?gclid=CJzRkcHbwZwCFQEupAodeFkjug

Stay: January 2006
Character ★★★★
Cleanliness ★★★
Service ★★★✩
Location ★★
Value ★★


Restaurant & bar


Surrounded by casuarina trees


View of the sea


Inside the cube


Folding door


Chairs to chill


The bathroom


Restaurant & bar at night

The Davis, Bangkok, Thailand

Touted as the 1st boutique hotel in Bangkok, The Davis Bangkok is situated along Sukhumvit Road, which is the best known shopping district in Bangkok. Easily accessible by BTS (sky-train), the nearest station is Prompong Station.

There are 3 wings to the hotel. The Baan Davis Wing consist of 10 Thai style villas, 7 with 2 bedrooms and 3 with 3 bedrooms.

The Corner Wing consists of suites and studios. Many of the suites has a private Jacuzzi. I stayed in the Main Wing which has 40 design rooms. The individually designed rooms, each with a distinct characteristic, is also the main reason for my choice in staying here.

I had the chance to stay in 2 of the design rooms. The first comes with an Oriental theme, with a traditional signage hanging over the double bed. "Family portrait" of people from the Qing Dynasty decorated the predominantly red room.

The second room is a Thai themed one. A gigantic photographic wallpaper of the 'Sleeping Buddha' occupies one wall, setting the mood of the room. Tying-in with the theme are Thai-inspired wooden furniture.

I did not get to use the hotel facilities much as I was out most of the time. But the whole feel of my stay was very pleasant. The checking in and out was a breeze.

My stay was a few years back and since then, plenty of boutique hotels has sprouted in Bangkok. This may not be the best or the coolest boutique hotel, but at the time of my stay, the idea of boutique hotels was still a novelty there. Kudos to The Davis Bangkok for being a pioneer and doing a pretty good job at it!

http://www.davisbangkok.net/

Stay: July 2005
Character ★★✩
Cleanliness ★★★
Service ★★★
Location ★★★
Value ★★★


The lobby and reception area


Wall mural at lobby area


The oriental themed room


The Thai themed room


Lougue chair


Photographic wall paper

The Scarlet, Erskine Road, Singapore

Smacked in the middle of Singapore's historical area, near Chinatown, a row of old shophouses are restored and cleverly transformed into a swanky boutique hotel.

Stepping into the lobby and reception area, it is hard not to notice the use of rich colours, & bold mix of textures & materials. From the velvety lounge chairs with lavish upholstery, fancy wallpaper and elaborate chandeliers, The Scarlet spells OPULENCE. Everything is carefully chosen to seduce our senses. It's warm and dim ambient light creates a sensual and mysterious atmosphere, making The Scarlet ultra-sexy.

The same luxurious feel is extended to the bedroom which features a sloping roof. My Deluxe room has a big comfortable double bed, dark wood wardrobe, big sturdy writing table complete with a high back chair. But what I loved most is the small double doors that open up to the balcony. The balcony offers a view unique to Singapore – the back view of a row of old shophouses with spiral staircases that forms an interesting arrangement.

The hotel has 5 suites, each uniquely designed to carry a different personality, namely, Splendour, Passion, Opulent, Lavish and Swank. It also offers facilities like a Jacuzzi named Soda, a Gym named Flaunt, a bar named Bold, and restaurants named Desire and Breeze. Breeze is an alfresco dining area on the rooftop, perfect for an evening of chilling under the stars with the paranamic view of Chinatown spread below you.

The scarlet is also the perfect place to stay if you want to get lost in the trendy old streets of Club Street and And Siang Hill. A stone's throw away is Maxwell Food Centre, which is a Singapore food galore.

http://www.thescarlethotel.com/

Stay: January 2005
Character ★★★★
Cleanliness ★★★★
Service ★★★✩
Location ★★★
Value ★★★


Intricate door grill design


Lobby


Bold, the wine bar


Lounge area


Wallpaper


Chandelier


Room Interior


Study


Velvet high back chair


Doorway to the balcony


From the balcony


Roof tiles


Soda – Jacuzzi


Spiral staircase


Restoration of old shophouses nearby


Ornate bathroom


Designer toiletries