Hotel Review: La Rose Suites Phnom Penh

La Rose Suites is the latest property in what is starting to become a chain of successful boutique hotels in downtown Phnom Penh. If you recall, I had stayed at La Rose Boutique Hotel and Spa some 3 years back. Their second property, La Rose Suites opened in late 2014 boasting more facilities such as a swimming pool and larger room types on top of their signature spa proposition. As Phnom Penh is one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia, I decided to pay a return visit during one recent weekend and checked out this property.

The property is situated just a short walk away from Phnom Penh’s Independence Monument which makes it really convenient to visit. I arrived at the hotel with the brand’s trademark carved male and female door handles greeting me as I entered what seemed to be a pathway of vines. This led to the lobby and immediately I was filled with a sense of familiarity – and tranquility – as a staff member offered me drinks and gave me a hot towel to freshen up. The décor, similar to their sister property a few blocks down, evokes that of a spa. Think – white walls, subtle flower arrangements made of lotus and water lilies as well as traditional Khmer artworks.

The Room – Junior Suite

The rooms at La Rose Suites are spacious and relatively larger than other similar properties in Phnom Penh. At 45 square meters, it fits a 4-poster bed, a seating area for two, a desk, an armoire and a TV stand. On top of that, there is still enough space to do two or three cartwheels. Like the lobby, the room was decorated with subtle traditional Khmer accents which made for a nice contrast to the white walls.

The bathroom here is quite remarkable and won’t look out of place in more upmarket properties. The tub which is made of stone looked quite unique and certainly deserved a soak or two. There were also plenty of toiletries provided and these were replenished on a daily basis.

Part of the room stay for bookings made direct via hotel’s email or web reservation system is a 1-hour complimentary massage treatment at the spa. The procedure started at the lobby where I was given a foot wash and a hot tea drink. Afterwards, I proceeded to the spa room in order to change to spa attire for the treatment. It was a soothing 1-hour Khmer massage which involved no oil and had a lot of stretching in order to soothe sore muscles. I felt completely refreshed after the treatment.

Aside from the larger rooms, the main difference between La Rose Suites and La Rose Boutique Hotel is the presence of a swimming pool at the former which makes for a refreshing afternoon given that it’s always so hot in Phnom Penh. For those who fancy a drink or two, there is a round bar near the pool where guests can order a cocktail or two.

Breakfast at Banana Tree Restaurant

One of my favorite things about a stay in any La Rose hotel is the breakfast selection. Since the hotel has only 25 rooms, it doesn’t make sense to have a buffet spread so the presentation here is via ala-carte buffet format. Guests order the breakfast of their choice – and they can choose between a Khmer or Western breakfast (or they can have both!). A distinct privilege that the hotel provides to guests is the ability to have breakfast anytime between 7am to 10pm. One need not worry about waking up early for breakfast! Or if one doesn’t feel particularly hungry, one can have the breakfast meal for lunch or even dinner.

During my stay, I chose to have Pork Ribs Noodle Soup cooked in Khmer style. This gave the broth a sweet-sour taste which I quite enjoyed.

Those staying here could very well go for lunch or dinner at the restaurant. The food here is excellent, as was my experience at their sister property. In the evening at 7pm one could also catch a traditional apsara performance.

Verdict

My stay in La Rose Suites was another wonderful experience from start to finish. For a small hotel with just 25 rooms, this property sure punches way above its weight in terms of service. I was always greeted with smiles every time I return to the hotel after a day out in the city and the staff members would thoughtfully offer me warm towels throughout the stay. The food was also excellent and breakfast was something I looked forward to each morning. This, compounded with the spacious rooms and convenient location, makes this quite a compelling property to stay in while visiting the Cambodian capital.