Where to Stay?

By ParGolf Magazine, Jonathan Ponniah, (December 2008). Not Just Temples! Vol: 10, No. 116, Page: 129.

There’s a huge buffet of hotels to choose from in Siem Reap, from backpacker B&B’s at just US$5 a night to five-star hotels with all the luxurious trappings.

One of the best hotels is the Angkor Palace Resort & Spa (http://www.angkorpalaceresort.com/), the first Cambodian-owned five-star resort hotel in Siem Reap. The spacious hotel sprawls over 11 hectares of landscaped grounds and is a wonderful enclave to escape to after a day-long temple trek or a night tour on Pub Street.

Located just 10 minutes from Siem Reap town and 20 minutes from the Angkor Archaeological Park, the resort offers 259 luxuriously-appointed rooms with traditional Khmer fittings, private balconies and modern amenities. There are also eight villas those willing to spurge on a more private retreat.

The hotel prides itself on its F&B outlets and for good reason. The Sunset Café is a great place for a fine-dining experience, while the Soriya Restaurant serves up some tasty Khmer dishes. Come sundown, the Lobby Lounge offers a relaxing environment to unwind with a beer or cocktail, while enjoying the in-house band.

If you need more proactive rejuvenation, spend a few hours at the Kainnora Spa which has a wide range of treatments including the must-try Khmer massage. For golfers, a full-fledged driving range complete with a proshop and shaded bays awaits.
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The Charming Uniform!

Be enthralled by the beauty and majesty of Angkor Wat, the largest and most enchanting of a series of temples bearing testament to the skill of Khmer architecture at its greatest. The temples of Angkor are witness to the legacy of the Khmer empire that embodied a perfect fusion of spiritual devotion and creative ambition. Today, this is still the hallmark of Cambodia – where a spiritual and cultural heartbeat still strongly resonates against the backdrop of modernity.

In respect to the wealth national and rich culture, the team at Angkor Palace Resort & Spa putting the effort together to provide the highest Khmer hospitality service to the residents during their stay in a memorable experience. One among the unique experience, guests will be charmed by a contemporary fashion design of more than twenty different staff uniforms which is reflecting the tradition, dignitaries and royalty.

All the residents will be greeted upon arrival by a doorman wearing a “Sampot K’bin” – a type of sarong and/or pantaloon worn by Cambodian mean during formal occasions and ceremony – incorporating the traditional Cambodian colors for the seven day of the week.

Sampot K’Bin will be visible and worn by most of our staff in the different department such as Room Valet, Bellboy, and telephone operator staff. Apart from Sampot K’Bin – the shirt for the man staff also reflecting the different design which is obtained from the sculpture of the temples.

The Hostesses in the restaurant, which serves Royal Khmer Cuisine, wear a long, elegant skirt and cream color shirt with short sleeves. Apart from the frontline staff, the housekeeping staff will be accompanied by Krama – a kind of short scarf which cover the some part of the body to reflect the attraction.

Krama is the Khmer word of scarf. It is arguably the one single item that is representative of Cambodia as it is used from pleasant to royalty in a variety of ways, on the head, as a towel, as a belt, as a wrap when men take a shower in the open, as a carrier for a packet meal, as a baby seat and as far as your imagination allows.

The design of uniform has been incorporated by the owners of the resort and all local management staff to make it unique and charm to our residents.

How to reach Angkor Palace Resort from the Airport?

Angkor Palace Resort & Spa (The Palace) is strategically located a mere 10 minutes drive (about 5km) from the Siem Reap International Airport and city centre (about 3km) as well as 20 minutes drive (about 10km) from the famed Angkor Wat temple.

For your convenience please print this page and show to your taxi driver in Khmer language upon your arrival. (The meaning of this text: Please bring me to Angkor Palace Resort & Spa located along national road no. 6 situated near the Siem Reap’s Electricity Administrative office)

• Direction to The Palace from Siem Reap International Airport:

Turn right when leaving airport. You will travel south until you reach a T-junction. Turn left (i.e., go to east) and travel along the main road. You will see the resort signage on your right after travelling east for about 2km. Angkor Palace Resort & Spa is 150m off the main road.

Airport transfer can be arranged by our hotel car (maximum: 3 passengers) at USD 12.00nett per car per way and by mini-van (maximum: 6-7 passengers) at USD 25.00nett per car per way.

Please contact our concierge desk, should you wish to receive details of the direction:Email : fom@angkorpalaceresort.com or concierge@angkorpalaceresort.com
Tel : Available 24hour hotline: (Duty Manager mobile number)
+855 12 333 615 or +855 12 333 240

View Angkor Palace Resort & Spa in a larger map

What Are We Doing?

Our Vision:

It is our hope that Angkor Palace Resort & Spa, as one of the leading resorts in Cambodia, will develop strongly as a prominent and responsible member of the community it does business in, for the benefit of the environment and the disadvantaged.

Our Mission:

* To our guests: We aim to delight our guests with the finest and legendary Royal Khmer hospitality with the objective of them leaving with highly memorable experiences.

* To our employees: We are committed to providing a stable work environment for our employees with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the operation of the Angkor Palace Resort & Spa.

* To our partners: We value our business partners through providing complete value-added services and support in a mutually favourable collaboration.

Our Commitment:

Our team commitment is driving toward local friendly, environmental friendly and multi-national friendly:

Local friendly: Angkor Palace Resort & Spa is committed to supporting the local Khmer community by buying locally made products for guests’ use, working with local vocational training centres and creating space in the lobby for a small exhibition gallery to highlight the plight of the communities.

Environmental friendly: Angkor Palace Resort & Spa has several environmentally friendly practices in place to conserve the natural environment. These include water saving campaign for in-house guests, using energy saving lights and treating waste water to maintain the lush garden in the 11-hectare site.

Multi-national friendly: We are the gateway to the UNESCO world heritage, Angkor Wat complex. Angkor Palace Resort & Spa is ready to welcome multi-cultural travellers from all over the world. Our guest services staffs are skilled in most popular languages, our dining options are varied and we offer complimentary broadband connection in the guest rooms and most of the public areas.

Tell People Who We Are?

Siem Reap, Cambodia… home of the Angkor temples built from 9th to 14th centuries. The history, the romance and the legends continue to enthrall.

Located only ten kilometers away from the gateway of the magnificent Angkor Wat, Angkor Palace Resort & Spa opened its doors in January 2004 to provide exclusive accommodation and other excellent retreat facilities for travellers seeking to experience one of the wonders of the world.

This is the only international 5-star resort designed and built by a Cambodian architect, its décor and furnishings reflect the finest in Cambodian architecture, befitting and dignitaries. Nestled invitingly within a spacious 11-hecatare estate, the lush resort offers you the serenity of a secluded retreat whilst ensuring you are provided with every possible convenience.

Lush tropical landscaping and the Cambodian Sugar Palm Trees are our signature features of the resort. Residents are sure to take delight in the thousands of individual flowering plants, shrubs, palms, and a wide variety of tropical trees. Embark on either an invigorating morning jog or a romantic moonlit stroll in the grounds filled with fountains, waterfall and pond with golden fishes. Guests can simply indulge in its peaceful ambience during their stay.

Opened with 259 luxurious guestrooms including Deluxe, Premier Deluxe, seven units of Suites & eight private Villas; each of the spacious rooms pays tribute to the distinctive Cambodian tradition of Khmer artistry and architecture. Step into your room, and be greeted by the wonderfully fresh scent of teak, enhanced by warm hues of yellow and orange that invoke a sense of calm and serenity, completing this experience of a tropical paradise.

Each of our elegant rooms, suites and villas is tastefully furnished, boasting in-room amenities and modern technological conveniences including broadband Internet access – perfect for our tech-savvy travelers! All rooms and suites come with spacious private balcony where guests can enjoy a leisurely breakfast or sip a long cool drink, or benefit from the sunset in the evening. Room Valet service is available 24 hours to ensure the needs of the residents are immediately seen to.

For the more indulgent, the luxurious villas provide a welcome escape. Set amidst extensive landscaped gardens, the villas are the very epitome of a tranquil retreat, each intricately designed and offering you privacy within its exclusive setting.

Well, we hope the text above has ignited an interest in you to visit Angkor Palace Resort & Spa. Mark your holiday calendar now- come, stay and experience yourself!

Preferred Deal Struck

The deal struck earlier last year to incorporate Siem Reap's Angkor Palace Resort & Spa into the Preferred Hotel Group, part of the Summit Hotels & Resorts brand of more than 150 international hotels, was officially announced by the group in Hong Kong last week.

The hotel is the first Cambodian-owned luxury five-star resort and its design reflects traditional Khmer architecture.It features 251 guestrooms and suites and eight villas, all furnished in Cambodian style with inlaid teak floors and traditional poster beds. Balconies overlook the gardens of the resort, which is managed by the personable Weng Aow.

It also features four restaurants and bars, and the Kainnora Spa, with nine treatment rooms and four spa villas offering a wide range of "holistic body treatments", including traditional Khmer massage.It has a gym, two tennis courts and a large outdoor swimming pool. A new feature is a golf driving range within the hotel grounds, with 16 sheltered driving bays.

"Siem Reap is one of the major tourism hotspots in Asia, and we are thrilled to be partnered with a hotel that is truly representative of genuine Cambodian hospitality. We aim to bring high-end FIT and MICE business to the city and to the resort through our global channels," said Mark Simmons, area managing director for Preferred Hotel Group's Asia-Pacific operations, in a Hong Kong-released statement.

This makes the Angkor Palace Resort & Spa a sort of sister hotel to the soon-to-be-opened Sothea Courtyard luxury boutique hotel, which is a member of the Preferred Boutique "collection", also a division of the Preferred Hotel Group.

Source: The Phnom Penh Post. (29 January 2009). Link:
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009012923906/Siem-Reap-Insider/Siem-Reap-Scene.html

Rebuilding Cambodia

Letter from Siem Reap by Weng Aow (pictured), General Manager, Angkor Palace Resort & Spa

CAMBODIA first became a part of my life in 1997 when I volunteered for a project there for Raffles International.I went to bring over the pioneer batch of Cambodian hospitality trainees from Phnom Penh to our hotels in Singapore for systematic on-the-job training.

These trainees would eventually form the backbone of the hospitality industry in Cambodia. Back in 1997 when Raffles was preparing for the opening of its two properties in Cambodia, there were hardly any skilled hospitality workers to speak of, given the tragic past of the kingdom.

In 1997, not many foreigners were keen to work in Cambodia. The country was going through political turmoil and there was no stability. Having personally experienced the rough political situation and lawlessness, including the evacuation of foreigners, I felt a calling to be here and a strong desire to be part of the country's rebuilding efforts.Having been trained as an officer in the SAF, I was grateful that my training came in handy during this crisis.

We in Singapore have been very fortunate to be living in a peaceful environment and this crisis was an eye-opener for me. I do not see myself as just a hotelier but prefer to look at this as a vocation to help the locals improve their lives through imparting skills and knowledge.

Today, I am managing a Cambodian-owned 259-room Angkor Palace Resort & Spa with a staff strength of nearly 300. Called 'The Palace in Siem Reap', it is an authentic Cambodian designed and built resort. The Palace sits on a land area of 11 hectares and comes with its own golf driving range.

The people here have gone through so much political volatility and social unrest. I feel it's my calling to help them regain their lost heritage and pride, and rebuild their homes. The Cambodians are eager to move on and are motivated to improve their lives. Their innate charm and warmth make them natural candidates for the hospitality industry.

In October 2008, the resort embarked on a Responsible Tourism programme which aims to better the lives of the community. These include classroom construction for impoverished villages and training for teachers, purchase of school materials, and toilet and well building projects in the rural areas. We are fortunate to have the support of our owner-cum-architect in carrying out these projects.

As far as I am aware, the number of Singaporeans in Siem Reap is probably less than 20. But in Phnom Penh, there is a Singapore Club called The Buaya Club (I kid you not) with a membership of over a few hundred formed for the purpose of golf. I am now an ardent golf enthusiast and on weekends you will find me at the Angkor Golf Club or practising at the driving range in the Resort. I am happy to play the game with any visiting Singaporean needing a partner in Siem Reap.

As a Singaporean, I have also volunteered Angkor Palace Resort as a rendezvous point for Singaporeans living in Siem Reap in the event of an emergency.

I am not sure where I will be in the long term, but I do think this is a country with lots of opportunities to offer for work or business; and most importantly, a chance to be part of history-making in the positive sense. Against a historic backdrop of monumental temples from one of the most significant eras gone by, one can't help but feel inspired to continue with the noble ideals of the ancient monarchs who once ruled this kingdom.We invite Singaporeans living overseas or posted abroad to write about life, culture and doing business where you are.

This article was published by The Business Times, January 24-25, 2009

Hang reaps PATA Foundation award

Hang Vannak (pictured), e-commerce manager at the Angkor Palace Resort and Spa in Siem Reap, Cambodia has won a PATA Foundation 2009 scholarship. The award was announced at a ceremony at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The PATA Foundation awards two scholarships to member-endorsed candidates every year taking part in the 'executive program in hospitality management' developed by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Hotel and Tourism Management and the Hong Kong Hotels Association. It provides three in-depth workshops for senior hospitality industry managers.

"The objectives are to enhance skills, deepen understanding and equip participants to stay at the cutting edge of the industry," said Terry Francis, chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees. "The three workshop modules focus on human resources, marketing and branding, hotel sales and revenue management. Each workshop is led by respected academics as well as successful businessmen."

Hang Vannak, 28, is the first Cambodian hotel employee to have been selected by the PATA Foundation Board of Trustees. He began his hospitality career as a door boy at Raffles Hotel Le Royal in early 2000. He said, "The industry is experiencing phenomenal growth, especially in Cambodia. This scholarship gives me a golden opportunity to further understand the global perspective of the hospitality industry and further build my professional development".

Weng Aow, general manager of Angkor Palace Resort & Spa, said, "Vannak is an extremely self-motivated individual and always strives to excel in whatever he does." .

Source: News@PATA: http://www.pata.org/patasite/index.php?id=87

Launches New Website Promoting 'Responsible Tourism'

PRESS RELEASE!

(Hong Kong, November 13, 2008) – WORLDHOTELS Angkor Palace Resort & Spa in Siem Reap has launched a new website, promoting its vision for 'responsible tourism' at the World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The website http://www.angkorpalaceresort.com/ introduces a new 'communities' connection program to proactively involve guests in a campaign to minimize the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism.

The new website is user friendly and incorporates an efficient booking engine as well as attractive features including videos and a facility for guests to book directly on the site.

“The 5-star Angkor Palace Resort & Spa is just 15 minutes from the legendary temples of Angkor, which attract thousands of tourists a day but struggle to contain the impact of littering,” said Weng Aow, General Manager of Angkor Palace Resort & Spa.

"Our aim is to provide more meaningful experiences for guests by promoting connections with the local population and giving them a greater understanding of the culture, as well as educating them on social and environmental issues," he said.

The first luxury resort style hotel in Siem Reap, Angkor Palace Resort & Spa is an affiliate hotel of WORLDHOTELS' exclusive Deluxe Collection. It is set amidst 11 hectares of exotic tropical gardens combining traditional Khmer architecture with modern facilities.

“Since joining WORLDHOTELS, Angkor Palace Resort & Spa has recorded a 200% increase in e-commerce revenue”, noted Roland Jegge, Vice President, Asia Pacific, WORLDHOTELS.

"It contributes to 40% of the hotel's revenue now," he said. "This underlines the value of online distribution, and the benefits of a well-planned web strategy for independent hotels and resorts like Angkor Palace Resort & Spa."

With 500 outstanding hotels in 300 destinations, across 70 countries, WORLDHOTELS is the most established Europe-based global marketing and distribution network for independent hotels and regional hotel brands, with a strong emphasis on properties with character and distinction.

WORLDHOTELS was recently voted 'Best Independent Hospitality Organization' in the TravelWeekly (Asia) 2008 Awards.

– Ends –

Note to editors:

About WORLDHOTELS:
· WORLDHOTELS is the longest established Europe based global hotel group for independent hotels and regional hotel brands.
· The company's strong emphasis is on properties with character and distinction. It has almost 500 affiliate properties in more than 300 destinations and 70 countries worldwide.
· Under the banner “Unique Hotels for Unique People”, WORLDHOTELS offers business and leisure travellers a wide choice of individualistic accommodation options in three distinct collections – Deluxe, First Class and Comfort.
· WORLDHOTELS' guests benefit from an extensive portfolio of partnerships, including frequent flyer programs from 18 of the world's leading international airlines, including Air France/KLM, United Airlines and Lufthansa.
· To its affiliate hotels, WORLDHOTELS provides a wide range of sales, marketing, distribution and related services.

Issued on behalf of WORLDHOTELS by Grebstad Hicks Communications.
For further information, please contact:
Grebstad Hicks Communications
Ms. Carol Kong
Tel: 852 2810 0532
E-mail: carol.kong@ghcasia.com

WORLDHOTELS
Mr. Roland Jegge
Tel: 65 6227 5535
E-mail: rjegge@worldhotels.com