Best Hotels in Cambodia (2026 Guide)
Cambodia Slow Travel Guide: Our Favorite Places to Stay in 2026
Cambodia · Southeast Asia · 2026 Travel Guide
From guesthouses in Phnom Penh to beach bungalows on Koh Rong Sanloem and boutique stays near Angkor Wat — here’s where to actually stay. ✨
🏙️ Phnom Penh 🌊 Sihanoukville 🏝️ Koh Rong Sanloem 🌴 Koh Rong 🛕 Siem Reap 🌿
📍 You&Me Resort – Koh Rong, Cambodia
So, you’re planning a trip to Cambodia and you want to stay somewhere truly special? We’re here to help! Cambodia is easy to love and the more ground you cover, the more you realize just how much this country has to offer. Ancient temples draped in jungle, impossibly blue island waters, a capital city buzzing with history and great food, and some of the most genuinely warm hospitality we’ve ever experienced anywhere in the world.
We moved through Cambodia in stages, journeying first from Phnom Penh directly to Sihanoukville via the Royal Railway. The ride took us through an incredibly lush, green landscape before we caught the ferry to dreamy Koh Rong Sanloem and then after two weeks the larger, wilder Koh Rong for a week. Once we reached our hotel on Pagoda Beach in Koh Rong, we were able to rent motorbikes directly from the property. Having our own scooter made it so much easier to discover the main island’s hidden cafes, beaches, and the beautiful nature on the island.
When it was time to head north, we retraced our tracks by rail, watching through rain-streaked windows as a stunning sunset dipped behind limestone mountains and rice paddies. Back in Phnom Penh, we hopped on the Giant Ibis bus for the final leg to Siem Reap.
Renting a motorbike in Siem Reap was again the best decision we made, giving us total freedom to discover local restaurants, cafés, and other activities at our own pace. However, we also highly recommend hiring a local driver or guide for the temples & the mangroves. It was an incredible way to connect with someone from the area, allowing us to learn firsthand about their life and the deep history of the sites we were visiting.
📍 Angkor Wat – Siem Reap, Cambodia
In this guide we’ve rounded up the best hotels in Cambodia across all of these stops.
The ones that are actually worth booking. Let’s get into it! ✨
Where to Stay
- Angkor Village Hotel — Siem Reap
- Saracen Bay Resort — Koh Rong Sanloem
- Palace Gate Hotel & Resort — Phnom Penh
Where to Eat
- Pka Prey Angkor Coffee – Siem Reap
- Ojas Vegan & Vegetarian Eatery — Siem Reap
- Lily’s Riverhouse — Koh Rong
Activities
- APOPO Visitor Center (HERO Rats) – Siem Reap
- Kampong Phluk & Tonlé Sap River Mangroves – Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat Sunrise or Sunset Tour — Siem Reap
📍 Long Set Beach – Koh Rong, Cambodia
How We Chose These Cambodia Hotels
Our route through Cambodia followed a natural arc. We began with the busy pace of Phnom Penh, moved to the coast for the islands, and finished with the temples and culture in Siem Reap. Renting a motorbike directly from our hotel on Koh Rong and in Siem Reap completely changed our experience, giving us the freedom to explore on our own terms.
We had different priorities for our accommodation in each destination. In Phnom Penh, we needed a central base with quick tuk-tuk rides. For the islands, we wanted a quiet, laid-back bungalow right on the beach. In Siem Reap, our focus was staying on the edge of town for the first part of our trip then closer to the main part of town for local restaurants & cafés.
Here is how we narrowed down our choices:
Phnom Penh
The Pavilion
Aquarius Hotel and Urban Resort
Siem Reap
Koh Rong Sanloem
Koh Rong
Sinoukville
Onederz Sihanoukville (great stopover before heading to Koh Rong)
Best Hotels in Cambodia
Time to get into the good stuff, the best hotels Cambodia has to offer!
📍 Koh Ouen, Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia
Song Saa Private Island
⭐ Personal Favourite | 🥂 Romantic Escape
Song Saa Private Island is an eco-luxe, ultra-exclusive sanctuary spanning two pristine, connected islets in Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago. Featuring a mix of overwater and jungle villas built with reclaimed materials, the resort offers a “barefoot luxury” vibe that blends high-end comfort with environmental sustainability. It is a premier, intimate destination featuring private infinity pools, a protected marine reserve, and personalized service.
Did you know Song Saa isn’t actually just one island? It is a pair of twin islets sitting side-by-side in the gulf. Locals call them Koh Ouen (The Wife) and Koh Bong (The Husband). Because they look like two lovers out in the turquoise water, they earned the nickname “Song Saa,” which means “The Sweethearts” in Khmer. The resort connects the two with a stunning wooden footbridge over a protected reef. You can spend your morning lounging at your overwater villa on the “Wife” island, then stroll across the bridge to explore the wild, untouched rainforest on the “Husband” island.
Pros
- Stunning private island setting featuring rainforests, coral reefs, and bioluminescent waters
- Sustainable, luxurious villas including overwater options with private pools and ocean access
- Exceptional service with dedicated hosts and all-inclusive amenities
Cons
- High-end pricing reflecting a luxury, exclusive castaway experience
- Remote location requires multiple steps to reach via speedboat from the mainland
✨ Perfect for: Couples, honeymooners, and eco-conscious luxury seekers looking for complete seclusion and direct access to nature.
🚫 Note: Rates are often all-inclusive (food, drinks, transfers), and private helicopter transfers are available.
📍 You&Me Resort – Koh Rong, Cambodia
You&Me Resort
🔥 Personal Favorite 🏝️ Beachfront
You&Me Resort is an inviting tropical oasis nestled right on the soft, white sands of Pagoda Beach on Cambodia’s idyllic Koh Rong Island. It delivers a laid back, family friendly luxury vibe with bright, spacious oceanfront bungalows and direct access to pristine, crystal clear waters. It is highly regarded by travelers on platforms like Tripadvisor and Agoda for beautifully balancing high-end comfort with excellent, affordable value.
Pros
- Prime beachfront location featuring powdery white sand and direct ocean access
- Great resort facilities including two outdoor swimming pools and a kids’ zone
- Excellent dining variety with several walkable neighboring restaurants along the beach
Cons
- Harder to explore, you’ll need to rent a scooter or island taxis to get around the island
- Higher on-site prices for food and drinks due to the remote island location
✨ Perfect for: Families and couples seeking a relaxed beachfront escape with great value
🌴 From Sanloem to Koh Rong — The Big Island
Moving from peaceful Koh Rong Sanloem to Koh Rong was a different change of pace. The big island was a lot more lively, offering more accommodations, restaurants, and shops. Long Set Beach and Lonely Beach are absolutely stunning and well worth the visit. We spent two nights right on the main strip at Onederz to experience more of the action, then moved to the peaceful side of the island for quiet beaches, exploring by motorbike, and stunning sunrises.
The boat crossing between the islands is short, affordable, and easy to sort out through your hotel. We took a smaller local boat over to the big island, which made the ride a little choppy, but it was a fun adventure. Whether you stay on both or just hop over for a day trip, you definitely need to see both sides.🌊
📍 Angkor Tempora – Siem Reap, Cambodia
Angkor Tempora Boutique
✨ Book Your Stay Here
Siem Reap boutique hotel is your mid-range gem, great location for temples, with a pool to collapse into the moment you return from a full day in the heat. Bonus: they offer bike and tuk-tuk arrangements directly from the hotel, which is a great way to explore the Angkor Archaeological Park and the surrounding villages.
Pros
- Free bikes and on-site tuk-tuks make exploring simple
- Refreshing outdoor pool with nice canopies for laying out
- The hotel is tucked away in a quiet, tropical green paradise that feels like a hidden oasis
Cons
- Can be busy during peak temple season
- You will need a quick tuk-tuk or motorbike to reach the main restaurants and markets
✨ Perfect for: Temple explorers, digital nomads needing reliable Wi-Fi, and adventurers who want a tranquil, well-located base to return to after a full day of sightseeing.
📍 Bliss Angkor – Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Bliss Angkor
The value you get here is amazing. What makes this place stand out is the gorgeous courtyard pool, a peaceful location that’s still close to everything, and incredibly friendly staff. It gives you a clean, stylish, and relaxing place to come home to after a day of exploring temples, all without breaking the bank.
Pros
- Unbeatable location close to top attractions and walkable downtown areas
- Rent motorbikes directly from the hotel lobby for easy exploring
- Clean, comfortable rooms featuring private balconies and excellent service
Cons
- Basic amenities
- Smaller property footprint with limited on-site dining options outside of breakfast
✨ Perfect for: Couples and independent travelers who want a peaceful tropical base with a great pool right near the heart of Siem Reap.
💡 Pro tip from Victoria & Garett: Rent a motorbike from your hotel in Siem Reap. Full stop. It completely transformed how we experienced the temples and the surrounding countryside — you can pull over wherever you want, explore the smaller, quieter temple complexes that the tour buses skip, and head out to the Tonlé Sap lake and the floating villages of Kampong Phluk at your own pace. Petrol is cheap, the roads around the park are manageable, and the freedom is absolutely worth it. 🛵
📍 Royal Railway, Cambodia
Getting between cities: The Royal Expressway train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville is a genuinely enjoyable journey — comfortable, affordable, and a great way to watch the Cambodian countryside roll by. From Sihanoukville, ferries to Koh Rong Sanloem run regularly and take around 45 minutes. We’d recommend booking your ferry in advance during peak season, the islands fill up fast and the ferries have limited capacity. 🛥️
📍 Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap
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Photo — Ta Prohm or Bayon temple, jungle atmosphere
840 × 220px — jungle roots over ancient stone, or moody temple corridor
🛕 Beyond Angkor Wat — What Else to Do in Siem Reap
Angkor Wat at sunrise is genuinely as spectacular as everyone says — but Siem Reap has so much more than the main temple. With a motorbike and a couple of days, here are the other experiences that made our time there truly unforgettable:
APOPO Visitor Center — This was one of the most moving and genuinely surprising visits of our entire Cambodia trip. APOPO trains African giant pouched rats (HeroRATs) to detect landmines across Cambodia, and the visitor centre in Siem Reap tells that story in the most compelling way. Funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, and utterly unique. Don’t skip it. 🐀
ផ្កាព្រៃអង្គរ Pka Prey Angkor Coffee — One of the most beautiful cafés. Pka Prey Angkor is set in a stunning garden surrounded by indigenous Cambodian plants, wildflowers, and ancient trees. The coffee is exceptional, the space is breathtaking, and it genuinely feels like a secret garden. Come early and linger. ☕🌿
Kampong Phluk & Tonlé Sap — បឹងទន្លេសាប — A day trip out to the flooded mangrove forests and floating villages of Tonlé Sap is something we’d recommend to everyone. Gliding through the river-level tree canopy of Kampong Phluk by boat, then opening out onto the vast, still expanse of the great lake itself — it’s one of those travel experiences that stays with you. 🌿
Ro Lous Market — The local market at Ro Lous, near the temple group of the same name, is a wonderfully authentic slice of everyday Cambodian life. Great for picking up snacks, watching the world go by, and getting a feel for the area beyond the tourist circuit. 🛒
📍 Kampong Phluk, Tonlé Sap — បឹងទន្លេសាប
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Photo — Kampong Phluk mangrove boat ride or Tonlé Sap lake
840 × 220px — flooded forest, stilted village, or the vast lake at sunset
A Bit About Cambodia
For those who are early in their planning — here’s your quick-fire Cambodia overview!
Cambodia sits in the heart of mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. It’s a country of extraordinary contrasts — ancient temple complexes that rival anything in the world, pristine island beaches that are still genuinely off the beaten track, and a capital city rebuilding itself with creativity and resilience after one of history’s darkest chapters.
The capital Phnom Penh is a fascinating, fast-moving city — part French colonial elegance, part chaotic Southeast Asian energy, and full of great restaurants, riverfront cafés, and important historical sites including the Royal Palace and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park, home to Angkor Wat and dozens of other extraordinary temple complexes spread across the jungle. The islands — particularly Koh Rong Sanloem — are some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful and still relatively undiscovered. And Tonlé Sap, the great lake that swells to five times its size during monsoon season, is an ecosystem unlike anything else on Earth.
Most visitors fly into Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) or Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI). The Royal Expressway train between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville is affordable and scenic. Tuk-tuks and motorbike rentals are the best way to get around locally — especially in Siem Reap. The food is delicious, the people are wonderfully warm, and the cold hand towel waiting for you back at your hotel at the end of a long day? Pure magic. 🇰🇭
📍 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Final Thoughts on the Best Hotels in Cambodia
Whether you’re arriving bleary-eyed into Phnom Penh for the first time, watching the sun melt into the horizon from your beach bungalow on Koh Rong Sanloem, or coming back dust-covered and sunburnt from a full day on your motorbike through the Angkor temple complex — picking the right place to stay in Cambodia will genuinely shape your whole trip. The hospitality here is the best we’ve encountered anywhere. That cold towel waiting at the door after a long day in the heat isn’t just a gesture — it’s a window into how this country takes care of its visitors. Cambodia completely, utterly won us over. 🇰🇭
Don’t forget to check out our other Cambodia travel guides too — we’ve got everything from an Angkor Wat first-timer’s guide to our full Koh Rong island comparison and more. See you in Southeast Asia! 🌴
Ready to Book Your Cambodia Trip? 🇰🇭
Jump straight to our favourite hotels before they sell out — Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia’s most extraordinary destinations and the good properties go fast.🌟 See All Cambodia Hotels
📍 Royal Railway, Cambodia
Read More Cambodia Travel Guides 👇
Best Hotels in Cambodia (2026 Guide)
Cambodia · Accommodation🛕Angkor Wat: The First-Timer’s Complete GuideCambodia · Temples & Culture🏝️Koh Rong vs Koh Rong Sanloem: Which Island?Cambodia · Islands🌿Tonlé Sap Day Trip: Kampong Phluk MangrovesCambodia · Day Trips🐀APOPO Visitor Center: Meeting the HERO RatsCambodia · Experiences🚂Royal Expressway Train: Phnom Penh to SihanoukvilleCambodia · Transport
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