Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

Character and identity

Opened in 1932 as Siem Reap's first luxury hotel, this 131-room grande dame sits five miles from Angkor Wat on 15 acres of palm-shaded gardens. The architecture is French art deco wrapped in colonial scale: a marble lobby with a wrought-iron grand staircase, French doors opening onto balconies, and a pool modelled on the ancient baths of Angkor Wat. A 2019 refurbishment lifted rooms with warmer woods and brighter palettes while keeping the 1930s bones. Signature restaurant 1932 pours from a 400-bottle cellar alongside Khmer cooking, the Elephant Bar handles classic cocktails, and the six-room Raffles Spa leans on Khmer massage, available in the gardens.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The pull here is heritage and proximity: a 1932 landmark within easy reach of Angkor Wat, refreshed enough to feel current without erasing its art deco identity. Splurge on a suite or villa to get the full scale of the original architecture, build in a temple dinner well in advance, and book a spa treatment outdoors in the gardens.