Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas

Character and identity

This is a Bill Bensley creation through and through, and his fingerprints sit on every surface. The entrance corridor, high-ceilinged and fronted by lotus ponds, deliberately echoes the hallways of Angkor Wat, but the bold black-and-white palette signals something more playful than reverent: an imagined modern temple rather than a replica. Rooms cluster around gardens and a pool, reached via stairs and paths that nod to the passageways of Bayon, with ceiling-mounted photos of Angkorian temples overhead in bed. Kroya handles all-day dining on swing seats, an American-style steakhouse delivers a 42-ounce tomahawk, and the second-floor Bensley's Bar runs a members-club hush around its gin and tonics.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The hotel lives or dies on whether you buy into Bensley's vision, and most guests leave converted. Spring for one of the Bensley Collection Pool Villas if budget allows, book the sunrise temple tour at the time of reservation, and don't skip the traditional oil-free Khmer massage at the spa or an evening hidden away at Bensley's Bar.