La Maison D'Ambre Hotel

Location

At the Wat Phnom end of town close by the river, sights, restaurants and nightlife.


Review

Few of the boutique hotels to open in Phnom Penh during the recent flurry of development can make the claims to originality and authenticity that can La Maison D'Ambre.  It's the brainchild of Khmer born and French trained designer Romyda Keth  who has channelled her acclaimed fashion design talents into the hotel business with impressive results.

The hotel has just 10 suites - which are more like apartments in size and fittings. They're ideal for those wanting to spend a little extra time recharging in the middle of a long trip and include a fully fitted kitchen.

The building is a 1960s apartment block that is typical of Phnom Penh. Its restoration is itself a tribute to the owners. With any luck it will spawn a revival of restoration of these delightful buildings for all kinds of uses.

Each room is themed - a concept that I've never fully appreciated. It seems to me that making one theme work is hard enough in a hotel without crowding it out with multiple ideas. But if a hotel must have themed rooms, best they be created by Romyda Keth .

Despite their size, authentic decorations including antiques from Morocco, China, New York and elsewhere, the vast rooms of La Maison D'Ambre are sharply priced from around $100.

Everything about this place, from the long pink couch in the lobby to the finely crafted uniforms of the staff, reflect the owners' fixation with their ambitious aesthetic.

This is a special accommodation at very good prices - though probably not for everyone. It will be lapped up by those seeking out the coolest design focused accommodations. It's a strange criticism but we felt the rooms were perhaps a little too big - no doubt a constraint imposed by the original building.

All the staff we encountered were professional and friendly.

NB. Our gallery features the two bedroom Casablanca Suite. Other themes include Shanghai, New York and “In the mood for love”.


Brief
No pool, rooftop bar and restaurant, wifi, in suite kitchen facilities, 10 themed suites. Breakfast not included in most rates.