Sofitel named region’s second best hotel

The Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra has been named Southeast Asia’s second best hotel by luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller.

The five-star hotel, where rooms go for $200 a night, was also voted 35th best hotel or resort in the world in the 2013 Readers’ Choice survey, while Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra in Siem Reap was voted the fifth best resort in Asia.

Five of Cambodia’s most luxurious hotels featured in the short-list of 25 regional hotels, competing with those in Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Myanmar.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, which Condé Nast Traveller’s website called the city’s “most professional hotel”, narrowly beat the La Résidence d’Angkor in Siem Reap, which was ranked third in Southeast Asia.

Charles-Henri Chevet, general manager of the hotel, said in a statement: “It is extremely rewarding to be listed on the Conde Nast Traveller Reader’s Choice and to learn that guests coming to our hotel have had a magnifique experience and enjoyed excellent service.”

Pnom Penh's historic Raffles Hotel Le Royal was ranked 19th in the region, while its sister branch in Siem Reap, Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor, was ranked fourth in Southeast Asia and 19th in the world.

The top ranking for Southeast Asia went to Amankila, a luxury seaside resort in Bali. The hotel boasts a three-tiered pool overlooking the Lombok Strait.

The Peninsula Bangkok was ranked the best hotel in Thailand, which was not ranked with the rest of the region, and 75th best hotel or resort in the world.

Two establishments claimed the top prize in the world rankings, including South Africa’s La Residence in the Franschhoek valley. The prize was shared with The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, in New Zealand’s Matauri Bay.

Nearly 18,000 travellers cast 1.3 million votes in this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards, which ranked the world’s best cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise lines and airlines.

Sourced: The Phnom Penh Post