Rosewood Phnom Penh

Rooms and decor

Picture stepping into a lobby on the 35th floor of a dragon-wrapped, 188-metre skyscraper, under a soaring ceiling hung with contemporary work by Khmer artists. That is the first feeling at check-in. Rosewood takes the top 14 floors of Vattanac Capital Tower, the tallest building in Cambodia, designed by Hong Kong firm TFP Farrells to echo the Chinese figure 8 crossed with a dragon's curve. Inside, all 175 rooms and suites (between floors 21 and 35) are the work of Hirsch Bedner Associates, who skipped the copy-paste Western look and instead worked in Khmer silk, Koki-village silverwork, hand-carved wood and the emerald-green tone of local gemstones, from the silk-upholstered headboards to the bell-shaped silver table lamps. The entry Premier room runs 50 sq m, larger than the regional luxury standard. Open the door to a walk-in wardrobe and a marble bathroom with a freestanding tub facing the floor-to-ceiling glass — yes, you can soak while watching three rivers run together. The plush King bed draws repeated praise for an unusually good night's sleep, and a panel that opens between bath and bedroom keeps the room feeling airy rather than boxed in.

Food and amenities

The heart of the hotel is Sora, the floor-37 rooftop bar that hangs about 6 metres out beyond the tower like a dragon's tongue over Phnom Penh. Sip a cocktail under a 360-degree view at sunset and watch the city light up to the horizon — the image sticks with everyone who comes. The cocktail list plays with Khmer herbs like kaffir lime, lemongrass and kroeung curry paste. Down on floor 35 is Brasserie Louis, a classic Parisian French room that feels like Saint-Germain, serving steak frites, escargot and duck a l'orange. For something sweet, the floor-35 Tea Lounge lays out a 3-tier afternoon-tea stand mixing British scones and cream with contemporary Khmer sweets like pandan-scented num ansom. On floor 36, a long outdoor pool faces the river, with a sun deck and cabanas; across from it sits Sense, A Rosewood Spa, with 6 treatment rooms using local-herb oils and old Khmer Chi Nei Tsang massage. Service is the thing reviewers agree on most: by day two, staff remember your name and set the room the way you asked without being told twice.

Location and getting there

This is the heart of the Wat Phnom district on Monivong Boulevard, near the sacred temple tied to the city's founding legend — an old business quarter of Phnom Penh going back to the French colonial era. Vattanac Capital Tower broke ground in 2009 and finished in 2014, about five years, redrawing the city skyline for good. Rosewood opened in late 2018 on the top 14 floors, so every room sits higher than anything else around and the view goes unblocked. East-facing rooms look onto the meeting of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers, which Cambodians call Chaktomuk (four faces), three rivers running together in the shape of a cross. West-facing rooms take in Wat Phnom, the Royal Palace and the city lights at night. The location holds up too: Wat Phnom is about a 5-minute walk, the domed yellow Phsar Thmei (Central Market) around 7, and the Sisowath Quay riverside walk roughly 10. The airport (PNH) is a 25-35 minute drive.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The most common gripe is price, well above the average 5-star rate in Phnom Penh — Premier rooms start around $240 and peak near $630 in high season, and some feel the same money buys a larger room in another regional capital. The next is that Vattanac Capital is a mixed-use building, offices below and hotel above; Rosewood has its own clearly separate lobby and lift (straight up to floor 35), but the ground-floor entrance still gets busy during the morning and evening office rush, which can nag at anyone expecting a stand-alone hotel feel from the front door. The property is entirely vertical, with no garden, plaza or ground-level outdoor space for kids to run around. The floor-36 pool is lovely but not huge, so bigger families with children may need to take turns in the evening. Finally, a few reviews note the Wi-Fi and air-conditioning can lag or run uneven on some nights up high, though the hotel responds fast and sends an engineer up to fix it.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Rosewood Phnom Penh is the hotel that sells the city view from the highest point, the Sora rooftop bar hanging out over the city, and a design that retells Khmer craft with care — and delivers all three. If the trip in your head is soaking in the tub over three rivers, wandering Wat Phnom mid-morning, coming back for the spa, and closing the night with a cocktail at Sora as the city lights up, this is the most complete pick in town. Overall we give it 9.3/10, best for honeymooning couples, luxury travelers who value the view and the design, and business guests who want to stay in the heart of the office district. If you are traveling with young children or backpacking on a tight budget, there may be a better fit in Phnom Penh.