The Columns

Rooms and decor

Picture three French colonial-era buildings standing in a row in the heart of old-town Kampot, restored and brought back to life with real care until they look graceful again — that's the charm of The Columns. The rooms keep the old-building details on purpose: high, airy ceilings, warm-toned wood parquet floors, and large windows that let in plenty of natural light. The part most people love is the private balcony in every room, looking onto the green garden at the centre of the property — good for morning coffee or an afternoon with a book. The overall look is understated but warm, using wood furniture and local pieces chosen with taste rather than clutter. Rooms are clean, the air-con keeps things cool, and several reviews praise the beds as comfortable for a good night's sleep. If you like a place with character, the feel of an old building, and a friendly mood over textbook luxury, you'll probably take to it from the moment you walk in.

Food and amenities

If anything gets The Columns talked about most, it's the breakfast, which plenty of reviews call the best in Kampot. Mornings start with fresh, fragrant coffee, freshly baked bread, eggs to order, fresh fruit and made-fresh Khmer-Western plates done one at a time — many guests say it sets up the whole day. The restaurant and common areas are designed to blend with the old buildings and the green garden, so it's comfortable and the mood is good. As a small boutique run by a team that cares, service is another point that always earns praise — reviews say the staff are warm, friendly and helpful, and they recommend things to do around Kampot like a local friend, from heading up Bokor mountain to an evening river cruise or tasting Kampot pepper at a nearby farm. There's bicycle and motorbike rental if you want to explore on your own, and Wi-Fi works throughout the hotel. It suits a slow, unhurried kind of stay.

Location and getting there

The location is impressively well-judged. The hotel sits on a small, quiet street shaded by trees in the French colonial quarter of the old town, so it feels like a private, calm corner — yet it's under a 2-minute walk to the old market and the Kampong Bay riverside walk for catching the evening breeze. All around are charming old French-style buildings, restaurants, cafes, bars and cute little shops, all within easy walking distance. Kampot is a small town with a slow, relaxed pace, and from here you can drive out to Bokor National Park on the mountain, the famous Kampot pepper farms, old caves, and the beaches at Kep, none of them far. It's also straightforward to reach if you're coming from Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville. In short, if you want somewhere quiet but within walking reach of everything in the old town, and a base for getting out around Kampot, this spot delivers.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, this is a boutique with only a few rooms, so it fills up fast — especially in high season, roughly November to February. If you've got your eye on it, book well ahead or you may miss out. Second, because it's a restored old colonial building, the rooms lean toward warm, understated charm rather than full-on luxury or the wide-open space of a newly built resort. If you're expecting a complete set of facilities or a big pool, adjust your expectations a little. Third, Kampot itself is a small, quiet town — the nightlife isn't lively and shops close early. If you want bustle or lots of bars and entertainment, it may feel a touch sleepy. But for anyone who comes for the calm, the old-building atmosphere and the slow riverside rhythm, that's exactly the charm people fall for here.

Our take

From reading through plenty of real reviews, The Columns sells one thing with real character: a beautifully restored French colonial building with a story, a quiet location that's still walking distance to everything in the old town, and a breakfast many call the best in town. If your idea of the trip is waking up for coffee on a private balcony over a green garden, eating a good breakfast, then walking a few steps out to the old market and the riverside, and heading off by day to Bokor mountain or a pepper farm, this is the pick that will make you fall for this small riverside town. If you're after a big, luxurious room, a large pool or a buzzing nightlife, it may not be your thing. Overall we give it 9.1/10, best for couples and slow travelers who fall for a riverside town and a boutique stay with heart.