City River Hotel Siem Reap

At roughly 40 bucks a night, City River Hotel is a pretty good deal, but there are better places in Siem Reap for that price range.

The rooms are tastefully and sparsely decorated, with firm, comfortable beds and soft white linens, a tv set, and a balcony with a pleasant, if not spectacular, view of the neighborhood. In spite of its name, most of the rooms do not overlook the river, but the river is rather small and muddy anyway, so not much is lost. The bathrooms are basic, and rooms are provided with a small safe and mini fridge, with drinks that aren't too overpriced in a pinch, about a dollar for soft drinks or beer, and 70 cents for bottled water.

The pool is on the roof, which is really cool, and the whole atmosphere on top is very comfortable, with tables for eating, lounge chairs, and a special area for viewing the sunrise. I don't see why people would hang around there to watch the sunrise with all the sites nearby, but there's always the option. There's also a small gym inside.

There was construction going on during our stay, but it didn't get in the way too much, and it wasn't noisy in our rooms. Granted, we were out most of the day.

A breakfast buffet is included, fairly decent...but free! There's fruit, toast, croissants, eggs, bacon, sausage, and some Chinese dishes like noodles on the other side. Free coffee and tea.

Location is alright, within walking distance of the Old Market, and close to the temples. Right by the river. Plenty of restaurants nearby, and the place next door served good food.

I'd recommend arranging transportation outside the hotel, since there's a tendency to overcharge.

Overall, a nice atmosphere, although I feel there are other hotels with better value, since there are decent enough places for half the price.

Still, $40 isn't too bad, and it's a comfortable place to stay.