My husband and I stayed at Kabiki with our three sons in mid-April 2009. We arrived after a hellish 24 hours in Cambodia (our first experience of the country) and were so relieved to arrive. The tuktuk driver had great difficulty finding the hotel but once we were there it was lovely. I found the gated street made me feel safer after our earlier bad experiences in Koh Kong. The gardens are quite lovely and the rooms very beautiful and spacious. We had a very comfortable bed each and still space left over in the room. Unfortunately we had to move rooms every day for three days, but as I had made no advance booking I was actually just grateful to be there. The pool was a welcome relief from the heat each day. I would recommend some more shade for the pool itself, although there is also a lovely shaded toddler pool that I found very enjoyable. My boys really enjoyed the games and books provided - monopoly, scrabble and trivial pursuit in French, and of course a tin with chess, checkers and dominoes. The food was simple fare and provided in a friendly manner. The pizzas were actually delicious and we took the opportunity to indulge in western foods for a few days! The little shaded gazebos by the pool were gorgeous for lounging in. The rooms do look like they need a little tender-loving-care (as mentioned in a previous review) but they show signs of having been extremely opulent in the past and were certainly meticulously clean while we were there. The staff were friendly enough and helped us organise anything we requested. The location is very good - walking distance to many restaurants and the Royal Palace (well worth a visit!) My boys (aged 10, 12 and 15) really loved Kabiki. After the dirt and dust of Phnom Penh, it really feels like an oasis. The internet connection was very slow but that seems to be par for the course all over Cambodia.

Yes, the location is super, the pool is nice, the rooms are spacious... but after reading a number of very positive reviews on this forum the Kabiki hotel in Phnom Penh was for us a family with 2 young kids a bit dissapointing. You can debate what one can expect for USD 55 (in a country with an average GDP of USD 750) but we found the following points not to our expectations:
1) Food in the restaurant is so-so. Qualtiy of the food is moderate and for example we had to send our soup back because they did not reheat it well enough (it was cold).
2) The rooms are very basic and no effort has been taken to make then nicer. Furthermore, wear and tear makes them look a bit run-down. (loose tiles on the floor, cracks in the wall plaster). We also had a cockroach in the washroom.
3) The hotel is in a street that is closed off on both sides by a guard. Our taxi was not allowed in so we had to carry our luggage a few hundred meters to the reception.
4. Apart from the pool (which is nice) there is nothing else to do for kids.
5. The garden is nice but not quite as there is construction work ongoing next door.

I understand that many people find above things pittoresque or part of the Asia experience. In that case the Kabiki is a good choice. If you look for more quality for your family and money I would not recommend it.

We really liked the location of the Kabiki. Great spot near 240, the Palace, Museum - they were all easy walks. We especially loved coming back after a long day walking around to the pool to cool off however.... on Saturday and Sunday this wasn't possible. Obviously the weekend and walk up guests are allowed to use the pool for $5 each. As a result of this we couldn't get a swim or a seat near the pool...... it was full of people that were just there for the pool. This was disappointing, as a guest of the hotel we would have always expected to be able to get some space by the pool. Breakfast could also be improved. Free internet was good.

We only stayed one night and left early for the airport but were impressed. The location is great, close to the Palace and shops/restaurants on Street 240. It is on a large, nicely landscaped property, very surprising in the middle of a noisy city. The barricade at the end of the street is probably a plus though our taxi driver complained the guards shook him down occasionally for a dollar or two.

Our room was large with a private patio out front. The room had a small annex with bunk beds that would have made it perfect for a family with small children. The bathroom was very nice with a real tub and shower. Water is heated by solar heat - it appeared to work just great (of course, it was 97F outside!) The wireless internet did not work well in the room but was ok on our patio. I noticed others using it in the restaurant.

We did not use the pool, but it looked well-maintained. There was a notice that said it was closed Saturday for a private party. Don't know how much of an issue this is.

Wished we could have stayed longer. The location is great. Much as we liked the staff at the Boddhi Tree, The Kabiki is quieter, the rooms and bathrooms more attractive and the room rate a little lower.