It was our first trip to Siem Reap over Chinese New Year and we sifted through a multitude of accommodation options. And we are glad we chose The Kool. We had initially booked for 3 nights but extended our stay to 5 nights!
After reading about some travellers left high and dry at the airport when promised free pick-ups never showed up, we were pleasantly suprised to be met by Dane who gave us a warm welcome.
There were four of us (parents and 2 boys aged 14 and 10) and we stayed in Indra and Aspara rooms across the hallway from each other. Both rooms were spacious, clean and very nicely furnished with extremely comfortable beds. Heavenly after a hard day temple-trekking! Rooms had electric kettles and hot beverages, with a fridge in the Indra room. There rooms were large enough to accommodate small sofa sets, dressing tables and still had plenty of space for when the whole family assembled in one room.
The bathrooms were spacious and clean with top-class fittings. The showers were powerful though the hot water wasn't very hot. (But who needs very hot water in Siem Reap's weather anyway?)
Though it's our habit to eat outside the hotel when we travel, we found ourselves dining in on three nights. Nat was most helpful in suggesting the food choices. We opted for local Khmer dishes which were excellent and beautifully presented. We loved the fish amok so much, we had it all three nights! The prices were comparable with the ones in restaurants in the Old Market area.
Breakfast was most enjoyable as there's a choice of sandwiches, burrito wraps and cinnamon rolls -- the execellent breads are all freshly made in the hotel kitchen!
We arranged our trips to the temples, Tonle Sap and markets through the hotel. Dane and Nat were very helpful with information and suggestions on how we could best enjoy our stay in Siem Reap. The hotel arranged for a reliable tuk-tuk for our shorter strips and a car for longer trips. They made sure we had the best value for our money by negotiating the best rates and went out of their way to ensure everything went smoothly. Such personal service is indeed a rare find. (Thanks to Dane, we enjoyed a great day out at the Tonle Sap!)
All in all, The Kool is a haven amidst the hustle and bustle (plus the heat and dust) of Siem Reap. We're sure it will get even better when the new pool and restaurant (currently under construction) are up and running. The staff was very pleasant and helpful, and very importantly, conversant in English.
By the way, the boys loved the many TV channels and free internet. (I was told to add this in!).
The Khoo family
