Review: Lotus Blanc Resort Siem Reap Cambodia
Upon arriving in by car from Phnom Penh which you can read about here (https://www.jettoajet.com/post/driving-from-phnom-penh-to-siem-reap-what-it-s-really-like) it was time to get settled into the Lotus Blanc Resort in Siem Reap. This would be a cherished time as I had 3 nights in 1 place, a rare occurrence this trip!
How I Booked
I booked this stay at Lotus Blanc through hotels.com for 55$ a night before taxes. This rate included breakfast and a standard room totalling up to 190$ or so for 3 nights. I found this to be a bargain as some other hotels around the area were charging a lot more (Raffles 450+ for my dates).
Check-In
Once I arrived check-in was a breeze and entailed a passport being taken down and a credit card as per usual.
The staff came over to offer me a welcome drink and a cold towel which I found to be refreshing. I was assigned a room on the first floor which meant I could get my steps in 😉 instead of taking the lifts. For those wondering here is what the lifts look like.
I was escorted upstairs (by foot since I'm English) while the staff thought I was crazy walking!
Um, excuse me I've just sat in a car for 6 hours! 😅 All good jokes and laughs around.
The Room
Upon entering my room with a key (no electronic stuff here), I found it to be exactly like what was shown in the photos.
Side note some of the photos weren't taken the day I got there so if it's not clean I made the mess, not the housekeeping 😅. It was perfectly adequate for my stay in Siem Reap. Nothing over the top but it also wasn't bad at all.
There was a couch to sit and relax which had the code for the wifi on the table.
Then closer to the door I would find the bed that would allow me to rest soundlessly in the 3 nights I stayed. 4 sleeping pillows, a couple of throw pillows and a cover blanket were the added benefits to my fantastic sleep!
There was a desk which happened to be where I wrote most of my travel content for this page! Free water was offered as well as instant coffee in the room.
There was a TV in the room but I actually didn't notice until the last day! I'm exploring the world, I can watch TV when I'm older! I never understand when people go on vacation and watch TV, you can do that at home!
Towards the back of the room, there was a view overlooking the pool. See, I wasn't at a beachside resort or anything which meant I didn't mind too much. Plus the tropical landscape meant plenty of greenery to look at!
The Bathroom
The bathroom area was relatively basic. It consisted of a shower, a sink, and a toilet, that's it. The shower worked perfectly well and the hot water was consistent. Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel were provided as well as replenished.
There were some amenities nearer to the sink, as well as about 1000 towels (might be exaggerating a little, more like 12).
Housekeeping was offered daily but I believe I only partook twice as I don't like other people coming into my "safe space". Turndown service was not offered.
Dining
The Lotus Blanc Resort has a couple of different options for dining but I shall go in order from when I arrived to when I departed.
The sister property steakhouse is located right next door and features fantastic steak frites as well as lava cakes!!!🥰. When I arrived I was exhausted and wanted a high-protein meal so headed over to the steakhouse to try it out. Prices were reasonable with steak frites coming to 19 USD, Lava Cake at 6 USD, and a Singapore Sling for 4.50 USD.
YES YES YES! Fantastic food all around and cannot recommend this place enough. Although I will say they serve steak in Cambodia quite rare which is okay with me but for some others who like well-done, make sure to ask!
The lava cake was good but I didn't finish it up as I was full to the brim.
The Main Restaurant
The main restaurant is located on the ground floor of the hotel to the left when you walk in and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While I only sat down for breakfast, what I had was divine.
The little Christmas trees were beautiful!
A perfectly adequate setup for breakfast and at 7am it was empty.
The fresh-juices that were offered!
As well as the pancakes and bacon which indulged in on two separate occasions
This is how the restaurant is set up for lunch and dinner! What a difference! As you can see in the background there is also outdoor seating if you are trying to soak in the rays!
The Pool Area
The large pool is located on the backside of the restaurant and features a pool, bar, and places to lounge around (including a hammock). I spent a couple of hours by the pool in total and found it to be a relaxing place. I ordered a margarita which was 6 dollars and one day had lunch by the pool (chicken breast 12 dollars).
Outdoor restaurant seating
Lounge chairs which you don't have to fight over, unlike some other places in the world😅.
Pretty gardens bordering the pool.
View of the hotel from my poolside loungechair!
A nice healthy lunch by the pool which the restaurant manager delivered himself!
Restrooms are located on the opposite side of most of the seating.
Your bum just melts into these hammocks!
Activities
Plenty of activities were offered and the front desk staff (who are amazing) are happy to arrange almost anything you can think of. Since I only had 3 days here are the activities that they arranged for me.
The Spa
I organized a massage to be done the day after I arrived which turned out to be fantastic. The cost was around 25$ for a one-hour treatment and although the rooms weren't the most pleasing, the massage itself was great. Unlike in the Philippines, the massage was authentic which I appreciated.
Quad Biking
Lotus Blanc was able to arrange an ATV tour around the town which I thoroughly enjoyed. The cost of the tour came out to about 34 USD and was arranged through the French man who operates it. Here are some pictures of the tour.
It was incredible. Definitely recommend this activity if you go. As mentioned in the previous post they also arranged a tour of Angkor Wat.
Overall service
The service was exemplary from the second I walked into the hotel. Every single member of the staff made me feel like I was welcome in Cambodia. I was recommended plenty of restaurants and they even made reservations for me! A special shoutout to one of the women from the front desk who personally messaged me about details regarding activities/reservations etc.
Final Thoughts
Although the rooms are relatively basic this hotel shines through its service, activities, and fabulous food. With the price that I paid, I would actively seek out staying here again. As a matter of fact, I am already planning my trip back to Cambodia and will stay with Lotus Blanc again!
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