Kiri Boutique Hotel

Stepping into the Kiri Boutique Hotel feels more like entering someone's private home more than a hotel. The atmosphere is immediately tranquil -- a feat no doubt helped by the hotel's location well outside of downtown Siem Reap. The simple white entry gate leads into a garden passage to the front of the house -- this is the old building that's home to the hotel's villas, its shop, and the lobby. The lobby is a simple, functional space that's outdoors and not used for anything beyond checkin in guests. There are a couple of large vases with bamboo, a few wooden chairs, and some tourist posters and postcards. The teak carved door frame over one of the doorways is quite nice and adds some local flair. The property is small and laid-back, and there are a few places for guests to mingle outside of their rooms, including the pool, restaurant and bar, and balcony area. Rates here are steep for the hotel's out-of-town location and for what's on offer, but it's a fine, relaxed choice for the many tourists who pass through here after long, hot days touring the Angkor temples. 

Kiri Boutique Hotel is located well east of Siem Reap's downtown, and far from the hassles that clog the more tourist-heavy parts of town. The hotel itself sits on a narrow dirt road that helps lend it its isolated feeling (that being said, don't expect the area to look like a rural oasis either). It's very quiet here and the immediate area is mostly residential -- the closest restaurants and shops are out on nearby Angkor High School Road, a two-minute walk from the hotel. Most guests will want to go into town for dining and entertainment, though, as the local offerings are slim. Central Siem Reap is plenty lively and has lots of fun boutiques, cafes, and restaurants to check out, as well as the wild Pub Street area. Ambitious guests can walk into town in 20 minutes, though the roads will be dark. By tuk-tuk it's less than a 10-minute ride. Angkor Wat is just over 15 minutes away by car, while the other temples will take longer to reach. Expect a 25-minute drive to the airport.

There are just 21 rooms at the small Kiri Boutique Hotel, and there's little variation when it comes to style from one category to the next. The rooms don't quite live up to their boutique billing, as they are fairly plain, but the look is simple and modern, with white walls, pops of color like golden yellow in the soft furnishings, and sleek black furniture that includes a writing desk, chair, and cupboard. Large sliding glass doors are a big plus and let in plenty of natural light.The majority of rooms are set around a swimming pool on one side of a courtyard, and divided into entry level Deluxe and Deluxe Pool View options. These rooms are exactly the same, except that the pool view rooms have -- as the name implies -- a view of the pool as well as a furnished patio area (though the patios are not private). The Villas in the old house are spacious and have an entire balcony to themselves -- aside from extra space and better bathrooms, though, there aren't many perks to the upgrade. All rooms include safes, minibars, and small flat-screen TVs mounted to the wall, plus electric hot water kettles. The rooms also come with free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms in Deluxe and Deluxe Pool View Rooms won't be everyone's cup of tea, as they are rather small and are wet rooms, with the shower emptying directly onto the bathroom floor (this is very common in Siem Reap). Fixtures are modern, though, with rainfall showerheads, vessel sinks, and generous granite countertops. Villas have more traditional bathrooms, with shower/tub combos. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided.

Like most small hotels in Siem Reap, the features here are limited. The best feature is the courtyard swimming pool, which is long enough for a few laps -- the space gets plenty of sun on nice days and there are several lounge chairs as well. The Kiri Restaurant is small, with both an indoor and open-air section. The restaurant serves simple free breakfasts, and throughout the rest of the day Khmer and Western options are available for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is filled with paintings that are for sale, with depictions of Angkor Wat and other scenes around the Siem Reap countryside. There are so many of them stacked here and there that it can look more like a gallery than a restaurant. Next to the pool, the small Kiri Bar has beer and cocktails. There is also a shop in the lobby, which sells all sorts of Khmer souvenirs. There is no spa at the hotel, but they do offer in-room or poolside massages. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and pick-ups at the airport are free.