Hotel de la Paix - Cambodia's Gem
With over a hundred stunning rooms (and suites) and its award-winning spa, this top five-star luxury Cambodia hotel, Hôtel de la Paix Siem Reap may cater to the discerning traveler seeking style and relaxation, but there’s more than meets the eye to this best of the best Siem Reap hotel. With a stunning fusion of Ancient Khmer design and a hint of art deco, the hotel has become one of the most stylish hotels in Siem Reap.
A Room at Hotel de la Paix Siem Reap
The onsite restaurant, Meric, recently named by The Miele Guide as one of Asia’s top restaurants, offers world class dining and the stylish artistic lounge showcasing exhibitions of emerging artists. Within walking distance of the shops and restaurants in Siem Reap – and close to the ancient temples of Angkor (Siem Reap’s most popular tourist destination and a UNESCO world heritage site) – Hotel de la Paix also has something else to bring the oh so chic traveler closer to the people of Cambodia – and, really, closer to themselves.
Green Gecko's Cambodian Attendees
Encouraging responsible tourism, they’re helping guests gain a true understanding of Cambodia. Over the years, Siem Reap’s Green Gecko Project (greengeckoproject.org) has done an outstanding job at sheltering and educating over 70 former street kids. As a homage to the people of Cambodia, and the children that bring life and humility to the land, Hôtel de la Paix Siem Reap, one of the Green Gecko Project’s sponsors, kicked off the New Year by hosting a special presentation by the Green Gecko kids on New Year’s Eve: an exhibition of the ancient Khmer martial art of Labokator at the hotel’s Arts Lounge with the hotel’s spectacular ice display to welcome 2012.
The Hotel de la Paix's Deco Lobby (with white feather Christmas Tree)
As the hotel’s ongoing commitment in respecting the past and embracing the future, this special arrangement allowed guests to learn more about Labokator. Once used on the battlefield by the Khmer kings and warriors centuries ago, carvings can still be seen on some of the temples in Angkor Wat. The best part? The Green Gecko kids were thrilled to have been part of this celebration, to bring the ancient tradition into the new year and promote their proud culture to visitors around the world. If you want to check out the festivities, there’s also a special video clip here:
Hotel de la Paix Siem Reap
Rooms around $199/night
PS. While you’re in Cambodia and lapping up the luxury of Hotel de la Paix and the history of Angkor Wat, pay a visit and some funds to my friend, the amazing Scott Neeson, who left a lucrative Hollywood job to found Cambodian Children’s Fund. For six years, Cambodian Children’s Fund has provided life-changing education, nourishment and healing to vulnerable children from some of Cambodia’s most destitute communities. In the beginning, they cared for the health and well-being of 45 youngsters. Today, we care for more than 700 children, and have extended their services to provide for their families and communities in crisis.
“Guests are able to see Angkor Wat in the morning and change a life in the afternoon. It doesn’t get much better than that,” says Andrea Ross, part-owner of Journey’s Within Our Community, a Cambodia-based non-profit, tour company, and B&B, that offers scholarships for university students, holds free English classes for children and adults, and provides micro-finance loans for small businesses. What began as a dream to start a tour company and bed and breakfast in Cambodia with Brandon, her husband of seven years, has now become a way of life for herself and so many others.
Instead of hiring volunteer tourists to build wells, she uses monies raised to hire locals. With 180 wells and counting around Siem Reap, their non-profit has helped provide water for almost 4,000 Cambodians.
ECO ADVENTURER 