Nestled in the heart of Siem Reap, Cambodia, the Park Hyatt Siem Reap is a classic property in a world-class destination for travelers looking explore one of the most historical sites in the world. Park Hyatt took over this property over 12 years ago and offers travels a great resort-style retreat in the center of Siem Reap. Read on to find out what we loved and what to be aware of before you book.

Location: 5/5

Siem Reap is a bustling city that has grown tremendously since our first trip to Cambodia 11 years ago. The town center is made up of the bustling Pub Street, multiple markets and cute shops as well as boutique properties. Angkor Wat, the main attraction is a 15 minute drive from city center. The Park Hyatt sits in the center of town, just a quick walk from Pub Street and the markets, yet is perfectly quiet and serene inside the four walls.

We loved the accessibility of the hotel to everything that Siem Reap has to offer and the ease of accessing the temples. There used to be an airport 15 minutes from the town center, but they recently opened a new airport 1 hour away from the city that is significantly larger and includes an international terminal.

From a location perspective, this is as good as it gets and we cannot recommend it enough if you’re looking to explore both the town and the temples.

Lobby & Check in experience: 4.5/5

Park Hyatt is in a historic building that was renovated when Hyatt took by one of our favorite designers, Bill Bensley. The style beautifully blends a mid-century style with traditional fabrics, artwork and decor. This style is clear the moment you step into the lobby and are greeted by the staff wearing beautiful silks. The check in happens in The Living Room while you are seated and served a beverage of your choice off a welcome drink menu, which was a nice touch. We were checked in by a lovely staff member who took his time and showed us to our room.

Overall, the check in experience was elegantly done and we love seated check ins after a long journey. We did miss out on some key information about the hotel and surrounding area as well as some amenities so we do hope they incorporate some helpful information and provide the maps available upon check in. With the incorporation of some more information about the area, we have no doubt this could be a 5 star check in.

Rooms: 4/5

We booked the Park Hyatt on points which is generally a great value. Standard rooms start only at 12,000 points in its current Category 4 placement. We booked a Park Suite which sits at around 764 square feet. We were given a unique version of the Park Suite that features a beautiful patio with direct access to the fresh water pool on the 1st floor.

We absolutely loved this suite and highly recommend it to travelers looking for a unique experience. When you enter the room, there is a powder room, minibar and living room. The living room features an L-shaped sofa, TV and access to the patio. The patio has a seating area, dining set and steps to a private ladder into the shared freshwater pool. While it’s not a private room, we only saw one or two other guests on our side of the pool area. The bedroom is private and features a king bed, TV, walk in closet and beautiful marble bathroom with a double vanity, bathtub, rainshower and separate toilet room.

The room is beautiful but definitely on the dated side. There is a TV in the bathroom (very oldschool) but it does get in the way of the mirror and was a bit dirty given its location right above the sink. The lighting was a bit finicky to manage, though we appreciate the labeled light switches and automated blinds.

There is complimentary water as well as a nespresso in the room. There is also a paid minibar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The minibar in the room did have ample space to put your own items in if you choose to purchase anything from the shop down the street.

While our room was facing out towards to the street, it was remarkably quiet. This was one of our favorite things about the hotel. We loved that it was so serene and quiet within the property, allowing for a great respite from the bustling town outside.

For the points redemption, it’s an excellent value. The hotel does have high nightly rates in cash and you can book a fantastic variety of hotels for significantly less, but it’s particularly excellent on points.

Service: 4/5

Cambodian people are some of the kindest people we have ever encountered on our travels. We remarked about this 11 years ago and it’s still true today. They are so hospitable, open and genuinely caring. It’s fantastic to see that employees at the Park Hyatt were not jaded in any way and were so willing to try and help and provide a good experience. Overall, the service was genuine and heartfelt and does give you a sense for Cambodian culture thanks to their personalities being generally lovely.

The property seems to have lost a lot of the international management during the pandemic and have yet to fully recover. Most of the service issues we experienced felt more like staff “trying to make it work” than having been taught true 5 star service requirements such as how to run tours, manage service recovery and offer guests the right information during check in. When we did experience the service issues with the tours, it took a while to get to the right person but when we did eventually speak with the guest experience manager, she was very receptive to the feedback and was aware of the issues they were experiencing. I do hope that they continue to emphasize training for the staff to raise that service level to what you would expect from a Park Hyatt.

Dining: 4.5/5

Park Hyatt has 3 dining venues, giving guests ample choice at this boutique property.

The Dining Room is the main formal restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner. We did have breakfast here and it offered a great selection of buffet and a la carte options.

The Living Room is the casual bar/restaurant that serves drinks, lunch and dinner. Their menu is extensive, offering both western and eastern dishes and the food was excellent. They offer a daily happy hour from 5-7 with a 2 for 1 deal. We loved coming for happy hour to enjoy delicious wine and cocktails in the courtyard.

The Glasshouse is the deli/patisserie and it offers casual lunch and sweet treats. The price was extremely high, sandwiches coming in around $19, which is high even for a US 5 star property.

They do offer room service with the same menu as The Living Room which is great. Overall, the dining options are extensive and delicious, though very expensive for the area. I recommend coming for dinner if you would like to watch the traditional show as that is 100% worth it.

Facilities: 4.5/5

Park Hyatt is a beautiful boutique property but feels very much like a boutique resort. There are some great features of the property that make for an amazing place to come back to after a day of adventure.

The spa is located on the first floor and has great massages. It’s a peaceful retreat and it’s worth the cost after a long day of exploring. The fitness center is located in the spa lobby and it’s very small but it does have the basics.

There are two pools on property. There is a freshwater pool that was connected to our suite as well as the salt water pool on the ground floor. The pools have plenty of shade throughout and we saw many people relaxing in the afternoons.

The hotel does offer several entertainment options. In the evening they have a traditional show that is available to any hotel guest and anyone having dinner in the restaurant. The show was excellent and we recommend coming for the happy hour 5-7 and staying for dinner to see the show that starts after 7.

Every day, there are vendors in the lobby and guests can purchase different handmade items like hats and jewelry. There is also a coconut vendor that gives out free coconuts as well as a Khmer coffee vendor that sells coffee (included if you have breakfast included).

The hotel does offer tours and excursions, but this is the area that lost the 5 star rating for us. The quality of the tours were simply not up to the standards of a luxury resort for the price they are charging. While our tour guide to Angkor Wat was fantastic, she is a 3rd party guide and not part of the Hyatt’s staff. The tour did not come with anything extra or different for twice the price, which is disappointing. We did take a chance on a wine tasting tour that resulted in us getting very sick from tainted alcohol which is not acceptable for this caliber of property. I would personally recommend booking a tour via viator.com where you can read reviews and choose the right tour for you that will meet your expectations.

Style: 4.5/5

Bill Bensley has designed several of our favorite properties in the style category. This hotel is no different. The beautiful mid-century design is blended with a beautiful incorporation of Cambodian history and artwork. We love the sandstone carvings, use of texture and beautiful silks and fabrics.

The style extends to the shop on property where they sell local Cambodian art and sculptures. The vibrant colors, dark woods and towering banyan tree make the style extremely cohesive. The hotel was last renovated over 10 years ago and it’s definitely getting past the time of a refresh. We hope in the next renovation that they maintain the beautiful Cambodian design and elements.

Overall: 4.4/5

Overall, the Park Hyatt is a fantastic points redemption and a beautiful, classic property in the heart of one of the most idyllic historical regions of the world. If you are looking for a Hyatt to redeem your points at in this region, I highly recommend a stay at the Park Hyatt. While we don’t recommend booking your Angkor Wat tour through the hotel, what they offer on property is a quality product and beautiful dining experiences.