The Grand Dame of Phnom Penh: A Stay at Raffles Hotel Le Royal

PHNOM PENH

All images are courtesy of Raffles Phnom Penh.

Step through the wrought-iron gates of Raffles Hotel Le Royal and you’ll feel time rearrange itself. There’s a distinct hush beneath the frangipani trees, a kind of reverent calm that softens the buzz of Phnom Penh’s chaotic energy just beyond the hedges. Here, on a tree-lined avenue just steps from Wat Phnom, sits one of Southeast Asia’s most storied hotels — a neo-colonial landmark where legends once lingered and history is quite literally etched into the walls.

Built in 1929 and lovingly restored in the late ’90s, Raffles Hotel Le Royal has hosted kings, prime ministers, journalists, and the famously elegant Jacqueline Kennedy, who sipped the now-iconic Femme Fatale cocktail (champagne, cognac and wild strawberry liqueur) at the Elephant Bar in 1967. The drink remains on the menu to this day — a heady tipple served with a side of nostalgia and an ice cube’s worth of global lore.

Rooms with a Past and a Pulse

The rooms and suites, many of which still feature the original hardwood floors, are a testament to the hotel’s commitment to heritage. Tall ceilings, whirring fans, and lotus-white walls exude a bygone elegance, yet this is no museum piece. Touchscreen panels, rain showers and Bluetooth speakers nestle discreetly alongside antique writing desks and marble-topped vanities. For a brush with history, opt for one of the Personality Suites — named after illustrious guests like Charlie Chaplin or Somerset Maugham — each styled with artifacts, photographs and period furniture that nod to its namesake.

READ: All Aboard: The Greatest Luxury Train Journeys in the World

Gastronomy Worthy of a Royal Decree

Dining at Raffles is a ceremonial affair. At Restaurant Le Royal, meals begin under hand-painted ceilings and often end with tableside flambé. The kitchen presents a rare menu of Royal Khmer cuisine — recipes entrusted to the hotel by the Cambodian Royal Palace — served alongside modern interpretations that celebrate lemongrass, kampot pepper, and the delicate artistry of Cambodian spice blends.

Then there’s Le Phnom 1929, a breezier brasserie with French flair and a surprisingly playful wine list (don’t miss their Around the World in 80 Wines programme). Weekend brunch here is a social affair; locals and expats mingle over plates of duck confit, cheese platters, and glasses of Perrier-Jouët. And of course, no stay is complete without a golden-hour rendezvous at the Elephant Bar, where walls whisper secrets of diplomats and debutantes past.

A Spa Sanctuary in the Capital

For weary travellers — or those looking to detox from the city’s kinetic pace — Raffles Spa is a sanctuary of calm. Khmer massages, with their firm, rhythmic pressure, are both grounding and revitalising. Treatments take place in a softly lit suite of rooms outfitted with teak panels, soothing soundtracks and fragrant oils sourced from the region.

Post-treatment, guests can float between the steam room, Jacuzzi, or the serene 20-metre lap pool framed by bougainvillaea and fan palms. The spa also offers private yoga and wellness classes, in case your idea of indulgence leans more toward sunrise salutations than sybaritic scrubs.

READ: Inside Emirates’ Latest First Class Upgrades: Caviar Service, Keepsake Menus & Lounge Makeovers

Experiences Steeped in Story

Raffles is not a hotel that simply hands you a map. Instead, it invites you into the city's narrative through curated experiences — a private gin tasting at the Elephant Bar (their own house-blend is not to be missed), a champagne breakfast under colonial eaves, or guided tuk-tuk rides through Phnom Penh’s historic heart. Every moment here is designed to feel both deeply personal and delightfully cinematic.

The Verdict

In an age of sleek, cookie-cutter luxury, Raffles Hotel Le Royal is a refreshingly grand anomaly — resolutely characterful, lovingly preserved, and still somehow evolving. It doesn’t shout for attention. It doesn’t need to. Instead, it seduces with subtlety: a whispered story from the concierge, the clink of cutlery in an echoing hallway, the perfume of jasmine trailing from a linened tray.

For those drawn to places where heritage is not a gimmick but a living, breathing part of the experience — where every corner hides a tale and every stay feels like an occasion — Raffles Phnom Penh is, quite simply, the address.

Book it for: A romantic escape with literary flair, a cultured city break, or a heritage-rich base from which to explore Cambodia’s capital.

Insider tip: Order the Femme Fatale at the bar, then ask the bartender for the backstory. There’s always more than one version — and every one is worth hearing.

Book now

Location: Raffles Phnom Penh, 92 Rukhak Vithei, Phnom Penh 12302, Cambodia | Phone: +855 23 981 888 | Email: Bookus.phnompenh@raffles.com | Instagram: @raffles_phnompenh Facebook: Raffles Phnom Penh | Website: raffles.com/phnom-penh