Breakaway in Phnom Penh

A landmark heritage building located in the heart of Phnom Penh, Raffles Hotel Le Royal has 175 rooms including four suites dedicated to previous guests Jacqueline Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, Andre Malraux and Somerset Maugham. Designed in the 1920s by French architect Ernest Hébrard, the hotel is an imposing statement of Khmer, Art Deco and French Colonial styles. Hotel Le Royal originally opened its doors with just 55 rooms in 1929. It was taken over by Raffles in the 1990s at the invitation of Cambodia’s King Sihanouk, and relaunched as Raffles Hotel Le Royal in 1997 after a sensitive extension and refurbishment. To protect this treasure of Cambodian heritage, local artisans were commissioned to recreate painted ceilings, decorative beaten copper crests and outdoor sculptures. Raffles Hotel Le Royal is built around a central private courtyard, with two swimming pools fringed by Frangipani-lined tropical gardens. It has a spa, a fitness and yoga center, two restaurants and a renowned bar. A witness to much of Cambodia’s modern history, Le Royal celebrates its 90th anniversary in November 2019.