Crossing the border from Thailand into Cambodia was quiet an adventure for us. But it was well worth it! We took trains, a bus, a taxi, and then a tuk-tuk before finally arriving at our hostel, The Siem Reap Hostel. After approximately 12 hours of travel, it was a sight that made us want to crawl into an air conditioned room and rest. Luckily for us, the Siem Reap Hostel was everything that we had hoped it would be.
Checking Into the Siem Reap Hostel
As soon as we walked into the Hostel we could feel the good travelers vibe. The welcome desk was filled with information about Siem Reap and the many activities in the area. The Siem Reap Hostel offered cards at the desk to help their guests with a little map as to where the hostel is located, as well as a few words in the Khmer language to help you get by, or at least find your way back to hostel! This was a thoughtful gesture.
Getting Settled into our Room at the Siem Reap Hostel
Once we were assigned our room, headed toward the stairs, passing by a computer area available to those who needed to use them. The Siem Reap Hostel also offers FREE WiFi, which made it possible to access the internet pretty much everywhere in all the common areas. At the top of the 2nd level stairs there was another common area with a pool table, and several lounge chairs. This open style patio looked out over the street of Siem Reap. We felt very much at home knowing that there was so many comfortable common areas to sit and relax at the Siem Reap Hostel.
We were surprised when we opened the door to our room and saw the spacious quarters that we would be staying in for the next few days. The room was designed for several people, but we were able to have it all to ourselves. The Hostel worked with us and only charged us for ourselves and not the extra space that was given to us. The beds in the rooms were comfortable compared to others that we slept in during our trip to SE Asia. the bathroom was modern and spacious too, and we really enjoyed having the balcony to get some fresh air and look out over town.
Amenities at the Siem Reap Hostel
The Siem Reap Hostel offers so much to travelers for the price. The hostel could arrange tours of Siem Reap and the nearby Angkor Wat temples with drivers and local guides. This made it easy to plan out our days in Siem Reap. And we were always impressed to see that our guides and drivers were waiting for us promptly each day!
With the advice of the staff, we arranged at tuk-tuk to meet us at the front door at 5 am so we could experience the Sunrise over Angkor Wat. We were also able to have that same driver take us around the entire day, which made it very convenient to see all the things we wanted to. It was an easy process ad one that we are glad we did it through the hostel.
Phnom Kulen National Park – Cambodia
After a full day of roaming around the temples, we had another full day in Siem Reap and wanted to do something off the beaten path, so exploring Phnom Kulen National Park was high on the list. We knew the hostel arranged tours, but we were concerned it would be booked up. Luckily the staff was gracious enough to work with us get us on a list for a tour heading out the next morning to Phnom Kulen. This was perfect for us! This tour that was arranged through the Siem Reap Hostel became the highlight of our trip!
We awoke the next morning to meet the 4 other guests who signed up for the tour in the lobby. After meeting the group we were introduced to Tom, our driver and guide for the day. Tom was the best! We had such a wonderful cultural experience with him, we just can’t speak highly enough about our friend Tom. He explained everything to us the whole way up the mountain and explained the history and significance of the mountain for the Khmer people. You can read about our experience with Tom in our story Beyond the Postcard: Tom, our Cambodian Tour Guide.
Overall Experience at The Siem Reap Hostel
Our overall experience with The Siem Reap Hostel was fantastic. We can see why this hostel wins so many awards yearly. With the convenient location, informative staff, amenities, and the great common areas, this is the place to stay when visiting Siem Reap. We will most definitely be coming back here for another stay to explore the temples again.
***Some pictures provided by The Siem Reap Hostel
