Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra
by the TopOfHotel team
Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra is a French-colonial city resort on the Bassac River that has the whole package — four nationalities of restaurant and a big spa — strong on atmosphere and facilities, traded against a location you have to drive out of to reach the old tourist quarter.
Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra is a French-colonial city resort on the Bassac River that has the whole package — four nationalities of restaurant and a big spa — strong on atmosphere and facilities, traded against a location you have to drive out of to reach the old tourist quarter.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a cream 5-star building standing on the Bassac River: push open the lobby doors and you meet high airy ceilings, crystal chandeliers, warm wood furniture and curved French-colonial archways carrying carved Khmer detail — that is the character of Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, which opened in 2011. All 201 rooms and suites run a warm cream-and-brown palette and feel noticeably more spacious than the city's 5-star standard, with large windows that in many rooms open onto the Bassac stretching away. The upper-floor suites add a balcony to sit out with a morning coffee in the river breeze. Marble bathrooms keep the tub and shower separate, and the soft Sofitel MyBed bedding draws repeated praise for a particularly good night's sleep. The look is not aggressively modern — it leans into classic old-French-quarter elegance in Asia, and anyone who likes a hotel with a sense of history mixed with modern comfort should take to it.
Food and amenities
If this hotel has a heart, it is the four nationalities of restaurant in one building. It starts at La Coupole, a Paris-brasserie French room serving both an international breakfast buffet and an à la carte dinner; many reviews single out the eggs benedict and the buttery fresh-baked croissants. Move on to Hachi, a Japanese room with both a sushi counter and teppanyaki tables where the chef cooks in front of you. Fu Lu Zu does Cantonese, especially the lunchtime dim sum that several reviews say is good value and as tasty as eating in Hong Kong, and Do Forni closes things out with Italian, a pizza oven and fresh pasta. Le Bar in the lobby adds a live piano in the evening. Outside sit two outdoor pools with a pool bar for a cocktail without getting up, a big gym, and tennis and squash courts. The best-known piece is So Spa, Sofitel's large spa with several treatment rooms and a menu of Khmer massage blended with French technique — reviews call it the standout place to relax here.
Location and getting there
The location is genuinely interesting. The hotel sits in Tonle Bassac on the Bassac River, one of the fastest-growing parts of Phnom Penh — full of embassies, offices, new condos and big malls. The standout is AEON Mall, the giant Japanese mall right next door: a 2-minute walk across the road gets you shopping, a cinema and extra restaurants beyond the hotel's own. The NagaWorld and NagaWorld 2 casinos are only a few minutes' drive. The old tourist quarter — the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom and the Russian Market (Toul Tom Poung) — is a 10-20 minute tuk-tuk or Grab ride, an easy drive with little traffic. Phnom Penh International Airport runs about 25-35 minutes depending on the time of day. For an evening stroll, there is a footpath along the Bassac behind the hotel, and modern riverside restaurants are scattered through the district. The short version: if you want a city resort with a mall right beside you and a step back from the busy old quarter, this location works well.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide — the most common gripe is the distance from the old tourist quarter. Anyone set on a full day wandering the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom or the Russian Market may find they have to ride out every time, which is less convenient than a hotel closer in, even though the fares are cheap. The next frequent point is in-house food and drink running high against local places outside, particularly the breakfast buffet at La Coupole and dinner at the French room; some reviews say it is appetizing but fairly steep. On a tighter budget you might switch to lunch at the restaurants, or walk over to AEON Mall, which has a wider and cheaper spread. Beyond that, some reviews note a few rooms starting to show wear against the city's newer 5-star openings — carpet, furniture and parts of the bathroom looking a touch tired — and Wi-Fi that can be uneven in spots around the building. If you work online, ask the front desk to move you to a room with a stronger signal.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra lands as a French-colonial city resort selling classic Bassac-riverside atmosphere, four nationalities of restaurant in one building, the large So Spa, and the convenience of AEON Mall next door — all in good balance. If the trip in your head is a riverside coffee at sunrise, a late-morning swim, dim sum at Fu Lu Zu at noon, an afternoon of shopping at AEON Mall, a So Spa soak at dusk and dinner at La Coupole with piano at Le Bar, this is about as neat a fit as it gets. If you mean to spend whole days exploring the old tourist quarter, the drive-out-every-time location may not be your first pick. Overall we give it 8.9/10, best for couples after a city resort to unwind in, families who want full facilities, and business travelers wanting some quiet from the busier side of Phnom Penh.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- French-colonial design you rarely find in Phnom Penh — high airy ceilings, curved archways and warm wood furniture that feel grand and elegant the moment you walk into the lobby.
- Four nationalities of restaurant in a single building — La Coupole for French, Hachi for Japanese, Fu Lu Zu for Cantonese and Do Forni for Italian — so you can cover every mood without leaving the hotel.
- Two outdoor pools with a pool bar, tennis and squash courts, a full gym, and the large So Spa that reviewers single out as the standout place to unwind here.
- AEON Mall is about a 2-minute walk across the road, handy for shopping, extra restaurants, a cinema and a supermarket when you want a break from the hotel kitchens.
- Sitting on the Bassac River, the river-view rooms catch a pretty sunset, and being away from the bustle of the old tourist quarter makes for quiet, easy sleep.
- It is a fair way from the old tourist quarter — the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom and the Russian Market — so you need a tuk-tuk or Grab of roughly 10-20 minutes and cannot walk there.
- Food and drink inside the hotel run high against local places outside, especially the breakfast buffet and dinner at La Coupole; several reviews call it appetizing but pricey.
- Some reviews note that a few rooms are starting to show wear compared with the city's newer 5-star openings, and that Wi-Fi can be uneven in spots around the building.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Phnom Penh
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Insider Tips
- Ask for a room facing the Bassac River when you book — the riverside sunset view is clearly nicer than the city-view rooms and quieter than the road-facing side.
- Use Grab or PassApp to head out to the old tourist quarter (Royal Palace, Wat Phnom) — it is noticeably cheaper than the tuk-tuks outside the hotel, with a 10-20 minute ride running about $3-5.
- To get better value at dinner, try lunch at Hachi or Fu Lu Zu, where the midday sets beat the evening prices and leave you money for a So Spa treatment later.