Flamingos Hotel Phnom Phen

[Troubled]

I am thinking of spending a few nights in Cambodia towards the end of the month.
Has anyone stayed at this hotel?
Any comments?
I am looking for somewhere cetral an walking distance to bars/restaurants

[Marmite the Dog]

I recommend Hotel Renakse.

See here

[Troubled]

Thanks.
I appreciate the input

[obsidian]

anywhere on the river. lots of chioces with a range of prices.

[Troubled]

Thanks

[drpaul854]

I stayed in The Flamingos Hotel in Feb. 06 - it is brand new, very friendly, excellent location close to the night time action spots and the central market. Overall an excellent value highly recommended.

[tuferguson]

And its guest friendly, the manager is a whoremonger as well so you can tap him for info they do have free internet in the lobby but its piss slow, the wifi is a bit wobbly as well for connecting.

[tuferguson]

Found out yesterday that Frank, the manager, was seriously ill and had been in hospital for the last week and died a couple of days ago.

[urmy]

I have stayed there good rooms great cable tv and not to far from the river side

[Troubled]

Well just back from a few days in Phnom Penh. I stayed at Flamingos hotel so thought i should post a few comments.

Bottom line I would stay there again if i were to return. Basically good value.
Good location. 10 minutes from the river, opposite The Shanghai Bar, a couple a hundred yards from the infamous/famous Heart of Darkness and The Walkabout Pub and Hotel ( or was it Battersea dogs home judging by the female patrons) which is open 24 hours/day. Several other bars/restaurants nearby. There are other bar/restaurant areas in the city.

Hotel throws in airport pick-up but as there were several to picked up on this flight in meant waiting almost 45 minutes for eveyone, despite being told 5 minutes every 10 minutes.
The hotel charges for the return journey.

Rooms ($25/30) are a decent size, clean with aircon, minibar and 35 channel cable TV. No discernible noise comiing from either inside or outide of the hotel.
Breakfast was included. Breakfast was a choice of 7 set "menus" eg potato omelette and bread or bread and jam or pancake and syrup. plus tea or coffee.

Hotel restaurant had an extensive menu and wide choice eg 10 soups were listed. Food was fine.

Hotel had small bar and pool table downstairs with happy hour 4-8pm (Angkor beer 75cents) and a roof top "beer garden". Despite thsi being only a 5 story building it was still higher than most of the city and thus gave OK views ( River area would have been better especially watching the sun come up)

Hotel staff were alll very friendly and helpful- no complaints only praise.

Hotel was also very guest friendly with a number of the girls working the lobby. no sooner had they come down stairs with one customer they were scoping out the next client. Despite this the guests at the hotel included families as wella s single men both tourists and business types.

Free interneet in the lobby slow and often down but still on offer and wifi in the rooms. I did not take a laptop with me.

I found it very pleasant just to sit out side the hotel drinking a beer or two and watching the world go by. Hard to find simialr in Bangkok. There was also a pleasant cool breeze at night when it was not raining.

Hotel was full, people were turned away and you should book in advance if interested. I sesnsed that many were repeat guests. Guest mainly Americans but a mix of other nationalities as well.

Hotel is near the Central Market but if interested in the cheap dvd's then the russian market should be visited for which you would need a tuk-tuk or moto.
The hotel will accept credit card payments but will charge an extra 3%


General comments. The city is worth a long weekend visit. I apreciated the large French style boulevards and lack of traffic. It would be nice just to sit outside one of the riverside bars all day watching the world go by.

Food was expensive in that area. I was also suprised by the lack of traffic on the rivers. Hardly a boat/ship out there.

Aside from the bars and markets there is the Royal Palace and National Museum to vist. River cruises and The Killing Fields and its museums.
There were fewer beggars than I had anticipated - mainly very dirty and impoversihed looking kids mainly selling books and shoe shines.

The roads even in the centre of town apart from the boulevards looked as though many habd just been excavated. Also there were numerous decent sized unmarked craters on the sidewalks which must claim many a drunk.

Not too many tourists in town i sensed, bars were often empty.

$25 departure tax if flying back

[Marmite the Dog]

Nice report. Where's the pictures?

Originally Posted by Troubled

Food was expensive in that area.

Are you sure? I used to eat at the FCC everyday, and you'd usually pay around $5 for a meal plus drinks. The food there is better than most places I've been to in Bangkok (apart from my stew that I cooked tonight ).

[Troubled]

Pictures need camera, camera needs money.
I haven't owned a camera in many years.

I do agree thought that a review is many times better with the pics. One of these days

When i say expensive I mean in relative terms.
At Ponluk (sp?) restaurant just down the road from the FCC fried rice with some meat plus 2 sodas for two was $20 inc tip.

I cant remember other prices off the top of my head but remember feeling that they were expensive in general ( I would be happy to be proved wrong). Nice location and setting though.


The stew did look very good though

[Marmite the Dog]

Originally Posted by Troubled

At Ponluk (sp?) restaurant just down the road from the FCC fried rice with some meat plus 2 sodas for two was $20 inc tip.

Jeez! That is a bit steep!

[themook]

I stayed there during my visit. Decent place with a good level of hospitality. The hotel doesn't have an in-room safe or safe deposit box system if that matters to you. Room was basic, but clean. One downside for me was no real hot water; not needed for showering, but I like it when shaving. There was 24 hr. security and reliable moto-dops outside. The hotel offers complimentary pick-up [at] airport and reasonable price for return. Bar on roof of hotel is a nice touch. Decent foot massage, traditional body massage directly across the street. Good food at the Khmer Kitchen and another Thai-Khmer restaurant a short tuk tuk ride away. You can eat at the Walkabout or Shang Hai, and have a cocktail or two at Heart of Darkness. All are very close to the hotel. Other similar establishments to meet ladies close by, but I recommend taking a driver for your own safety. You can walk to the mall easily from the hotel. The Central Market is close, but I would skip it.

[Troubled]

Originally Posted by themook

One downside for me was no real hot water; not needed for showering, but I like it when shaving.

Strange I had no problems with the water.
Could be because i am used to water temperatures here in Thailand

[Dougal]

Originally Posted by themook

The hotel doesn't have an in-room safe or safe deposit box system if that matters to you. Room was basic, but clean. One downside for me was no real hot water;

The supply of hot water seemed to vary depending on which room you were in. Mine was too hot without adding lots of cold, a friend on the other side of the corridor was too cold. Safety deposit boxes are available, I didn't use one but I saw others who did.

That was in mid Jan, BTW.

[keda]

Originally Posted by Troubled

Well just back from a few days in Phnom Penh. I stayed at Flamingos hotel so thought i should post a few comments.

Bottom line I would stay there again if i were to return. Basically good value.
Good location. 10 minutes from the river, opposite The Shanghai Bar, a couple a hundred yards from the infamous/famous Heart of Darkness and The Walkabout Pub and Hotel ( or was it Battersea dogs home judging by the female patrons) which is open 24 hours/day. Several other bars/restaurants nearby. There are other bar/restaurant areas in the city.

Hotel throws in airport pick-up but as there were several to picked up on this flight in meant waiting almost 45 minutes for eveyone, despite being told 5 minutes every 10 minutes.
The hotel charges for the return journey.

Rooms ($25/30) are a decent size, clean with aircon, minibar and 35 channel cable TV. No discernible noise comiing from either inside or outide of the hotel.
Breakfast was included. Breakfast was a choice of 7 set "menus" eg potato omelette and bread or bread and jam or pancake and syrup. plus tea or coffee.

Hotel restaurant had an extensive menu and wide choice eg 10 soups were listed. Food was fine.

Hotel had small bar and pool table downstairs with happy hour 4-8pm (Angkor beer 75cents) and a roof top "beer garden". Despite thsi being only a 5 story building it was still higher than most of the city and thus gave OK views ( River area would have been better especially watching the sun come up)

Hotel staff were alll very friendly and helpful- no complaints only praise.

Hotel was also very guest friendly with a number of the girls working the lobby. no sooner had they come down stairs with one customer they were scoping out the next client. Despite this the guests at the hotel included families as wella s single men both tourists and business types.

Free interneet in the lobby slow and often down but still on offer and wifi in the rooms. I did not take a laptop with me.

I found it very pleasant just to sit out side the hotel drinking a beer or two and watching the world go by. Hard to find simialr in Bangkok. There was also a pleasant cool breeze at night when it was not raining.

Hotel was full, people were turned away and you should book in advance if interested. I sesnsed that many were repeat guests. Guest mainly Americans but a mix of other nationalities as well.

Hotel is near the Central Market but if interested in the cheap dvd's then the russian market should be visited for which you would need a tuk-tuk or moto.
The hotel will accept credit card payments but will charge an extra 3%


General comments. The city is worth a long weekend visit. I apreciated the large French style boulevards and lack of traffic. It would be nice just to sit outside one of the riverside bars all day watching the world go by.

Food was expensive in that area. I was also suprised by the lack of traffic on the rivers. Hardly a boat/ship out there.

Aside from the bars and markets there is the Royal Palace and National Museum to vist. River cruises and The Killing Fields and its museums.
There were fewer beggars than I had anticipated - mainly very dirty and impoversihed looking kids mainly selling books and shoe shines.

The roads even in the centre of town apart from the boulevards looked as though many habd just been excavated. Also there were numerous decent sized unmarked craters on the sidewalks which must claim many a drunk.

Not too many tourists in town i sensed, bars were often empty.

$25 departure tax if flying back

Agree with the above, though have stayed there since Flamingo opened a coupla years ago starting at $16, then $18, and now $20 but $18 in low season or when we go heavy handed. $25 seems a bit steep, must be for the hoighty toighty rooms, and never paid extra to use a credit card though this may be another discretionary topup.

Free airport pickup but $3 p/p to get back.

Also, roof garden, yep upstairs, great for quiet evenings and when you return and need to chill out.

I tend to stay away from Heart of Darkness, since years back a group of farangs were getting on well enough with some Khmers until one said out of the blue, you know, I could tell my driver to shoot you and he would, and there would be no investigation? Since discovered it's frequented by spoilt kids of the rich and powerful, which is enough to keep me away. Crap musak and too noisy anyway.

Overall good value, book in advance and can't go wrong to ask Kim for a discount if you're staying a while or low season or going with friends.

[Dougal]

Originally Posted by keda

it's frequented by spoilt kids of the rich and powerful, which is enough to keep me away. Crap musak and too noisy anyway.

I'd echo that. Security was tight when going in but it is really a young persons disco hangout. The obviously very rich, young Cambodians guys in there made me feel very uncomfortable, I didn't stay long.

The Walkabout was frequented by a lot of time expired women desperate for a few dollars, same with Sharkys. Shanghai bar seemed much better and there is another on the opposite corner whose name I've already forgotten which was small but pleasant and relaxing.

All these apart from Sharkys are literally within a stones throw of Flamingos.

[keda]

Originally Posted by Troubled

...At Ponluk (sp?) restaurant just down the road from the FCC fried rice with some meat plus 2 sodas for two was $20 inc tip...

Stay away from Ponluk, good food but a ripoff joint. Banned mself from there years ago, but since returned because newbie visitors were taken by the food, the service and the party atmosphere in the side rooms if that is what the customer wants.

On my last visit before Xmas 8 of us ate there twice, mostly newbies, each time having a great meal, good service, but left feeling something wasn't quite right with the bill, which as normal was paid by someone on presentation and shared out later.

$200+ with only soft drinks seemed a bit much the first time, and just under $250 the second, so on the 3rd visit we asked for separate bills, and that's when the shite hit the fan, with one check running to $83, though it included 22 soft drinks at $1 for the staff. Overkill; mine was $26, instead of the $12-$15 I expected, and every one of the others was charged up to twice the menu prices.

Management smiles quickly turned sour when it was clear we weren't having it, and of course they couldn't care a toss that their Khmer customers weren't happy with a bunch of protesting farangs; the male Chinese owner rushed off to the far corner with his nose in some account books and shooed us off to mama, who I guess is the one that takes care of dissent. To be fair, when one mentioned the police mama did offer to call them, but the follow-up to that was easy enough to figure.

In the end we each handed over what we thought our menu orders should be plus a small amount extra, and left, wondering whether Khmers have ever heard about gooses and golden eggs.

[Troubled]

^
interesting read. I thought myself my bill was being padded but not by so much that I was going to make an issue of it.
However I had already made my mind up not to go back again - their loss