Just Back From: Cambodia

For this installment of Just Back From, I spoke with an individual who recently returned from a trip to Cambodia with her 19-year-old son. She is always up for an adventure – we actually climbed Kilimanjaro together – and I knew she would be the perfect person to review a trip centered on nature and exploration such as this.

Who did you use to book the trip?

We used Karen Levin, a NY-based travel agent. She booked our trip with Smiling Albino, a luxury travel company in Cambodia. They were very professional and dependable, and we paid one flat fee that included excursions and several meals. 

The first property you stayed at in Siem Reap was the Shinta Mani and Bensley Collection Pool Villas. How many nights were you there? What was the vibe like? 

We were there for three nights. It was a luxury hotel right off the main road and a five-minute walk from the center of town. It was not exactly opulent, but it was nicely manicured and had an attentive staff. The interior was a mix of styles: Art Deco meets Balinese, maybe.

I read that Bill Bensley, one of the owners of Shinta Mani Hotels, is an architect and interior designer at the forefront of sustainable hotel design. How did that manifest in the property?

Bill Bensley is very involved in eco-tourism. The Shinta Mani Foundation provides educational programs and job opportunities to the local community as a way to combat poverty. So that is the ‘social’ side of eco-tourism, but I’m not exactly sure how it worked on the environmental side. 

What kind of room did you stay in? How did you like it?

There was the option of either a room or a villa. The rooms were located around a central pool, and the villas were in a separate area. We stayed in a beautiful two-floor villa. The first floor was the bedroom, garden, and pool; they also had an outdoor tub in the back. The second floor was an outdoor living space with a view of the garden and pool. That space was convertible: they can set it up with a bed and mosquito tent if you want to sleep outside, or it can be converted into a dining space for a dinner party. The villas had butlers who act as your point person, filling the role of the concierge. You texted them for in-room dining, reservations, activities – anything you needed.

What was the arrival and check-in process like?

They picked us up at the airport and drove us to the hotel. The check-in was easy. They brought us right to our room and had drinks and snacks waiting for us.

How was the food? Did you eat meals mainly at the hotel or go off-property?

The food was good, and we ate primarily on the property. You could have eaten in your room, but, because it was just the two of us, we wanted to get out and be around people. The hotel restaurant served a buffet breakfast (included) but also had a menu you could order from. Shinta Mani Angkor, their property across the street, had a high-end restaurant called Kroya by Chef Chanrith that offered a tasting menu for dinner. That was the best meal we had in Siem Reap. The restaurant also had these fun, oversized swings on which to have dinner or drinks.

From the menus, it looked like the hotel restaurant had an emphasis on plant-based options. Was that the case?

Yes. The vegetarian options were the way to go when ordering. I liked the chicken, but I felt there was something off with the other meat dishes. 

Was anything special left at turn-down?

No, but the tray of welcome treats lasted us our whole stay.

Did you visit any temples in the area? What about Angkor Wat?

We saw all the temples and the old town. Our travel company set us up with a tour guide for Angkor Wat. I did the sunrise visit: I woke up at five in the morning and walked over, but the sunrise wasn’t great. It was an amazing place to see – you can’t go to Siem Reap without seeing it – but it would have been better to plan last minute, as you would be able to gauge what the light would be like. We also did a bike ride with the tour guide and saw several temples; toward the end, we stopped at Angkor Wat and walked through it. 

A side note: When I visited Siem Reap years ago, the Aman threw a private New Year’s Eve party at Angkor Wat. The temple was all lit up with dancers, entertainment, and dinner. I would highly recommend seeking it out if you are there over New Year’s — it may be worth spending a night at the Aman for this party!

What other activities did you do in Siem Reap?

One day we drove to their foundation and saw some of the houses they built for locals – people they are helping, putting through educational programs, and giving jobs. We also drove ATVs through other villages, stopping at rice fields to watch the sunset. The ATVs were fun. We also attended the Phare Circus in Siem Reap one night. They had this program where they teach underprivileged children theater and acrobatics and such; the money from your ticket went to support them. It was a cool experience to see, and the group planned to perform in New York soon.

Did you use the hotel pool? The spa or gym?

We just used our villa’s private pool, and no, we didn’t use the spa or gym there. 

What were the other guests like? 

There were a lot of Europeans and a lot of families. 

How was the service?

The service was good, very attentive. They were great about getting you anything you need. One evening we were trying to get a movie on the television, for instance, and they came in and got it to stream.

Any negatives? 

Because the air was so humid, the glass and some of the furnishings outdoors had some wear and tear. But that was to be expected in this kind of climate. 

Who would you recommend this trip to? 

This was a great trip for anyone who wants to relax. I’d also recommend it as a three-day stay to do with your partner, as it was a pretty romantic place. 

How did you get from Siem Reap to your next hotel, Shinta Mani Wild? Was the trip difficult?

It was fairly easy because we were going from one Shinta Mani property to another, so they handled it for us. A driver took us to Siem Reap airport, which was about forty-five minutes, and then we flew an hour to Sihanoukville. It was your typical, fifty-seater commercial plane. After landing, we drove two hours to the resort.

I read that there are two ways to enter Shinta Mani Wild: by car or by zip line. Please tell me you took the zipline!

It was dark when we arrived (our flight had been delayed by several hours), so we couldn’t zipline in. We were bummed, but we got to use the zipline later on the trip. 

From pictures, this resort seems very unique. Could you explain what the layout was like? What were your surroundings? 

It was a tented camp located deep in the forest. There were fifteen tents; some had two beds while others were single, and all had this elegant safari vibe. The tents were fairly spaced out across the property. From tent one to the main area, the walk was about fifteen minutes.

What type of tent did you have?  

Our tent was one room with twin beds and an outdoor area – the outdoor area was a living/dining space with beautiful, mid-century furniture under a tented veranda. There was an old-fashioned bathing tub outside as well. 

@mwtravelinsider

I read online that Shinta Mani Wild is all-inclusive – including meals, spa treatments, and activities. Was that really the case?

Yes. Sometimes you go to an ‘all-inclusive’ property, and they say, sorry, the spa is all booked up. It wasn’t like that at all. They begged us to do things, encouraged spa treatments and the like. So it was a true all-inclusive experience. 

What activities did they offer? Did you schedule everything in advance?

When we arrived, they gave us a tentative schedule of ‘highlight’ activities: the poacher trek, biking, and hikes – we took the zipline a few times while returning from hiking. They also had a cocktail-making class and cooking class that we did in an outdoor kitchen overlooking the river. One evening, they had a cocktail hour for all the guests to hang out and have hors d’oeuvres. We did a boat ride down one of the rivers that was slow and relaxing, and they brought us to a kayaking spot. The hotel had a natural swimming hole with cliff jumping as well as a saltwater pool. 

What was the poacher trek like? 

It was fun. We went on the back of a motorcycle with our guide into the woods, looking for poachers and snares. We caught these poachers who were sawing down trees. At the resort, they had a whole collection of confiscated electric saws. We saw them arrest the poachers, which was a little sad, as these were just people trying to make a living. We learned how to cut snares down – how to disassemble them. 

What were the meals like? 

For all the meals, you just showed up, and they served you whenever – no reservations, no calling ahead. For breakfast, they had a menu of three options, as well as a spread of breakfast basics like pastries and fruits. Lunch was always a Cambodian dish. It was all super fresh, local food – really delicious. For dinner, they had a set menu with different courses, and if you didn’t want that, they made you whatever you wanted. 

Did you do any spa treatments?

I did. They had a variety of offerings but I stuck to a basic massage. I wouldn’t call them the most amazing massages I’ve ever had. 

Was it buggy in the jungle?

You needed bug spray, but it wasn’t buggy enough that we were constantly noticing it. 

How was it getting around?

It was a lot of walking, a lot of stairs. It would be difficult for someone who is not that mobile. I’m sure they could get you a golf cart and make it work, but the paths are gravelly and uneven. You don’t want to wear heels.

What was the expected attire like? 

You could wear whatever you wanted. It was pretty much casual athelsiure during the day, and at night people wore dresses, flowy pants, and sandals. I brought heels and didn’t wear them. 

What type of people were there? 

It was a mix. Some couples, some families. I would say it was better for families with older kids rather than younger ones – you were surrounded by jungle, overlooking a river, close to cliffs. So no, it would be stressful to go with young kids. The people were from all over. We met an Israeli family, a Californian family. 

How was the service? 

The service was good, and our butler was amazing. You spend a lot of time with your butler, as they are your activity coordinator as well as your hike leader. We loved getting to know him. He taught himself English and continued to be promoted at the hotel, working his way from gardener to butler. We went by bike one day to see his home and meet his wife.