< Continued from page 1

About.com Rating

Service: Spotty but Satisfactory

My experience with service in hotels and restaurants in Cambodia has not always been that good although they have been improving rapidly for the past couple of years. Nonetheless, I did not dare to raise my expectations in the Independence Hotel.

Surprisingly though, the service was quite satisfactory. Our check-in was smooth and they gave me all the extras I always ask for in hotels - extra pillows, towels, complimentary water, and others.


There were some challenges though. One night when I was already asleep, without us touching anything, the air-conditioner suddenly went full blast (too cold for my liking) and all the lights turned on automatically. No, there were no ghosts haunting us. The bedside controls had merely gone kaput. They did send someone over immediately who fixed the controls in about fifteen minutes.

Another day, we wanted to order our lunch by the swimming pool. The waiter said that the kitchen could not accommodate us because they had too many guests in the dining room. That upset me a bit because I was hungry and too lazy to go out for our lunch. However, the waiter came back again after awhile and said that they would accommodate us.

Other than that, everything went smoothly. The managers and the staff were all friendly and helpful.

Food: Beachside Barbecue

I always looked forward to the buffet breakfast which was consistently excellent. They had everything for everybody - an egg station, a noodle station, a cereal station, a bread station, sausages, rice, and others.

For our other meals, the food in their menu was satisfactory and reasonably-priced. We especially liked the tom yum soup and the beef in oyster sauce. Guests could order from the dining room, their own rooms, or the swimming pool.

My favorite though was the restaurant/bar down at the beach where we would often break from our idleness at the beach and have our lunch. We've also gone down there one evening for dinner for their special Khmer New Year seafood barbeque buffet.

The Beach: Reserved for Guests Only

Of course, the almost deserted kilometer-long beach is the main attraction. The Independence Beach, reserved exclusively for the guests of the hotel, is one of the handful of beaches in Sihanoukville and named after the hotel on its northern end. It is also called 7-Chann Beach (7-Storey Hotel Beach) by the locals.

From the hotel, we have to climb down the mountain on this walkway until we reach the restaurant/bar. As I walk down the stairs, the spectacular view of the sea slowly unfolds. Beach towels and life vests are available outside the bar.

There is a small lake nearby which is rumored to have been inhabited by crocodiles. On the sand, there are several beach cots and umbrellas to choose from. The water is calm and inviting and the sands are white and powdery.

This is the life. Elegance, beauty, nature, chic, and history by the seaside. The restoration of this beautiful glorious hotel is truly a symbol that Cambodia is now on its way to recovery.

Contact Details

Independence Hotel
Address: Street 2 Thnou, Sangkat No. 3, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Phone: +855-3494-3300
Website: www.independencehotel.net