Angkor Privilege Resort and Spa in Siem Reap

When we arrived, a young staff member greeted us, took our passports, and asked us to sit down. After a long journey, tired and hungry, we truly appreciated being able to sit for a moment. A few minutes later, another (much friendlier and warmer) staff member appeared with welcome drinks, while the first returned with our passports.

Unfortunately, the first staff member seemed impatient and spoke to us in a slightly rude, dismissive tone. Both of them then stood there watching us rather intensely while we held the drinks, clearly expecting us to finish quickly. We were the only guests there, so the sense of urgency felt unnecessary and awkward.

We were shown two options: the Family Suite and the Presidential Suite. The “Presidential Suite” turned out to be two small, separate rooms above the lobby that weren’t even connecting, with an open space in front that felt more like a corridor than anything presidential. Honestly, the name felt misleading — it looked like a standard room with fancy branding.

The staff member showing us the room was barefoot. Coming from New Zealand, we’re not strangers to being barefoot, but in a five-star resort it simply felt unprofessional — especially as he walked through the suite with visibly dirty feet.

While looking around the Family Suite, I kept trying to reconcile the glowing reviews I had read online with what I was actually seeing. Unfortunately, the two didn’t match. There were grey and yellow stains on the walls, marks on the curtains, and a sofa whose original colour was hard to guess.

After we were left alone, the friendlier staff member kindly brought us a beautiful fruit platter, which we appreciated. We were extremely hungry, so we decided to head straight to dinner at the hotel restaurant.

At the back of the resort, we found what looked like a restaurant entrance, where a woman stood smiling. When we asked for a table for five, she looked confused and told us to sit. Only then did we realise we were already inside the restaurant — and completely alone.

We soon discovered that the pizza from the online menu was served at a different restaurant, so we moved again. The poolside “restaurant” turned out to be a tiny bar, roughly the size of a bathroom, with no clear sign that food was actually served there. A few empty plastic crates on the side didn’t inspire confidence.

We ordered salads, fries, pizzas, and two mains. After nearly 50 minutes, the first dish arrived: a salad with “French dressing,” which tasted like cold, separated oil. Not great, but we stayed hopeful.

Then came the margherita pizza my daughter and I had been craving. It looked acceptable and hunger won — until the first bite. It had a strong anise/fennel-like flavour that tasted nothing like a classic margherita. When I asked about the herbs, the staff said they used sweet basil and explained that this is how pizza is made here — and “everywhere.” I politely disagreed. Unfortunately, we all left hungry. Only the fries were edible.

When we left, there was just one other couple dining. Every step we took on the wooden deck made loud creaking noises, which made simply walking past them awkward and uncomfortable.

Back in the room, we finally had time to properly look around — and it became clear the cleanliness was far below expectations. The towel placed in front of the bathtub quickly turned grey from footprints. The walls were dirty, the curtains stained, and the bathroom mirror frame had dried toothpaste splashes. Decorative cushions looked long overdue for cleaning, and the floor felt visibly dirty underfoot.

The bathroom had two sinks, but soap was provided at only one of them.

This resort fell far below what we expect from a five-star property. Cleanliness, food quality, and professionalism were simply not there. Sadly, the online reviews did not reflect our experience, and we would not return or recommend it.