An Oasis in the middle of the Siem Reap madness – Sala Lodges – February 2023
A special dedicated post for what is an amazing home away from home (I cannot call it a hotel).
We arrived in Siem Reap after a hectic transfer (see our other post here), we were collected at the airport by the hotel’s own staff in a private transfer. Driving through downtown Siem Reap is like any other Asian city, hot, humid, and fairly busy (albeit Siem Reap is more relaxed than a lot we have been too). We headed right into the center of the city, and pulled down a side street, where a small pair of gates were waiting for us. From the road it just looks like you are pulling in to private home, but we had no idea what waiting for us inside.
As we pulled in through the gates, into the small courtyard we were met by the owner of Sala Lodges, Arne Lugeon, who had a vision of bringing some of the history of Cambodia into the city for us tourists to trully appreciate.
What you are greeted by is a garden oasis, with the greenery of the jungle, sounds of frogs croaking, and water running throughout the grounds. It is truly as if in 10 seconds you have been transported away from the city outside of the gates, into the middle of the Cambodian jungle. Nestled in the middle of the “jungle” are 11 traditional Cambodian homes, on stilts. Each one of these homes have been discovered in the Cambodian countryside, where families have lived often for generations. The homes are purchased, dismantled, transported, and then restored.
The oldest house was originally built in the 1950’s and the most “modern” was built in the 80’s. The restoration process is interesting as every piece of word is transported to a plot of land near the temples at Angkor, and then painstakingly treated to ensure these amazing pieces of Cambodia’s rich history are preserved.
We stayed in House No. 8, “Bram Bei” in Khmer, is one of two houses in Sala Lodges with horizontal cladding. Built in 1965 it was recovered from Yeang, in the Russey commune. The village’s name means bamboo. It is situated in the province of Siem Reap, approximately fifty kilometers from the town center. Its owners, Srèn Sea and his wife, Hong Chhun, are specialised retailers in the sale of prahoc, the fermented fish paste. By chance, the couple conducted their business outside their home. As with many others, they were willing to leave their home to build a more modern dwelling.
The decoration in the home is exquisite, exactly as you would expect, with wooden furniture that is all aligned to the property we are staying in. I really cannot describe it well enough so the pictures below will need to tell the story.
The pool is the most relaxing place you can find in the craziness of Siem Reap. Quiet, peaceful and even with Frankie who was not even 3 when we stayed, we all just relaxed. As you sit by the pool drinks are brought to you, and you can listen to the wildlife that has made Sala Lodges there home too.
However amazing the hotel and gardens are, the culinary delights that greet you in the restaurant cannot be beaten, a real mix of European and Cambodian food means our taste buds were never disappointed. On arrival we indulged in a bottle of Provence Rose and tucked into the Cambodian lunch, including Amok. The food was presented and cooked as you would expect in a Michelin star restaurant, and we really were not disappointed.
We spent 3 nights at Sala Lodges, but this will be one hotel that will stick with us forever, and I can honestly say it one of (if not the) best hotels we have ever stayed in. I am reluctant to share this post, as I want to keep it as our secret, but sharing is caring. I really hope I will go back again.
