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pleasant indeed with casual but smart furnishings and plenty <strong>of</strong> light. <strong>The</strong> other half have<br />
exactly the same furnishings but no windows and no light at all and feel like a mausoleum.<br />
<strong>The</strong> rooms with windows are superb value. Pay the extra two bucks and embrace<br />
the sun.<br />
St. 2. & 053/953-999. 29 units. $13 double without window; $15 double with window. In room: A/C,<br />
TV, fridge<br />
Khemara Battambang Hotel This is a solid businesslike option with four stories<br />
built around a courtyard with parking. <strong>The</strong>y call themselves “boutique,” but that is<br />
delusional on their part although that fact actually does not detract from what the Khemara<br />
has to <strong>of</strong>fer. <strong>The</strong> rooms are palatial, spotless, and airy. At present they do not accept<br />
credit cards but they hope to change that.<br />
East bank <strong>of</strong> the river. Old NH#5. & 053/732-727. Fax 053/737-979. www.khemarahotel.com. 50 units.<br />
$15 double. No credit cards. Amenities: Restaurant; Internet. In room: A/C, TV, fridge.<br />
La Villa La Villa continues to reign as the top luxury option in Battambang.<br />
<strong>The</strong> luxury is packaged with immense style, in a beautiful colonial French villa on the<br />
east bank <strong>of</strong> the river. <strong>The</strong> villa has been extended but in such a way that it is hard to tell<br />
the old from the new. <strong>The</strong> beauty <strong>of</strong> the building is complemented by muted but tasteful<br />
Art Deco period furnishings. All the rooms are different—we particularly liked the l<strong>of</strong>tstyle<br />
room on the top floor with its rustic wooden beams and scattered floor cushions.<br />
<strong>The</strong> rooms have sturdy four-poster beds with draped mosquito netting and faded blackand-white<br />
photos on the walls. <strong>The</strong> casual and slightly vague Francophone management<br />
go out <strong>of</strong> their way to be helpful without getting in your hair. <strong>The</strong> newly added swimming<br />
pool is a godsend in the hot season and is a great place to enjoy an early evening<br />
drink. If you’re not staying here (and it is an expensive option, even though it is worth<br />
every dollar) it is worth dropping by for a meal or some refreshment just to soak up the<br />
atmosphere.<br />
185 Pom Romchek. & 053/730-151. www.lavilla-battambang.com. 7 units. $60 standard; $85 suite. MC,<br />
V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; Internet; outdoor pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, DVD player.<br />
Royal Hotel This hotel next to Psar Nath is part <strong>of</strong> a small chain. <strong>The</strong>y have an<br />
eclectic range <strong>of</strong> rooms and will happily let you pay less if you don’t want to use the airconditioning,<br />
the TV, or the fridge. It is a sort <strong>of</strong> modular, do-it-yourself, go ahead and<br />
assemble your own hotel room approach. <strong>The</strong> rooms themselves are large with balconies<br />
and a real touch <strong>of</strong> style. It is in no way boutique, but they have borrowed some boutique<br />
flourishes with silk cushions, traditional wall hangings, potted plants, and the perennial<br />
plastic flower placed artfully on the bedspread. <strong>The</strong> staff are helpful and speak English.<br />
It is a very good choice at a very acceptable price. <strong>The</strong>y have a slightly scruffy but very<br />
convivial ro<strong>of</strong>top restaurant if you are up to the vertical hike. If booked up, the nearby<br />
Asia Hotel (near Psar Nath; & 053/953-522) and Star Hotel (near Psar Nath; & 053/<br />
953-522) are identical in facilities to the Royal Hotel and part <strong>of</strong> the same chain (the<br />
Star Hotel also <strong>of</strong>fers suites).<br />
Near Psar Nath. & 053/953-522. 42 units. $6 double bathroom, fan, and TV; $8 double bathroom fan,<br />
TV, and fridge; $10 double A/C; $13 large double A/C; $20 king-size double. MC, V. Amenities: Laundry<br />
service. In room: A/C, TV, fridge.<br />
Seng Hout Hotel Even by the excellent standards <strong>of</strong> Battambang, the<br />
Seng Hout stands out for both quality and value. This brand-new hotel is filled with light<br />
and has a well-proportioned sense <strong>of</strong> space. <strong>Best</strong> <strong>of</strong> all, there are a number <strong>of</strong> very pretty<br />
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BATTAMBANG & NORTHERN CAMBODIA 7<br />
BATTAMBANG