The Best of Cambodia & Laos

140
BATTAMBANG & NORTHERN CAMBODIA
7
BATTAMBANG
outside sitting areas. The terrace on the fourth floor is particularly pleasant, with potted
plants and comfy rattan chairs. There is also a shaded rooftop restaurant from which you
can survey the red tiled roofs of Battambang below you. The prices for all this thoughtful
design are astonishingly low. The A/C single and the fan single are the same—they just
disable the A/C if you don’t need it and bring up a fan.
1008B St. 2. & 092/530-293. www.senghouthotel.com. 35 units. $15 A/C double; $20 A/C double superior
view. V. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: A/C, TV, fridge.
Spring Park Hotel From the outside the Spring Park looks simply awful, having
been built in the weirdly blocky architecture that blights so much of Thailand. But once
inside, you find yourself facing an incongruously very well-designed interior. Once you
make your way to the bedrooms, the surprises continue. The rooms are large and airy,
and furnished with brightly colored bedspreads and tasteful silk cushions. All the facilities
are state of the art and the hotel is also set up for business travelers with Wi-Fi
throughout and conference rooms equipped with audiovisual aids. The staff is friendly
and attentive. It is an immensely good value, even by Battambang’s high standards.
East bank of the river. Old NH#5. & 012/849-999. Fax 053/730-999. 78 units. $8 fan double; $11 standard
double; $13 superior double; $20 deluxe. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; Internet. In room: A/C,
TV, fridge.
Teo Hotel The Teo holds a special place in the hearts of those journalists, de-miners,
and NGO workers who knew Battambang when the Khmer Rouge were still just up the
road. The good news (apart from the war being over) is that years later it is still gleaming.
The spotless cleanliness of the Teo is a site to behold, and during the day you may trip
over a legion of blue-shirted women scrubbing, polishing, and mopping. Any clothes
thoughtlessly discarded on the floor will be returned to you within hours all washed and
pressed. If all this sounds slightly fascistic, it is not—the staff at the Teo is supercasual
and friendly. The rooms are on the small side but include a fridge and TV. Despite the
recently arrived competition, the Teo’s rates are actually lower than they were a decade
ago. The Teo claims to have free Wi-Fi, but this is not quite a reality since it is very rarely
working and doesn’t penetrate the walls of the guest rooms.
St. 3. & 053/952-288. 87 units. $13 double; $25 VIP. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; Internet. In room: A/C,
TV, fridge.
WHERE TO DINE
Battambang may not rival either Phnom Penh or Siem Reap for choice, but it certainly
has a few eating options that stand up in terms of quality. All establishments are cash only.
Bus Stop WESTERN This Australian-style restaurant/pub serves huge portions of
fantastic home cooking. The sausage and mash is particularly good. The pork chops are
delicious with lots of thick, tasty gravy, and when it comes to a full English breakfast the
Bus Stop is in master class territory. The beers are super cold and the draft Angkor beer
is a very reasonable 75¢. The Bus Stop’s pub is a meeting place for expats and has a full
range of spirits.
149 St. 2. & 053/730-544. www.busstopcambodia.com. Main courses $5. Daily 6:30am–10pm.
The Cold Night KHMER/WESTERN Like the Teo Hotel, the Cold Night is an
establishment that dates from the days when Battambang was a much rougher place than
it is today. The restaurant has actually moved in the intervening years but it still retains