Firsttime4me2

Nice welcome gift, in stark contrast, I am next door at the Novotel and got nothing but a good rate and renovations, it even took two nights two receive the normal toiletries, lucky I pack my own!

jiunsoh

how much you book the novotel?

Firsttime4me2

MYR601.02 for three nights

Dav77

Goldorak

Kobetraveller

Hotel: Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra (Cambodia)

Status: Platinum (first Stay at this hotel, only one night to have a look)

Vip Treatment: I could not find a thread for this hotel but did see a couple of earlier reviews by @Goldorak. My Welcome Amenity was essentially the same. Attractive presentation of fruit and water in the box, and a calendar. The typed Welcome note under the name of the Hotel Manager and just a squiggle signature seemed to be aimed more at upselling a buffet and the Spa than welcoming me. On the other hand, he did personally welcome me while checking in at CM. This CM is open to everybody regardless of age but I counted only about 30 chairs plus a private meeting room. Apparently this CM moved to the Lobby from the 12th Floor about three months ago. It is sort of across from the Business Centre. The Evening Amenity was appreciated although I was not hungry. The afternoon Tea was a very attractive mini buffet from 3 pm to 5 pm. Another mini buffet for Cocktails from 6 pm to 8 pm. No pass arounds. The CM breakfast buffet is officially from 6 am to 10:30 am, with the a la carte menu available to 12 noon. My only criticism of this CM is that they did not finish setting up the breakfast buffet until 6:25 am. Not much was ready when I went there at 6 am. We have access to the buffet restaurant breakfast but I did not try it. The F&B in the CM was extremely good, in my opinion. The service was fine too. Very few guests while I was there. Enjoyed my Passion Fruit smoothy Welcome Drink at Le Bar. Beer and wine were also available for the Welcome drink.

Apparently the hotel was at only about 50% capacity however I did not get a Suite this time. I booked the lowest category room. My larger room looked the same as in @Goldorak's photos. A larger sized room with sofa, armchair, coffee table, nespresso machine and balcony on the top room floor (11th floor). Other hotels might call this a Junior Suite. Not a particularly good view. Faced the river but most of the river blocked by new tall apartment buildings. Aeon shopping mall right next to the hotel but I did not go there. Received an email with early check in offer at 11 am which was appreciated. I checked in before reading the comments here about this kind of room not really being an upgrade, especially at low occupancy. Maybe I should have politely asked about Suite availability but have never done so. Solo traveller so this room was fine but I do understand the comments about legitimate and non-legitimate upgrades.

Reaction: I paid full flexible rate and did not burn points or have access to any kind of sale. The two Phnom Penh Accor hotels are among the more expensive in SEA. Given the new criteria for Diamond status, even one night here will keep me moving in the right direction. Am going to try the Raffles here also. Although a very attractive hotel, this is not really my type of hotel (personal preference) and I probably will not return although I can easily understand why they have a lot of regular guests. I was impressed when I met three staff around the hotel who immediately addressed me by name as soon as I gave them my room number without them actually consulting a list. Lanvin toiletries. A good experience and stress free Stay.

Goldorak

Kobetraveller

Goldorak

Kobetraveller

It's a bit confusing.

I remember 100% that the new CM has lots of windows.

I am still 99% sure that the new CM is on the opposite side of the corridor from the Business Centre. (but my memory from even this morning is hazy !)

I am 99% sure that I did not see any cafe/chocolate shop in that corridor. There was only Le Bar in the Lobby.

There was a Gallery of artwork in the corridor. I'm pretty sure on the same side as the Business Centre.

I am 99% sure that one of the CM staff told me that they were making a cigar Lounge in another part of the hotel.

I looked at the main pool and two or three restaurants but did not go to the Spa or the other pool and gym across from the entrance.

jiunsoh

Kobetraveller

Hotel: Raffles Hotel Le Royal (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Status: Platinum (first Stay at this hotel, only one night to have a look)

Vip Treatment: 1. 10 am early check in emailed the day before; 2. upgrade to One Bedroom Suite (not Junior) with two small balconies with table and two chairs outside both living room and bedroom, very attractive pool view; 2. Welcome drink at check in and voucher for use in Elephant Bar for choice of house wine, house spirits, house cocktails, some beers, and non-alcoholic drinks from full menu (I chose a very refreshing fruit smoothie); 3. as I was checking in the very effective and gentlemanly Director of Front Office appeared to personally welcome me and escort me to the Suite while explaining things; 4. Welcome Amenity of fruit and two big water bottles waiting in room, as well as six normal plastic water bottles; 5. Surprisingly no Evening Amenity but no matter at all; 6. beautifully handwritten and signed Welcome Card under the name of the GM with his business card . . . this GM has exquisite handwriting unless he has someone else to do this;

7. The only negative surprise I discovered concerned the APAC Platinum breakfast benefit but this was resolved instantaneously without any need for a request from me. The simple matter was that I had no idea that the only two properties in Asia Pacific that do not offer this benefit are the two Cambodian Raffles. The young check in staff mentioned that my booking did not include breakfast then the aforementioned gentleman appeared and I mentioned this matter to him. To cut a slightly long story short I thought I was right, and he thought the benefit was not applicable at the Raffles brand. He kindly offered me the breakfast on the spot so that was the end of that issue, and a sign for me of Luxury brand service. However, I was curious and asked him to check for me as breakfast was provided to me last year at Raffles Siem Reap for three mornings without question, and in Jakarta. Anyway, he promised to make a call to check on the rules, and ten minutes later he kindly called my room to let me know about the exception for the two Cambodian Raffles properties. He also stressed, however, that their property had some power of discretion (evidenced by the more than one category upgrade to a One Bedroom Suite with pool view ) and was not bound by this rule, and that they thought that they would be fully integrated into Loyalty rules by the time ALL begins. It made me think that this property has not received so many Platinum guests since July last year. But that's just a guess. I have no idea.

Reaction: I paid cheapest room (but not cheap for Southeast Asia) full flexible rate and did not burn points or have access to any kind of sale. Algotherm toiletries. I've only stayed in three Raffles properties: Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Jakarta (Indonesia). Algotherm seems to be the Raffles brand standard but I may well be wrong about this due to limited experience. Sightseeing and interest in beautiful colonial era architecture aside, from a purely Loyalty Service perspective my favourite Raffles so far is Jakarta but absolutely nothing to complain about in Cambodia. The breakfast buffet in Phnom Penh was extremely good but not really any better than other Five Star, let alone Luxury Hotels. Only one fresh juice, for example, and the rest chilled bottled juices. Water jugs but no branded water bottles (Evian or whatever) as in some other Luxury Brand buffet breakfasts. No a la carte menu, buffet only. Trifling matters, not complaints. Siem Reap and Jakarta Raffles both provided Evening Amenities. Jakarta Raffles also provided daily Afternoon Tea and Dinner Buffet for Platinums when I was there last year. Don't know about now. Renovations to begin in Phnom Penh on 15 May, and to be conducted in stages with the full renovation completed by the end of 2020. Current one bedroom Suite has a kitchen with full sized fridge, microwave, sink, crockery but the kitchens will be removed from Suites with the renovation.

starflyergold

Wow, where does it say that? I thought the APAC breakfast was a test and already there are exceptions?

Kobetraveller

starflyergold

Ugh the usual Accor "consistency": We offer you X, Y and Z *(if you can find it) This does not apply to A, B and C"