Our Story
We opened in Siem Reap in 2006. At the time, there were almost no hotels, but it was beautiful, undiscovered, – a blank slate.
Our tiny nine-room hotel was down a sandy road next to a pond where a thousand frogs sang every night. Buffalos roamed around, we routinely found snakes, and it felt remote.
Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
We were the first gay-friendly boutique hotel in the city and we wanted it to be a safe place for staff to work, whether they were LGTBQ or anything else; we were open to all. Our only criteria when hiring was openness and friendliness.
Building Futures Through Opportunity
Back then, Siem Reap was one of the poorest regions in the country and people were eager to work. Many had farming backgrounds, they had worked in their family’s rice fields, but never anywhere else.
This was the first generation after the war; they were all around 19 or 20, they hadn’t received any formal education or had access to real infrastructure. Hotel work was completely new and we trained everyone in-house extensively. Our staff were fantastic, they wanted to learn and make their lives better.
From Humble Beginnings to Lasting Legacy
From day one, our hotel thrived through word-of-mouth, bridging the gap between luxury and budget stays. Designed like a Khmer village with modern comforts, we quickly became a unique presence in the city. Three years later, we added a 16-room resort, followed by our expansion into Phnom Penh in 2013 with a 19-room resort. In 2016, we opened the Urban Residences. Our vision remains the same, and many of our early staff are still with us, helping grow the business while maintaining our core values. We continue to evolve, always staying true to our roots.
