Zannier Phum Baitang

Once upon a time, Siem Reap was a village. A village strategically positioned as the gateway to Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, mind you, but a village nonetheless, a far cry from the bustling resort destination it is today. So it makes sense that one new hotel, the 45-villa Phum Baitang, would aim to recreate the simple charm of village life, set just outside of town, slightly apart from Siem Reap’s many, many hotels, espresso bars, and fusion restaurants.

You didn’t come to Cambodia to eat Italian food and sleep in a chain hotel. You’re here for the temples, the markets, the Cambodian circus — and checking into a villa at Phum Baitang completes that immersive fantasy. The name means “green village,” and it’s an apt description. Thatched-roof wooden villas rise up on stilts amid landscaped gardens and paddy fields, and the large swimming pool, like a mirror, reflects the image of towering palms overhead — and travelers sipping tea or cocktails at the outdoor bar.

Behind the design is the French hotelier Arnaud Zannier and AW₂, the Parisian architecture firm; expect a traditional Cambodian colonial aesthetic, but with open-plan living and first-class materials from aged wood to smooth stone. Each villa has ample lounge space both indoors and outdoors. Terrace Villas have large decks, while Pool Villas feature private gardens with plunge pools. Across categories, amenities include king-sized beds, Nespresso machines, flat-screen TVs, state-of-the-art sound systems, oversized ceramic bathtubs and separate rain showers with products by Aesop.

The villas are new, but the old farmhouse at the heart of the green village is not. Smartly restored and repurposed as the hotel’s cocktail and cigar bar, it’s easily one of the most atmospheric venues at Phum Baitang, the rattan wing chairs and oriental carpets evocative of the glamorous turn-of-the-century era when French explorers settled here. Elsewhere on the grounds, you’ll find a spa, a yoga pavilion, and a pair of restaurants, one that recreates the look and feel of a local street market. Choosing your own lime or mint as the garnish for your dinner plate is a fun touch, even if the sophisticated set-up bears little resemblance to the often chaotic experience of shopping at a Cambodian market. This is a village, a five-star one: do yourself a favor and just play along.