Rosewood Phnom Penh

A 39-story skyscraper hotel might not be what you expect from a luxury hotel in the Cambodian capital, but the Rosewood Phnom Penh is nothing if not surprising. This isn’t just a pied-à-terre from which to explore the city, but a part of its urban life; its variety of high-end restaurants make it a fixture on the capital’s social scene, as does Sora, the spectacular rooftop bar.

The rooms and suites are modern and luxurious, clean-lined and contemporary but with plenty of tastefully applied local character, and the elevated views over this low-rise city are like nothing else in town. Even the entry-level rooms span some 50 square meters, while the signature suites are proper residences, complete with dining rooms and kitchens.

Sense, the spa, draws its inspiration from traditional Khmer practices and ingredients; it’s accompanied by a full-featured fitness center and a 22-meter lap pool on the 33rd floor. As for restaurants and bars, the Rosewood’s guests are spoiled for choice: from French comfort food at Brasserie Louis to Chinese cooking at Zhan Liang and Sora, the open-air cocktails-and-tapas venue on its vertiginous cantilevered terrace.