From the outside, the Rosewood Phnom Penh appears almost improbentionally suspended between the sky and the sprawling, ever-modernising Cambodian capital. But it is inside among the curated art, hushed corridors, and a dining scene that rivals those of far larger metropolises where the hotel reveals the story of a country redefining its place in the region.
During a recent three-day stay, I found myself returning, again and again, to the walls. The artworks are an ambitious blend of contemporary Cambodian artists and international talents. They bring the hotel to life by animating it with sweeping abstract canvases, delicate line drawings, and bold sculptural pieces. All of them trace Cambodia’s creative pulse as confidently as they echo its past. In a country whose cultural identity once faced erasure, the Rosewood’s collection feels almost like a manifesto: Cambodia is both preserving its artistic heritage and propelling it forward.
The sense of careful curation extends beyond the visual. One afternoon, I surrendered two heavenly hours to the spa. The massage was a quiet unravelling of built up stress and tiredness, and was delivered with the kind of attentiveness that leaves no lingering thought unsoothed. In a city known for its frenetic charm; its motorbike-swarmed boulevards, its markets humming from dawn, the experience felt like stepping into another realm.
Dining at the hotel reinforced this sense of ascension. At Iza, the Japanese restaurant, the chefs move with monastic precision, turning even the simplest cuts of fish into small, poetic statements. Cuts of tuna melted with an almost ceremonial grace, and were sprinkled with truffle. At the Chinese restaurant, the flavours leaned bold, confident, and deeply rooted. It was an elevated interpretation of cuisine that’s long shaped Cambodian palates. And each morning, breakfast stretched into an indulgent ritual: impossibly crisp pastries, fragrant local fruits, and bowls of noodles that rivalled street-side stalwarts.
It is no small claim to call a property the country’s finest. Yet the Rosewood, perched atop Phnom Penh’s highest tower, makes its case with quiet authority. The team is almost entirely local and the service is intuitive without hovering, while the design is world-class without feeling imported. There is no mistaking that the atmosphere is intentionally international yet distinctly Cambodian.
After a hectic ten days exploring this beautiful country, my stay was like being swaddled in cotton wool. The level of luxury is definitely a statement about where Cambodia is headed. Once overlooked in conversations about high-end hospitality, the country is now crafting its own language of sophistication. This is seen more than ever at the Rosewood which seamlessly blends heritage with ambition, humility with grandeur. From my vantage point dozens of floors above the city, I watched Phnom Penh stretch outward: cranes rising, riverboats gliding, neighbourhoods shifting from low-slung to luminous. Below, the city was changing. Above, at the Rosewood, the future already felt fully formed.
If You Go: Cambodia Beyond the Hotel
Explore Phnom Penh’s Markets
The city’s sprawling central market is a sensory immersion. Think aisles of textiles, jewellery, household wares, and food stalls that spill into one another like an endless tapestry. It is crowded, chaotic and compelling, offering an unfiltered glimpse of daily Cambodian life. I came away with designer bags galore.
Tour the City the Local Way
One of the most memorable ways to see Phnom Penh is not by car, but walking or by tuk-tuk or pedal-powered cyclo. These bike-like vehicles weave through alleys and boulevards at a pace that allows the city’s charms to surface: colonial-era buildings with flaking pastel facades and spider web like electric wiring. There’s also monks robed in burnt orange collecting alms at dawn, children chasing kites along the riverfront, and an all round business that’s energising.
For those staying at the Rosewood, you can use the hotel’s designer tuk tuk which is what I did, enabling me to capture the city’s pulsing heart in a short time.
Don’t Just Stop at Siem Reap
Many travellers make a beeline to Angkor Wat and never venture further. That’s a mistake. Cambodia’s sophistication now stretches far beyond its famed temples.
Explore Nearby Luxury Retreats
Within a few hours’ journey from Phnom Penh lie some of the region’s most acclaimed escapes:
- Shinta Mani Wild, a Bill Bensley–designed jungle refuge that blends conservation with couture-level design.
- Six Senses Krabey Island, where private villas peek out from dense greenery into crystalline water.
- Song Saa Private Island, an eco-luxe sanctuary known for its sustainability as much as its serenity.
From urban energy to remote wilderness, Cambodia rewards those willing to look beyond familiar itineraries. And from the vantage point of the Rosewood Phnom Penh, the country’s evolving narrative feels both immediate and irresistible.
