Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh
History
Inaugural opening November 1929
Reopened November 1997
Architecture & Civic Plan
The hotel was to be situated in the fashionable European quarter, the triangular parcel of land bordered by a canal on three sides and the Tonle Sap River on the fourth, with Wat Phnom the focus of the area. Today the canal is no longer evident as it was filled in by the late 1920s. It was in this quarter that military barracks, hospitals, schools, banks and residences of the foreign community were located.
The tree-lined, grassed avenue immediately in front of the hotel, with the vista of Wat Phnom rising majestically on the skyline at the opposite end to the hotel is the enduring legacy of the hotel's architect and town planner, Ernest Hébrard. This streetscape is arguably one of the most beautiful in Phnom Penh.
1929: A royal opening
The official opening, attended by His Majesty Sisiwath Monivong (reigned 1927-1941) and a host of expatriate guests took place on the evening of 20 November 1929. The opening party included a lavish buffet, dancing, and performances by an orchestra brought especially from Saigon for the occasion. The Director of the hotel between 1929 and 1931 was M.L.F. de la Pousardière. On 22 December 1931, L'Echo du Cambodge announced the departure of M La Pousardière and a new direction for Le Royal under the supervision of M. Jean Baluteig.
The hotel itself has had several name changes. From its inception in 1929 it was named 'Le Royal', and during 1970 to 1975 (the Lon Nol period), it was known simply as 'Le Phnom'. In 1979, the hotel reopened after the Pol Pot régime as 'Hotel Samakki' (Solidarity Hotel). This name was used until Norodom Sihanouk was reinstalled as king in 1993 when the hotel reverted to 'Hotel Le Royal' once again.
1930s to 1960s: The heyday of a great hotel
Le Royal was literally at the crossroads of Southeast Asia and French Indochina, and Phnom Penh was considered the obvious starting point for excursions to Angkor.
During this period, tourists were able to travel to Phnom Penh by ship from Singapore via Bangkok followed by a car journey, or alternatively, could travel overland from Bangkok by rail or car. There was also a bus service from Saigon, or for wealthier tourists, the option of hiring a chauffeur-driven car.
The matinee idol Charlie Chaplin, accompanied by his co-star of 'Modern Times' Ms. Paulette Goddard, visited Phnom Penh in April 1936 on their way to Angkor. They stayed at the Le Royal with an entourage that included Paulette's mother, Mrs. Goddard, and a Japanese valet and secretary.
The story of Svay Ken — a long serving former employee
Svay Ken (born 1933), now a successful self-taught artist, was an employee at Le Royal for almost forty years from 1955 to 1995, excluding the Khmer Rouge interval (1975-1979). He spoke to the author about his working life at the hotel.
Svay Ken entered service as a lowly coolie, rose through the ranks of 'boy', and after training and selection, to room service on the second floor. In 1995 when he retired due to closure of the hotel for renovation.
1970s to 1980s: A turbulent time
Buoyed by the Sihanoukist years, the early 1970s saw a boom in tourism that ended abruptly with the Lon Nol period (1970-75) and subsequent Pol Pot régime that came to power in April 1975 and ended in January 1979 after a three-year, eight-month and twenty-day period of mass evacuations and genocide. During this time Phnom Penh was forcibly emptied of its inhabitants and remained virtually unoccupied.
Svay Ken returned to the hotel in October 1979 and immediately recommenced work. When asked about the state of the hotel following the forced evacuation of Phnom Penh (1975-1979), he replied philosophically, "Some of the furniture had gone, most remained... the hotel looked much the same... there was cleaning to be done after the intervening years."
During 1980, the hotel was known as the Samakki and was taken over by international aid agencies. In much the same manner UNTAC personnel, during the United Nation's presence in Cambodia, occupied it in the early 1990s.
1990s to the present day: A new lease of life
Ken began his 'new life' as a self-taught painter in 1994, when whilst occupying a bungalow at the rear of the hotel someone bought one of his painting for ten dollars.
The hotel regained a new lease of life when renovations began in May 1996 under the supervision of Raffles International Limited. All bungalows surrounding the hotel were demolished and replaced by three new, more substantial wings. The main building was left intact and completely refurbished. The capacity and functions of the hotel were greatly increased and improved — a necessity for a premier hotel. Considerable care was taken to trace and identify as many of the original fittings and furnishings as possible, however, little remained. The hotel commissioned local traditional Khmer artist studio to create painted ceilings, decorative beaten copper crests and outdoor sculptures.
The hotel reopened after extensive renovations on 24 November 1997 as 'Raffles Hotel Le Royal', and is today going from strength to strength as Phnom Penh's most prestigious hotel property.
Accolades and Awards
RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL, PHNOM PENH, KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
- "TOP 50 HOTELS IN ASIA, WORLD'S BEST AWARDS", Travel + Leisure, 2006 - 2008
- "TOP 100 ASIA HOTELS", Condé Nast Traveler, Readers' Choice Awards, 2007 - 2008
- "100 BEST OF THE BEST", Condé Nast Traveler, Readers' Choice Awards, 2007
- "WORLD'S BEST PLACES TO STAY", Condé Nast Traveler Gold List, 2004 - 2007
- "CAMBODIA'S LEADING SUITE", World Travel Awards, 2007
- "THE GREATEST 500 HOTELS IN THE WORLD", Travel + Leisure, 2005
- "AWARD OF EXCELLENCE", Wine Spectator Award, Restaurant Le Royal, 2007 - 2008