Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort

Step through the doors of the grand lobby at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra, and be transported from city vibes to tranquil tropical water garden peace. Surrounded by plants, ponds and breezy pergolas, a stay here guarantees a change of pace and the ultimate in relaxation. But don’t let the get-away-from-it-all resort atmosphere, whilst relaxing next to the huge freeform swimming pool, fool you into thinking that everything is laid back and chilled. The staff team are friendly, efficient and highly competent making the service truly excellent, combining to deliver a genuine five star staycation in the heart of Siem Reap.

With more than 250 rooms and suites to choose from, many with a balcony or terrace, and each featuring pool, lake or garden views, there are certainly plenty of options at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra. Our spacious Junior Suite on the ground floor featured a shaded terrace with garden views and a bathroom with seperate bath tub (this always makes us happy). There were decaf capsules available for the complimentary espresso machine which was another thumbs up from us, and there was plenty of bottled water. Sadly, the water was in single use plastic bottles, but it’s great to see Accor commit to removing all single use plastic from their hotels before the end of next year, this can’t come soon enough.

The Vegan Food

Our stay at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra was the perfect example of how communication with the F&B team can ensure that a hotel which at first glance, doesn’t look too vegan friendly can surprise you. We reached out prior to our arrival regarding our dietary requirements, and followed by a quick chat with one of the team after check in left us feeling confident that we would be very well catered for. Our stay was during COVID when limited menu options were available and The Citadel, the all day dining restaurant was closed. This left Mouhots Dream, the French fine dining restaurant overlooking the lake, as our option for both dinner and breakfast.

There was a small buffet offered at breakfast, but again due to COVID and reduced guest numbers, breakfast was primarily a la carte. The waiter, having previously spoken with the chef, explained the vegan options which we selected from. He then served freshly baked breads with olive oil instead of butter, which showed a good understanding of our diet. When coffee was offered with a choice of almond milk or home made soya, yet again we felt comfortable that we were in safe hands. In addition to the plain soya milk, they had also prepared pandan flavoured soya milk which was delicious. Our trio of vegan breakfast dishes which we shared at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra were all very good. A light and flavourful vegetable noodle soup, veggie fried rice with tofu and stir fried mixed vegetables with tofu. All perfectly cooked and together they offered us the perfect plant based start to our day.

If you choose Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra for a staycation or when you next visit Siem Reap, make sure to head to Mouhots Dream during your stay. There you cna enjoy a French fine dining experience that will bring you all the delights you’d expect from a restaurant whose culinary foundations are not to be scoffed at. Our menu started with a zucchini mousse, wrapped in yellow zucchini, with cubes of zucchini and carrot running through. Tuilles of buckwheat and toasted peanuts added layers of texture and flavour, swirls of tomato and drops of pesto finished off with rocket and micro greens. Next a polenta layer cake, with a Sicilian caponata and a smooth carrot purée, a roasted chilli bringing heat, caper berries for a salty pickled punch. Pumpkin soup is served throughout Cambodia and Chef’s take on it with an almond milk foam and croutons, was hypnotically smooth; traditional Cambodian happily meets fine dining here. Next up, perfectly cooked risotto rice heady with floral saffron, combined with sun dried tomatoes and confit tomatoes, dressed with fresh dill. Golden al dente grains contrasted the intense rich tomato, hints of pepper to finish. Dessert was a confirmation of just how perfect the combination of raspberry and chocolate really is.  A sweet, rich, chocolate crumb crafted with the excellent locally made Wat Chocolate served with the smoothest raspberry sorbet and fresh balsamic raspberries. Wholly delicious, veritably vegan, and yes, we were very impressed.

The Vegan Essentials

Upon arrival in our suite, we were greeted with a tropical fruit tree adorned with some of our favourite fruits, this was a lovely gesture and we enjoyed every last fruit morcel that was ‘growing’ on our tree. As part of the Sofitel MyBed experience there was a pillow menu meaning we could select a feather free option, we also indulged ourselves by requesting a bubble bath to be drawn upon request. The bathroom amenities were from L’Occitane who produce many products that are free from all animal derived ingredients except from honey in selected lines. However, they still test on animals and are therefore not cruelty free and cannot be considered as vegan but hopefully this will change in the future as more and more brands cease animal testing globally.

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Our short staycation at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra provided us with the escape from ‘normal life’ that we desired. From the moment we arrived, we felt relaxed and at ease, the biggest challenge came when we departed and needed to face reality again. Our five course vegan set meal at Mouhots Dream (available upon request at $30++ per person) was delightful and offered the chance to enjoy European fine dining paired with classic Khmer hospitality. Located less than 2km from the entrance to Angkor Archealogical Park, this 5 star resort is an excellent option for those of you planning a trip to Temple Town.

We were guests of Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort
Charles De Gaulle Avenue
Svay Dangkum
Siem Reap 17259

Telephone: +855 063 964 600
Email: H3123@Sofitel.com
Cost From: £110 / $150 – Jul 2021 (discounted rates during COVID)