A DANCE floor capable of holding more than 250 people is the main drawcard at the new and expanded version of Siem Reap’s popular Hip Hop Club, which is particularly popular with young, fashionable Khmers.

The move from Sok San Street to the Dream Flower Market occurred just over one year since Hip Hop first opened, and proprietor Lee Kongvong Lee, who also owns and operates the well-known Temple Club in Pub Street, told 7Days he hopes the new venue will attract more western customers.

He said: “Near the new location there are lot of western restaurants and bars, and we decided it would be a good move to get closer to the area. Almost all the tourists that come to Siem Reap visit the Pub Street and Old Market areas.

“We’ve only been open one year but we’ve had good results running the nightclub, which I think is due to its distinctive style that focuses on making the customer happy and filling them with warmth.”

Hip Hop’s new premises inside Dream Flower Market, which previously housed the notorious Martini Bar and before that was a command centre for Khmer Rouge generals, is significantly larger. Lee says the added space will give customers a more pleasant environment in which to unwind after work.

“The old venue is too small now. The amount of customers there was increasing every night and I had to find another location to avoid it becoming crowded and boring. The music and drinks at Hip Hop are still the same, but we will change the décor to make it more attractive inside.”

Despite the change in location, the services at Hip Hop will remain the same, too, Lee told 7Days, including a menu of Khmer and western foods and a wide range of wines and cocktails.  As well as dining and watching live sports on a big screen TV, customers can choose to dance to romantic songs and rap music played by a DJ until well after midnight.

“We have everything to ensure customers are refreshed and entertained. I hope strongly that Hip Hop will continue to grow. The new venue is within walking distance of Old Market and accessed by a very nice wooden bridge over the river, which allows customers to stroll over and enjoy the pleasant environment.”

As well as Hip Hop and Temple, Lee also operates a number of Khmer cuisine restaurants in the Old Market and Pub Street areas including the Cambodian Soup Restaurant, Khmer Family Restaurant, Traditional Khmer Restaurant, and the Golden Villa guesthouse chain.

The Hip Hop Club can now be found at 7 Makara Street, inside Dream Flower Market, directly across from Wat Damnak Bridge.