A beautiful building has been given a new lease of life. The Apsara Centrepole hotel has moved in on Soksan Road, renovating a stunning building and giving a touch of class to a street usually associated with backpackers of the slightly crusty variety.

The 19-room hotel was set up by Cambodian owner, Mr Rachnary, who oversaw the redesign himself. The exterior of the building has quite an art deco, 1960s feel, with a pretty garden and dining tables out front, while inside, the common areas are classic and airy.

Simple rooms range from the Apsara Studio to the Terrace Suite, with a variety of options in between. Hotel manager Piseileak  Sun says that while the hotel has been quite busy since opening just one month ago, they have decided to continue running special prices. “The prices vary, our set price for the low season is from $56 up to $$83 but now, it’s very low season and we’ve just opened, so we’ve lowered them even more from $32 up to $42.”

Despite the knockdown prices, the hotel doesn’t scrimp on amenities, with a full bar, a restaurant serving a variety of Khmer and western grub.

A sometimes shady salt-water pool out back is surrounded by comfy lounge chairs and sumptuous day beds. Meanwhile the rooms themselves are kitted out with fridges, TVs, air-com and wi-fi.

While its website fails to do the Apsara Centrepole any favours,  elsewhere on the internet, the hotel shines. Its Facebook page is stocked with snaps of the rooms, the redevelopment and the eats available, while on Trip Advisor, initial reviews are glowing.

In the flesh, visitors will be drawn in by the gorgeous building, the killer location, and that unmistakable Siem Reap hospitality. A new highlight for those who want to visit Siem Reap for a cheap night – without having those bed bugs bite.