The Hotel Cambodiana (, ) is a 239-room

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

on the banks of the

Tonlé Sap River Tonlé Sap () is a river in Cambodia that connects the Tonlé Sap lake with the Mekong river. The river is known for its unusual seasonal reversal, which plays a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, sustaining local livelihoods, enhancing agric ...

in the heart of

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...

Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...

, approximately 10 km from

Phnom Penh International Airport Phnom Penh International Airport , formerly Pochentong International Airport , is the busiest international airport in Cambodia and serves as the country's main international gateway. It is Cambodia's second largest airport by area after the ...

. Construction of the Cambodiana was initiated by Prince

Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a member of the House of Norodom, Cambodian royal house who led the country as Monarchy of Cambodia, King, List of heads of state of Cambodia, Chief of State and Prime Minister of Cambodi ...

in the early 1960s. He originally requested a 10-bungalow luxury resort/government guesthouse, but noted Cambodian architect Lu Ban Hap suggested a larger international luxury hotel would be more profitable. Lu designed the structure in the then-popular New Khmer style. Construction of the Cambodiana began in 1963, on stilts on reclaimed land. The hotel opened in 1969, with 100 rooms, but only operated for a year. In 1970,

Lon Nol Marshal Lon Nol (, also ; 13 November 1913 – 17 November 1985) was a Cambodian military officer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice (1966–67; 1969–71), as well as serving repeatedly as defence minister and provi ...

's troops overthrew Prince Sianhouk and converted the hotel to military barracks. The hotel was abandoned during the

Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...

period, later serving as refugee housing. In the late 1980s, a Singapore-based company purchased a 70-year lease from the Cambodian government. They restored and expanded the Cambodiana to 239 rooms, and reopened it in July 1990. The hotel was operated by the French

Sofitel Sofitel Hotels & Resorts is a French hotel chain of luxury hotels based in Paris, France, and owned by Accor since 1980. Founded in 1964 in France, Sofitel quickly developed worldwide to reach more than 200 properties. In 2008, Sofitel became a b ...

chain from 1992 to April 1, 2001 as the Sofitel Cambodiana. It was purchased by

The Royal Group The Royal Group is the premier investment and development company in Cambodia known for bringing diversified investment to the country and providing investors with the platform to run operations. The Royal Group has been at the heart of Cambodi ...

in 2005. In 2016, plans were announced to demolish the building and construct a 20-story replacement. In 2019 new plans were announced to replace the hotel with a 600-meter skyscraper. Also nearby is a construction site for twin skyscrapers named Thai Boon Roong Twin Towers World Trade Center.

References

Buildings and structures in Phnom Penh Hotels in Cambodia Hotels established in 1969 Hotels established in 1990 Hotel buildings completed in 1969 Hotel buildings completed in 1990 {{Cambodia-struct-stub