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Region: Phnom Penh And Surrounds> Province: Phnom Penh> Location: Phnom Penh
Dara Reang Sey Hotel
Minimalist rooms for minimal cost
#45E Street 118, corner of Street 13, Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh Province
Tel: (023) 428 181, (012) 841 634, (011) 607 735
Fax: (023) 427 469
Contact via email form
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Description
This hotel and restaurant expanded in February 2006 to include newly renovated rooms in a building across the street. All rooms have hot water bathrooms and Dara Reang Sey is just two blocks from the river, but that's where the good stuff stop. Rooms in the older building, on the south side of street 118, are small and worn. Request a room on the north side as they are the same price -- the south side rooms are not recommended. The doubles in the new building are worth the price, with tile floors, a fresh paint job, air-con and cable TV. The titular Miss Dara who runs the place gets high marks from Travelfish readers for her warmth and hospitality, but some of her staff can be surly.
Total rooms: 45
Dbl fan private b'room
8 USD (low season)
8 USD (high season)
Dbl A/C private b'room
16 USD (low season)
16 USD (high season)
Superior - Double
20 USD (low season)
20 USD (high season)
New building
Added to Travelfish on: 5th May, 2006
Last visited or updated on: 12th May, 2007
Guest feedback
Anywhere but here! - 
By teacherdavids ( total comments: 5 
) Stayed here 2/2008
Stayer there 3 nites. One upon arrival and two at end of trip. Nothing special. Asked for a room at the back and got one near the street even though I'd specified in my reservations. Hospitality? No different than most other places I've stayed. One night (a Saturday)had disco music coming from somewhere nearby. I asked the owner and they played dumb. Think there must be a weekend disco nearby. Bought bus tickets from their ''tourist office'' and think I was over charged as I bought tickets from another guest house for a much longer distance and paid the same price as I did for the shorter distance tickets from Dara Reang. Think there are much better options in Phnom Phen than this place. Giving it a 2 as I did sleep well there one night out of three.
Hit and Miss - 
By davio ( total comments: 8 ) Stayed here 12/2006
I stayed in two different rooms in the old building, and one in the new. The first room was windowless and felt like a tomb ($8). The second was much nicer, on the third floor with a common balcony, but there was an empty space where the TV was supposed to be, and when they brought the TV per my request, they forgot the remote, which is the only way to operate it (I didn't want the TV anyway, but I paid for it, so....) Then there was a discrepancy over whether I was supposed to have hot water or not. For $12 a night, I believe I should have, and eventually did - but not without a debate (NOT with Ms. Dara - she's wonderful). The room in the new building (across the street) is very nice - hot water, nice tile, and new paint (I'm getting a discount because Ms. Dara remembered me from my earlier stay in the old building). The definite highlight of Dara Reng is Ms. Dara herself. What a delightful person. So is her friend (sister?) They are very helpful with your onward planning. The man who works there is kind of a...well, he's not particularly helpful. They have a restaurant attached that gets very busy, but I did not eat there. Points taken off for the tomb-room and ''Mr. Attitude.''
Try elsewhere -
By baquinn ( total comments: 7 ) Stayed here 12/2006
Spent 4 nights in a $20 room in the south building.Wasn't told there was another building across the street...was then forced to move to a $15 room which had cold water only,and an empty wall bracket where the TV was,as well as a number of cockroaches.Overall this hotel is really not worth the money and has definitely seen better days-not sure what the north building is like.I'm sure Phnom Penh has better to offer.
Great choice. - 
By oceanic ( total comments: 2 ) Stayed here 5/2006
I really enjoyed my stay here, no complaints. The staff are very friendly and helpful whatever your needs, the rooms are clean and comfortable and the location is great. (It isn't directly on the main drag but it's a two minute walk.)
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