Cambodia additions forum

I am an expat living in PPenh for the last year and recently went to visit Siem Reap, and I would like to share my experience there.
I will name the hotel I stayed at which was "The River Garden" a suggested pick from Lonely Planet. The experienced was marred by the Australian owner who insisted on telling us that it was illegal to have more than 2 people in a tuk-tuk and that it was illegal to ride motorbikes around. She continued to insist that she did not make any money from her tuk-tuk drivers and that they were trustworthy in comparison with the "other drivers" we might find out on the street. As I was with my parents, they just accepted her spin without any question and so I didn't want to upset them.

However this manipulation and deceit really marred the experience there. I feel that she is deceptive and that Lonely Planet should not place her hotel as an "Our Pick" recommendation. To set it stragiht, I have a motorbike and ride it everyday to work, while I have ridden in a tuk-tuk with more 4 foreigners in it.

In addition her fear tactic worked on my parents but the sad thing is that it perpetuates a negative stereotype of tuk-tuk drivers and Cambodians, as if they are not to be trusted and are out to swindle you.

Shame on the River Garden.