Amazing value, an even better welcome
We got such a great welcome at this place, it was a genuinely wonderful thing.
Star, Royal and Asia Hotels are all under the same ownership, though they each have different management. Star on Street 102 is the smallest of the three and to our minds the friendliest – they also consistently come in as number one on the cleanest hotel in town stakes. Rooms are spotless and corridors and stairs positively sparkle. As with many Chinese/Khmer-style hotels in Battambang the lobbies are imposing, with massive wooden furniture and tiles everywhere, though this is probably the only hotel where we’d eat straight off them.
As with its two sister hotels, Star suffers from a lack of an elevator, though there are always plenty of willing staff around to carry bags. If you can make it up to the fourth floor there’s chairs, a fridge and great views if you can find someone to serve you. Rooms vary considerably and go from huge to pokey and some don’t have windows, so be careful. Fan and air-con rates are for the same rooms, you’ll just either get an air-con remote or not. There’s room for negotiation depending upon how busy they are – in low season, a small room with no window and without turning on the air-con may go as low as $5. All showers are hot and ensuite and all rooms come with fridge, cable TV and breakfast. The minibar items are charged at normal retail rates, without a mark up which is decent of them too. Tours and travel assistance can be provided and they offer some particularly good in-house tuk tuk drivers.
This is a good deal and only a five-minute walk from the market and convenient for buses.
Address: Street 102, Battambang
T: (053) 953 522, (017) 545 455, (017) 545 471 ; F: (053) 737 778
Email: starhotelbb@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.starhotelbattambang.com
Coordinates (for GPS): 103º11'49.02" E, 13º6'20.52" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: US$10 to 35
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
Sgl air-con private bathroom | US$13 | US$15 |
Dbl air-con private bathroom | US$15 | US$20 |
Deluxe Suite | US$20 | US$25 |
Family room Sleeps three | US$25 | US$30 |
Reviewed by
Nicky Sullivan
Nicky Sullivan is an Irish freelance writer (and aspiring photographer). She has lived in England, Ireland, France, Spain and India, but decided that her tribe and heart are in Cambodia, where she has lived since 2007 despite repeated attempts to leave. She dreams of being as tough as Dervla Murphy, but fears there may be a long way to go. She can’t stand whisky for starters. She was a researcher, writer and coordinator for The Angkor Guidebook: Your Essential Companion to the Temples, now one of the best-selling guidebooks to the temples.
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