Phnom Penh

HCM is a much nicer city in my opinion but meeting ladies and then going to a hotel is tougher.

I found some very nice girls in the regional cities though.

Martinis is still good for viets I believe and obviously no hassles with hotels.

I think the Viet women are prettier.

Shamas O'Dognasty

I have heard, the government after thier effort in tiding up the river front, has now said no hostess bars allowed one block for the river front! Any truth in this?

That is what the owner of a hostess bar on St. 172 (not near the river) has been telling people, but I have talked to some bar owners who would be affected and they have not heard this, so who knows?

[QUOTE=Vmann]Go from Walkabout along Chiplay-Hotel to street63, turn left and after something like a 100 or 200 meters you will find a small sign that is leading to a gymn in a backyard on the left side.

I think also some of the 4- or 5-star-hotels have gymns[/QUOTE]
Thanks. Is this a proper gym or just some equipment outdoors?

Rumours of bars being banned from having hostesses within a block from the river probably true.

Times they are a changing in phnom penh.

depends on what the Cambo definition of a "block" is :)

"depends on what the Cambo definition of a "block" is "

Good point! For example on 136 street, would Iris Bar be included and Beaver Bar be exempt being on the other side of street 5? If a Hostess bar adds a menu and serves food, and all the lovly ladies are waitresses, is it classed as a hostess bar? Would bars like Candy, Rose and DV8 be exluded as they heve a menu and are Cambo run?

Just thought I would put in a word for the Asia Hotel (Hotel Asie) on Monivong Bvd as a good place to stay in PP.

Many mongers stay at the Flamingo Hotel ($25/35) which is a solid option (apparently with wifi near some of the clubs and bars.)

I've generally found them fully booked so tend to end up at the Asia. (Typically after a lengthy detour of other options prompted by commission seeking motodops at the bus station) Asia (nor Flamingo) don't pay commissions.

Asia is a convenient location near the central market. You can walk to the riverside in about 10 mins or take a motodop (2000-4000 r (0.5-1.0 $) depending on bargaining skills.

The basic rooms in the Asia which is a mid range hotel , a bit run down but nice beds and good friendly attitude are around $18-20. Larger rooms and ones with an in room wired internet connection go for around $30-40 inc unlimited internet usage. you typically have to bargain quite hard to get lower prices. The best rooms have wall to wall mirrors which can be very erotic if you enjoy watching yourself with a couple of cuties.

[QUOTE=GregLondon]Just thought I would put in a word for the Asia Hotel (Hotel Asie) on Monivong Bvd as a good place to stay in PP.

Many mongers stay at the Flamingo Hotel ($25/35) which is a solid option (apparently with wifi near some of the clubs and bars.)

I've generally found them fully booked so tend to end up at the Asia. (Typically after a lengthy detour of other options prompted by commission seeking motodops at the bus station) Asia (nor Flamingo) don't pay commissions.

Asia is a convenient location near the central market. You can walk to the riverside in about 10 mins or take a motodop (2000-4000 r (0.5-1.0 $) depending on bargaining skills.

The basic rooms in the Asia which is a mid range hotel , a bit run down but nice beds and good friendly attitude are around $18-20. Larger rooms and ones with an in room wired internet connection go for around $30-40 inc unlimited internet usage. you typically have to bargain quite hard to get lower prices. The best rooms have wall to wall mirrors which can be very erotic if you enjoy watching yourself with a couple of cuties.[/QUOTE]Greg,

I stay at Asia hotel about 6 yr ago on my first trip to PP ,it was run down then and need remodeling ,they have a prono cable tv channel that is nice but the last 2 trip stay at the New york and Sakura hotel much nicer ,only $32 usd a night with free pick up at the airport.

Fast eddie 48

Anyone can offer any info about the massage place for the above?

Have heard before from the locals that the massage place in both these hotels are of upper class and pricy too. Greatful to hear some tips or gals' #. cheers

Folks, I'll be back in PP 27th of Feb - heading for the action at Cycree's, Martini and Walkabout plus maybe Sharky's, Happy Man and Bunny Bar.
ARe all of these still open or is there anything new to recommend ?
Appreciate the usual help round'here...

aside from the fact that Naga is also the casino in PP??

Flamingo has wifi on all their floors. It can be a bit loud in the morning when the temple has the loudspeakers going full blast, otherwise was OK. the safe in the room is nice to have at $25 a bit more than others but OK otherwise

never been to happy or bunny - others still in operation as of december

I just got back yesterday after 3 weeks away broken up between Thailand and 9 days in PP Cambodia. I had a great trip even though prices are rising rapidly compared to a few years back but Cambodia is still cheap.

My whole trip went great and there is not much more I can add regarding mongering tips in PP that has not already been written here already. The only thing I can think of is, that the day time price for freelancers at bars like Walkabout is $15 average but you can get $10 short time. I did several times. They will ask for $20 to $30 to start with. The nighttime prices seems to be around $15 to $30 asking price for short time but $20 is average and depends on your negotiating skills.

I do though have an unpleasant story from the Flamingo Hotel where I stayed. Firstly they advertise free airport pick up and I asked about drop off and they said on the phone it is free, WRONG! Pick up is free but drop off is USD$7. That was just the small issue the big one was that I made my reservation for the standard $25 per day room. I emailed them several times asking to confirm $25 per night as I usually do. They ignored my request. I emailed again and they confirmed they were holding a room for me but again did not confirm the $25 quoted on their web site. When I arrived I verbally confirmed $25 with the afternoon manager called Bono. He agreed and showed me to my room but nothing in writing.

All went well and the service was great for a 3rd world cheap Asian mongering hotel until it was check out time. I ask for the bill and they are trying to charge me $35 per day for a superior room. What? The room I was in was very basic, nothing superior about it at all and looked like any standard room in any other cheap hotel. I showed them my emails stating I wanted a $25 room and they produced an email showing that I had requested a superior room! Conflicting emails. What the? I asked them to show me my first reservation request email sent to them from their web site and mysteriously, it has been deleted. I wrote "$25 room only" in the comment box during my reservation requests, that’s why it got deleted haha. What they did was changed my request from a standard room to a superior room (which is in the fine print of there email and not easy to see) and then replied as if I had asked for a superior room. Dirty trick! Anyway, fortunately I kept all my emails but still they would not let up. I had 4 of the staff arguing this point with me at the same time. Many guys would have got intimidated and just paid but not me. I have a thing about dishonesty. Talk about intimidation! I stood my ground and the whole thing lasted over one hour. I insisted that the afternoon manager be called in (it was still morning). They called him on the phone and I went through every email and every conversation I had with him, as he was my contact there and I spoke to him mainly and he replied to my emails, he could not deny it. After more argument, he got on the phone to the morning manager and said, "It's O.K." and they charged me the right price. I was really pissed off by this trick and they knew it. I couldn't look any of them in the face for the rest of the day and I was leaving in a few hours. I then didn’t trust them even with my bags so as I was packed and checking out, I took my bags to Walkabout Hotel and left them with the manager behind the bar. Earlier, I was friendly with all of the Flamingo staff and tipping them daily etc but from that point they got nothing from me. They then charged me for laundry I had already paid cash for which I took on the chin and shut up as it was only a $2.70 but before leaving I confronted the guy I had earlier paid this to and said, “ I was going to give you all a $10 tip but now you get nothing" and walked off. At this point they realized that they were messing with the wrong guy and I would not be intimidated by them.

As you can see, it left a bad taste in my mouth. As I was leaving, the staff were trying the same thing on an American guy who was complaining as I left.

Conclusion: Get the room price in writing from the Flamingo if not, don’t stay there. The rooms are no better than the $12 Walkabout hotel room but the hotel itself is much nicer and you get breakfast.

FYI, it costs $20 for a tourist visa to get into the country at the airport and $25 for an exit visa to leave. Sounds like the Flamingo is not the only con here hahah.

Good luck and stay sharp.

Cheers

This is nothing new. Most of the Cambodians are pretty well known for ripping off tourist. They would do whatever they could to make a dollar of two from foreigners. I guess poverty has a lot to do with it.

[QUOTE=Blastoff]I just got back yesterday after 3 weeks away broken up between Thailand and 9 days in PP Cambodia. I had a great trip even though prices are rising rapidly compared to a few years back but Cambodia is still cheap.

My whole trip went great and there is not much more I can add regarding mongering tips in PP that has not already been written here already. The only thing I can think of is, that the day time price for freelancers at bars like Walkabout is $15 average but you can get $10 short time. I did several times. They will ask for $20 to $30 to start with. The nighttime prices seems to be around $15 to $30 asking price for short time but $20 is average and depends on your negotiating skills.

I do though have an unpleasant story from the Flamingo Hotel where I stayed. Firstly they advertise free airport pick up and I asked about drop off and they said on the phone it is free, WRONG! Pick up is free but drop off is USD$7. That was just the small issue the big one was that I made my reservation for the standard $25 per day room. I emailed them several times asking to confirm $25 per night as I usually do. They ignored my request. I emailed again and they confirmed they were holding a room for me but again did not confirm the $25 quoted on their web site. When I arrived I verbally confirmed $25 with the afternoon manager called Bono. He agreed and showed me to my room but nothing in writing.

All went well and the service was great for a 3rd world cheap Asian mongering hotel until it was check out time. I ask for the bill and they are trying to charge me $35 per day for a superior room. What? The room I was in was very basic, nothing superior about it at all and looked like any standard room in any other cheap hotel. I showed them my emails stating I wanted a $25 room and they produced an email showing that I had requested a superior room! Conflicting emails. What the? I asked them to show me my first reservation request email sent to them from their web site and mysteriously, it has been deleted. I wrote "$25 room only" in the comment box during my reservation requests, that’s why it got deleted haha. What they did was changed my request from a standard room to a superior room (which is in the fine print of there email and not easy to see) and then replied as if I had asked for a superior room. Dirty trick! Anyway, fortunately I kept all my emails but still they would not let up. I had 4 of the staff arguing this point with me at the same time. Many guys would have got intimidated and just paid but not me. I have a thing about dishonesty. Talk about intimidation! I stood my ground and the whole thing lasted over one hour. I insisted that the afternoon manager be called in (it was still morning). They called him on the phone and I went through every email and every conversation I had with him, as he was my contact there and I spoke to him mainly and he replied to my emails, he could not deny it. After more argument, he got on the phone to the morning manager and said, "It's O.K." and they charged me the right price. I was really pissed off by this trick and they knew it. I couldn't look any of them in the face for the rest of the day and I was leaving in a few hours. I then didn’t trust them even with my bags so as I was packed and checking out, I took my bags to Walkabout Hotel and left them with the manager behind the bar. Earlier, I was friendly with all of the Flamingo staff and tipping them daily etc but from that point they got nothing from me. They then charged me for laundry I had already paid cash for which I took on the chin and shut up as it was only a $2.70 but before leaving I confronted the guy I had earlier paid this to and said, “ I was going to give you all a $10 tip but now you get nothing" and walked off. At this point they realized that they were messing with the wrong guy and I would not be intimidated by them.

As you can see, it left a bad taste in my mouth. As I was leaving, the staff were trying the same thing on an American guy who was complaining as I left.

Conclusion: Get the room price in writing from the Flamingo if not, don’t stay there. The rooms are no better than the $12 Walkabout hotel room but the hotel itself is much nicer and you get breakfast.

FYI, it costs $20 for a tourist visa to get into the country at the airport and $25 for an exit visa to leave. Sounds like the Flamingo is not the only con here hahah.

Good luck and stay sharp.

Cheers[/QUOTE]