Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Cambodia / Siem Reap / Amansara
Amansara
Siem Reap, Cambodia · Aman · Apex Luxury
Built in 1962 by French architect Laurent Mondet as King Norodom Sihanouk's private guesthouse, Villa Princière hosted Charles de Gaulle, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Yuri Gagarin before Cambodia's decades of upheaval reduced it to an abandoned shell. Aman acquired the compound in 2002, restored every detail from historic photographs, and opened Amansara in December 2002: 24 suites still served by Sihanouk's original 1960s Mercedes limousines.
- 24 rooms
- Opened 2002
- Neighborhood: Old French Quarter
- Rooms from 811 sq ft (75 m²)
- Architect: Laurent Mondet
About Amansara
- Jackie Kennedy visited in November 1967 and was served a cocktail called the Femme Fatale at the hotel bar while listening to King Sihanouk play jazz piano, a different version of the same cocktail was later immortalised at Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh.
- Yuri Gagarin was a guest in 1962, the same year the villa was completed, making it one of the few hotels in Asia to have hosted both the first man in space and a U.S. First Lady.
- Aman preserved the Jacqueline Kennedy Suite, the actual room she stayed in, as a bookable category; guests also ride in the property's two early-1960s Mercedes-Benz limousines, former Sihanouk property.
- The resort's name, Amansara, combines 'aman' (peace) with 'sara', a reference to the apsara heavenly nymphs carved on Angkor's temple walls and the emblem of Khmer classical dance.
- Amansara holds both Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star and Michelin Three Keys accreditation for 2025 to 2026, making it one of Cambodia's most decorated hotels by major independent rating bodies.
History
Built in 1962 as Villa Princière by French architect Laurent Mondet for King Norodom Sihanouk to accommodate royal guests. Acquired by Aman Resorts in 2002 and meticulously restored using old photographs, opening in December 2002. In 2006, 12 new pool suites, lap pool, and spa were added, preserving its New Khmer architecture and cultural significance near Angkor.
The setting
Amansara occupies a private walled compound in Siem Reap's Old French Quarter, walking distance from the Cambodian royal family's residence. Originally built in 1962 by French architect Laurent Mondet as Villa Princière — King Norodom Sihanouk's guest house, which welcomed dignitaries from Charles de Gaulle to Jacqueline Kennedy — the property is a landmark of New Khmer modernism. The Angkor National Museum is three minutes on foot, and the shaded Royal Gardens front the property's boulevard, cementing the area as Siem Reap's ceremonial cultural axis. The UNESCO-listed temples of Angkor are ten minutes by tuk-tuk.
Restaurants and bars
- The Dining Room — Restaurant
- Roof Terrace — Restaurant
- Khmer Village House — Restaurant
Experiences
- Khmer Village House dining and cooking classes — Rustic private wooden house on stilts in Angkor Archaeological Park overlooking Srah Srang; breakfasts, candlelit dinners and cooking classes.
- Temple tours by remork — Early-morning and late-afternoon tours of the Angkor temples by remork, with a private driver and multi-lingual guide.
- Day excursions to Beng Mealea and Koh Ker — Both lie within a 90-minute drive and can each be visited on a full-day excursion.
- Helicopter flights to remote sites — Can be arranged to visit remoter sites such as Preah Vihear and Banteay Chhmar.
- Boat trips on Tonlé Sap — Cruises aboard Amanbala wooden motorboats to the floating and stilted villages of Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake.
- Jeep rally in the countryside — Jeep rally through the countryside around Siem Reap.
Amenities
- Spa
- 17m central pool
- 25m lap pool
- gym
- movement studio (yoga, Apsara dance)
- library
- boutique
- vintage Mercedes/Jeeps/remorks
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2025)
- Condé Nast Traveler Gold List (2023)
- Michelin Guide recommended
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