Shinta Mani Angkor

Given the abundance of hotels in Siem Reap, it’s hard to imagine that when the Shinta Mani opened in 2003 there were few—if any—comparable boutique properties in town. It set the bar for those seeking a smaller-scale, personable, and indulgent experience, from the traditional Khmer decor to the cuisine. And like any great hotel, there comes a time for a change. Enter Bill Bensley, the Harvard-educated, Bangkok-based architect and landscape designer behind many of the world’s most arresting properties, who led a two-year total renovation of the place completed in 2012.

Using cues from Angkor—columned passages, Buddhist shrines, maps and photos of the temples—Bensley dramatically transformed the Shinta Mani into a contemporary haven with a touch of whimsy, now called Shinta Mani Angkor (the larger Shinta Mani Shack resort is across the road). Interiors use a stark palette—white subway-tiled floors and walls; heavy black armoires; charcoal-gray terrazzo partitions; stainless-steel light fixtures—offset by tangerine accents, in a nod to the orange-clad Buddhist monks who meander the temples’ time-worn sandstone structures. From the sugar palm tree–fringed, black granite lap pool to the dangling daybeds where you’ll enjoy the decadent breakfast buffet, the Shinta Mani offers just the right mix of drama and comfort.