Shinta Mani Angkor

The Korya restaurant has the look of an abstract painting with edgy black-and-white decor (including cushioned platforms suspended from the ceiling) and serves gourmet Khmer dishes - try the sun fried fish! There's American-style fare at The Steakhouse and the Bensley Bar (of course) has a fresh style with slouchy chairs to enjoy a cocktail over stories of the day. The spa is a tonic for any aches, offering traditional healing rituals and a monk's blessing to send you off.

Down corridors lined with eye-catching sculptures and portraits, the rooms have a cool and collected feel. Decorated in neutral shades, each has a handsome king-sized bed with murals of the Angkor ruins mounted on the ceiling and pitch-coloured furnishings in the sitting area. The bathrooms are modern with white brick showers and Terrazzo floors. Each room has a balcony or patio, while the villa has a spacious deck with a private lap pool, dining area and alfresco stone bathtub.

Siem Reap may sound like an ancient city but it happens to be filled with top-class eateries, royal landmarks and markets galore so be sure to spend a few hours exploring before the temples of Angkor Wat call. And when they do, leave at dawn to see the sun rise or stay out all day, finding hidden shrines in the jungle and tracing the longest stretch of bas-relief carvings in the world. The floating world of Tonle Sap Lake can be seen from a traditional fishing boat and the wonders of Khmer cooking are shared over steaming pots in the hotel kitchen.