AGENTS looking for new properties in Asia to satisfy finicky clients would do well to consider FCC’s Cambodia properties, in Angkor and Phnom Penh.
“FCC’s hotels are set in colonial buildings in river front locations, they are unique in style, ambience and atmosphere and they have a personal touch that other hotels don’t have,” says the FCC’s group operations and sales manager, Michelle Duncan.
Overlooking the Siem Reap River, the 29-room FCC Angkor hotel and restaurant sits at the heart of Siem Reap Town, a short bicycle ride away from Cambodia's most alluring attraction, Angkor Wat. Renovated from the old French Governor's mansion, French art deco embraces modern chic hotel to create an atmosphere of refined luxury and casual elegance.
The interiors reflect the cutting-edge, minimalist style for which architect and designer, Gfab, is recognised. Generously proportioned and abundant in natural light, the rooms draw carefully upon a restful colour palette of refined neutral tones which, accented by the textures of authentic traditional Cambodian fabrics and bespoke furnishings, creates a seemingly effortless yet discernable sophistication.
Alongside the hotel is the full-service Visaya Spa, which uses only natural ingredients including fresh herbs and aromatic flowers grown on the hotel grounds. In addition to housing the FCC Angkor’s restaurant and bar, the building boasts a variety of select retail outlets on the ground floor offering fine art and local crafts.
Since opening its doors in 1993, the FCC Phnom Penh has served a storied cast of journalist and photographers, diplomats, movie stars and intrepid world travellers. Again, the hotel is renovated from a French colonial-era villa. It offers spacious, comfortable rooms overlooking the Mekong River to the east and the National Museum to the west. Each room is meticulously outfitted with high-speed internet access and the latest conveniences. The bar and restaurant are just upstairs, and the intriguing cityscapes that define Cambodia are just outside the door.
The FCC is currently in the process of building a third hotel, which Duncan says will be the first boutique-style hotel in Phnom Penh.
The majority of the guests at the two properties come from the UK, but she says the Middle East is certainly among their emerging source markets. “We are always looking for new markets to promote ourselves to,” she says.