Hotel is rubbish!

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Had a reasonably pleasant 6 hour bus journey here with the same bus company that pissed me about getting to Ratanakiri. Apparently, they are usually the best in Cambodia - punctual, clean, toilet on board, stops every 2-3 hours, decent air con and their drivers dont stop everywhere and anywhere to pick up friends or to make extra money from spare seats!
The hotel The River Garden will get a special mention (slagging) on TripAdviser hotel reviews and a stiff letter to Loneley Planet who recommend them as the mid price óur pick'in their 2008 edition. The staff are very nice but the rest of the experience is pretty awful and I suspect the white Ausssie guy who sits in the office at the back of reception is the ówner'and is more interested in his own pecuniary interests rather than making sure his customers get value for money and a good service. I have been 'moved'to a different room every night to suit their other bookings, the food is good but the portions would be small even for a Cambodian, the decor of the rooms is the last word in kitsch and room 2 doesn't even have a TV - the cheapest $8 a night guesthouse I've stayed in here had a working TV in the room! They then move me to another hotel down the road on my 3rd night after having taken money up front for 3 at the River Garden!
In short the place is a joke at $55 a night and I would advise anyone to steer clear. Strangely they have a sister hotel the Riverside Hotel on the same street 5 mins away, where I am now, that WOULD be worth $55 a night if they sorted the pool out and reopened the restaurant and bar - at present they ask people to go up to the River Garden 5 minutes away for meals and to use the pool! There's something funny going on here but I haven't quite worked it out.

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Comments

[granville]

hello
Following you. Keep going ! G

[davanna]

c u soon mate
we'll avoid that at al costs! its 31st now so no doubt youre en route Bkk. We fly in on 6 jan so will drop u a mail and arrange a meet