A Captivating Stay at Jaya House River Park
Many years ago, a friend of mine mentioned how certain cities, like Verona, had a way of capturing her. I hadn’t given it much thought before, but now I realize that places like Buenos Aires, Spokane, London, and St. Peter Port have captured me in the same way. Interestingly, certain hotels have the same power over me. Jaya House River Park is one such place. Even though it’s been nearly two months since our visit, we find ourselves thinking and talking about it nearly every day.
Our wonderful experience began several months before our stay, thanks to the kind and detailed emails from Udong. He shared information about tours, recommended schedules that I adjusted slightly, and even pre-arranged our four massages. Despite the 12-hour time difference, it was fun waking up each morning to one of his thoughtful emails. During our stay, I asked the amazing Anna at the front desk if I could meet Udong, and she responded with a smile, "Oh, you mean Harry." He soon walked in from the office, sporting Harry Potter-style glasses and speaking in a delightful British accent. I could only dream of speaking and writing as eloquently as he does. Our conversation meandered through topics like Harry Potter, Adele, and other music artists.
When it came to dining, Christian recommended several restaurants for our tours and evenings out, but none could compete with the quality, ambiance, and affordability of Jaya House River Park’s offerings. I loved the fish in banana leaf so much, I had it three times. Another standout dish was the beef with red tree ants. And the freshly squeezed orange juice? It’s unmatched—pure perfection. From now on, I’ll be measuring all hotels’ orange juice against the 10+/10 standard set by Jaya House River Park.
What truly makes this hotel special, however, is its team. I’ve never stayed anywhere else where the owner (Christian), manager (Chris), director of food and beverage (Ra), and director of rooms/front of house (Finn) invested so much time in personally engaging with guests. Even the tuk-tuk drivers who accompanied us, Mr. Sat and Mr. Sam, were safe, courteous, and made our journeys wonderfully smooth. Others, like the flower ladies, massage therapists, and team members such as Chey, Kahda, Mr. Krem, Nak, Anna, and Harry, all contributed to making our stay unforgettable.
We also had the pleasure of exploring the local sights with Choub, our fantastic tour guide, who was knowledgeable and fun. He led us on a two-day tour to the temples, a floating village, and the landmine museum. Even the distinguished SUV driver who took us to the floating village made the trip memorable with engaging conversation.
While many reviews have already lauded the stunning grounds, beautiful pools, and spacious rooms, I must add that we truly enjoyed the indoor and outdoor showers in our junior suite. As for laundry service, I was blown away. I had expected our clothes to be returned in a few days, but they would mysteriously disappear from the basket and reappear—clean, folded, or hung—in less than three hours!
Before our stay, I read reviews ranging from 3-star to 5-star ratings. I worried that the hotel might feel too flawless, and I wasn’t looking for perfection. To my relief, there was a tiny issue: the dining room's background music. It played the same tracks repeatedly (Nora Jones, Aretha Franklin, Jobim, and Gilberto). While I adore Aretha and Jobim, hearing the same songs at every meal became monotonous. Interestingly, they played Khmer music on our final evening, after I’d mentioned it to our wonderful server, Srey. Apparently, there are multiple music channels to choose from, so my suggestion would be to vary the selection more frequently.
Additionally, a small bottle of wine in the minibar could be a nice touch. Something simple and affordable would add to the already impeccable experience.
On our last day, we were deeply touched when Finn, Anna, and a few other incredible team members waved goodbye as we headed to our next destination. Jaya House River Park has left an indelible impression on us. If you visit, be prepared—it will capture you, too.