The essentials in 30 seconds
- Verdict: Choose Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor for historic atmosphere, a personal butler and an Old French Quarter address, and Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra for a resort feel with a free-form pool, lakeside dining and a golf course nearby.
- Best for: Travellers who have narrowed the shortlist to these two Accor hotels and want a clear rule.
- Good to know: This comparison draws on the hotels' own pages. It relies on the hotels' own pages, so read recent guest reviews on Agoda and Booking.com for your travel month.
- Next step: Use the table-style lists below, then follow the couples or families page that fits your party.
Raffles and Sofitel both sit under the Accor umbrella, yet they answer different questions. Raffles asks what it felt like to arrive in Siem Reap in the 1930s. Sofitel asks what a resort holiday at a garden and lake would look like today.
The comparison below moves through setting, rooms, dining, spa and pool, and finishes with a decision rule. For the group view, start from Accor in Siem Reap.
Setting and atmosphere
Raffles stands in the Old French Quarter of Siem Reap within 15 acres of landscaped tropical gardens. The hotel says the temples of Angkor are an 8 km ride away and the new Siem Reap International Airport is 48 km away. Its style is 1930s French Art Deco with local influences, and it opened in 1932.
Sofitel is a resort around lakes and a botanical garden. The hotel states that the Angkor Wat temples are 10 minutes away while a booking page states 5 minutes, so sources differ and the exact travel time is worth confirming on the official page. Pub Street is 2 km from the hotel (15 minutes on foot or 5 by car), and the airport is 45 minutes away according to the hotel.
Setting in one line each
- Raffles: a heritage building with gardens, in the Old French Quarter.
- Sofitel: a lake-and-garden resort a short drive from the city and the temples.
Rooms and suites
Raffles lists its Landmark Room at 36 sqm with a king bed and a private balcony, the State Room at 32 sqm facing the pool, and suites of 48 sqm and 72 sqm. The Royal Villa measures 318 sqm with pool access, a private terrace, a living room and a dining area. Every stay includes a personal butler.
Sofitel counts 238 rooms, including 23 suites and the Opera Suite. Superior Rooms measure 36 m2, Junior Suites 70 m2 and Prestige Suites 90 m2, and the Opera Suite measures 140 sqm with personal butler service. Room beds carry the Sofitel MyBed name.
The practical difference: Raffles' room categories sleep 2 or 3 guests and its villa up to 6, while Sofitel's scale gives more room types to choose from.
Dining, spa and pool
Raffles offers Restaurant 1932 for tasting menus, Café d'Angkor for all-day brasserie dining, The Conservatory for afternoon tea and Elephant Bar for cocktails. Sofitel offers The Citadel for buffets and live cooking stations, Mouhot's Dream for French cuisine beside the Sala Lake, Chef's Table, Explorer's Tales for champagne and Serpent Bar beside the pool.
On the spa side, Raffles Spa has 6 treatment rooms and male and female areas with saunas, steam rooms and a Jacuzzi. The Sofitel Spa has eleven treatment rooms including two Sofitel Spa Villas. For pools, Raffles has an outdoor pool of 35 metres, open daily from 7:00am to 7:00pm as listed in October 2026 (confirm before you travel), and Sofitel has a free-form pool that it describes as the largest in Cambodia.
The two hotels side by side
Heritage luxury & history
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort
Resort living & golf
The decision rule
Pick by priority
- Historic atmosphere and Art Deco architecture: Raffles.
- Butler service in every stay: Raffles, according to the hotel.
- A large free-form pool and a resort feel: Sofitel.
- Golf: Sofitel, whose managed course is a 25 minute ride from the resort.
- A champagne bar with over 100 labels: Sofitel.
- Awards: Raffles won three Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific categories in 2025.
If none of these decides it, let your dates decide: compare the nightly totals for both hotels. Enter the same dates on Agoda and Booking.com, compare the total for the same room type, and read the cancellation terms before you click.
Couples can continue with Raffles or Sofitel for couples and families with Raffles or Sofitel for families.
Compare the 10 hotelsTest your knowledge
Five questions on this guide.
Luxury hotels in Siem Reap: frequently asked questions
Is Raffles or Sofitel closer to the temples?
Raffles says the temples of Angkor are an 8 km ride away. For Sofitel, the hotel states 10 minutes to Angkor Wat while a booking page states 5, so sources differ and the exact figure is worth confirming.
Which hotel has the bigger spa?
The Sofitel Spa lists eleven treatment rooms including two Sofitel Spa Villas, while Raffles Spa lists 6 treatment rooms.
Which hotel suits a first visit to Siem Reap?
Raffles suits first-time visitors who want a historic address, and Sofitel suits those who prefer a resort with a large pool. Both are Accor hotels, so the Accor ALL programme applies at each.
Can I book the Royal Villa?
The Two Bedrooms Royal Villa at Raffles sleeps up to 6 and has pool access. Availability and rates are listed on the hotel page and change by date, so confirm before you travel.
Where do I read recent reviews?
Open the hotel pages on Agoda and Booking.com for your travel month, and compare the same dates on both before you book.
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