Kep, Cambodia
Knai Bang Chatt Resort in Kep
Restored New Khmer villas
Kep, Cambodia
Renovated
2013
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
The house
Kep WestRestored New Khmer villas
The beachfront compound revives 1960s Cambodian modernism, running as an unhurried coastal home right on the Gulf of Thailand.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Restored New Khmer Architecture villas pair raw concrete with local teak woodwork.
Notable
Three 1960s seaside villas built for Cambodian dignitaries survive from the pre-war era.
Notable
Beachfront grounds beside the Kep crab market, with community micro-credit agricultural partnerships.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
The hotel is centered around three renovated colonial villas designed by New Khmer architectural trailblazer Vann Molyvann, a student of Le Corbusier.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Kep's open-air crab market is a short walk down the shore. Inland, quiet hiking trails wind into Kep National Park.
The rooms
Raised teak platform beds look out toward the gulf or gardens, and rooms open onto private terraces.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
A saltwater infinity pool lined in dark volcanic rock looks straight out across the Gulf of Thailand.
Yoga on the pier
Yoga sessions and sound baths unfold on a pier reaching over the water, or inside an open-sided wooden pavilion.
At the table
Seafood dinners are set on low bamboo decks under coastal trees, and glass-walled dining rooms look toward the sunset.
Comprising three Le Corbusier–influenced villas built by Khmer industrialists and one modern house that stylistically links the historic buildings to form one intimate retreat, Knai Bang Chatt offers 11 minimalist-chic rooms.
How it began
The villas originally belonged to the governor of Kep and King Sihanouk's relatives, surviving decades of jungle neglect before their restoration.
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.