Guests are cossetted by luxury, among a panoply of pampering services and mouth-watering dishes prepared in its slew of fi neestaurants, not only expected,but necessary to combat fatigue should they opt to visit the profusion of historical marvels that comprise the raison d’être for the hotel’s existence.
Between the 9th and the 13th centuries AD, a succession of Khmer Kings ruled from Angkor, utilising the vast wealth and huge labour force of their empire to carry out a series of monumental construction projects to glorify both themselves and their capital city, all within the vicinity of Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat, with its soaring towers and extraordinary bas-reliefs, is considered by many to be one of the most inspired and spectacular monuments ever conceived by the human mind. It was built by Suryavarman II (1113 to 1150) to honour Vishnu, a god-king.
The 9 square-kilometre fortified city of Angkor Thom, enclosed by a wall 8 metres high and 12 kilometres long, was created by Angkor’s greatest builder, Jayavarman VII (1181 to 1201), on the ruins of an ancient city and may have held a million inhabitants at one time.
With the prominent Bayon temple at its centre the city contains many other important temples and is notable for its five monumental gates, 20 metres high, approached past stone elephant heads and crowned by four gargantuan faces of the Bodhisattva Avalokitessvara facing the cardinal directions. 54 gods stand before each gate, (to the left) and 54 demons (to the right).
Siem Reap is near the northern edge of Tonle Sap Lake where villages abound along its shores., Because of the lake’s seasonal size variations and regular fl ooding, the most interesting villages are those that fl oat. House boats dot the canal banks leading from lake to solid ground and small boats deliver supplies to the fl oating community while children paddle canoes to and from school.
