Cambodia: Sokha Hotel Phnom Penh opens

[Hatari]

slow progress on this one - about three years overdue after rumours of financial troubles, and that the building was subsiding - it's built on reclaimed fill at the intersection of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers. I biked around/through the site several times and for long periods seemed nothing was being worked on.





Feb 2014: Phnom Penh Sokha Hotel development

Under construction since January 2009, progress continues slowly on this imposiing structure directly across the Tonle Sap river from Phnom Penh’s Sisowath Quay.

The building was originally supposed to be completed in 2012, now may be completed by late 2014 (watch that space!). It will feature 458 hotel rooms and 160 condos, a shopping centre, restaurants, and a night market.

[Hatari]

Sokha Hotel officially opens
Tue, 24 March 2015

After more than six years of construction, the Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel and Residence officially opened its doors to the public yesterday, with Prime Minister Hun Sen on hand to inaugurate the city’s newest hotel.

Speaking at the launch, Hun Sen said the Sokha Hotel will boost the tourism sector in Cambodia and cater to luxury travellers. He added that the hotel, the fourth of the Sokha brand, will help Cambodia host regional and international meetings in the future, possibly the Asia-Europe Meeting.

“Soon, some diplomatic people may come to stay here. Some diplomatic people are likely to come to live, as it has a fresh atmosphere with no air pollution,” Hun Sen said.

The 18-storey Sokha Hotel is located on the Chroy Changvar peninsula, opposite the Royal Palace, and cost $120 million, not including land costs. Taking six years to build, the hotel is a subsidiary of the Sokimex Investment Group, and owned by tycoon Sok Kong.

According the company news release, the hotel has a total of 744 rooms, including 195 condos, manned by 800 staff. The hotel has a large meeting hall for 3,000 people and two spots for helicopters on the rooftop.

Following a tour of the site last March, Svey Vuthy, chief legal and corporate affairs officer of Sokimex, said the hotel may consider a casino licence in the future, if they can get it.

The hotel also planned to start a ferry service from behind the Cambodiana Hotel, Vuthy said last march, from the Daun Penh district riverside to the Chroy Changvar peninsula, to avoid traffic congestion.





Hotel photo gallery here and main site here

[Hatari]

under construction