When it comes to family trips, I am the one who does all the research and bookings. In all our family trips, I am most particular about the place(s) we stay. Food I am not so critical but accommodation is the ONE which often makes or breaks a trip. Cleanliness, comfort, cost and fellow travellers’ reviews are my key considerations.
Since we did not go anywhere during the September School Holidays, David and I decided we would surprise the kids with a new destination which the entire family hasn’t been before during Children’s Day weekend. Given that we only have 3 days to spare, we picked Siem Reap, Cambodia. Chiefly because, you know – the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Angkor Wat.
Even though Siem Reap is not exactly the de-facto family destination (at least not yet for many Singaporean families), our trip turned out to be so enjoyable and memorable. Siem Reap, as a city, is surprisingly very family-friendly and compact. This makes it very easy to navigate around (traffic’s not as mad as Bangkok!). Among the places we’ve travelled around the world, Siem Reap now ranks top of our list of favourite short getaways for families.
To bring kids to Siem Reap, Cambodia, you must pick a good hotel. This is where the newly opened Courtyard by Marriott, Siem Reap Resort makes all the difference. With its modern, award-winning Khmer architecture, sleek decor and family-friendly amenities, the Courtyard by Marriott, Siem Reap Resort stands in stunning contrast to the ancient sites of nearby Angkor Archeological Park, just 15 minutes away.
Family-friendly
Staff: Every time we return to the hotel, the kids would run enthusiastically into the arms of the front desk staff who would in return welcome them with an embrace. This has never happened in any hotel we’ve stayed in and shows the personable nature of Cambodians.
From the head chef to waiters to the drivers, every one of them has a special affinity to the kids. One can feel that from their smile and their mannerism when they speak and interact with our kids. Their raw, sincere, unbridled service made us feel as if we were old friends who are welcomed by the hosts. What surprised us honestly is that all of them could converse in English rather fluently so language is not a barrier in Cambodia.
Kids Club: The kids automatically and enthusiastically gravitated to the kids’ club that is stocked with books and toys for ages 3 to about 6. A boon for parents who want some time to unwind on our own while on vacay. Older kids from 6-10, like our daughter, found the outdoor playground and some of the craft materials and books appealing too.
The modest Kids’ Club is manned by staff during the day. The two staff that were present were competent and we felt safe to leave our kids (ages 4 and 10) with them. We like the fact that the outdoor play area is within sight of the indoor area. There’s also a kids’ toilet within the kids club, making it safer and easier for the kids to use the conveniences.
Family Rooms: We love these connecting Deluxe Pool-view rooms. Two large adjoining rooms with two separate bathrooms and balconies overlooking the hotel pool. The kids have their own space and we parents have our privacy.
The comfort and cleanliness level of this Courtyard Family Room exceeded our expectations. We love its plush beddings, thick comfy mattress, bespoke bathroom accessories and accentuated with prompt, impeccable housekeeping service. Perfect in every way!
Family Programmes: Aside from the Kid’s Club, the hotel has lined up programs for families with little guests to enjoy. One of the activities we tried was the Cambodian Culinary Class that began with a guided tour to the local wet market followed by a hands-on cooking session with the hotel head chef, Chef Chanrith !
We had such a blast learning how to cook authentic Khmer cuisines, under the patient guidance of Cambodia’s top chef. The kids made their own Cambodian salad, spring rolls and western pancake while David and I whipped up a scrumptious Khmer stir-fried beef. It may look simple but the experience was exclusive and remarkable. Thereafter, our family sat down to savour the lunch which we’ve cooked. Another beautiful memory clocked!
Fuss-Free
One-stop Trip Planning: It’s never easy planning for a trip with young kids, particularly to country that we are unfamiliar with. Fortunately, the front desk staff was very willing and helpful to assist with our itinerary planning. No details were spared to ensure that our kids’ needs were looked into. These special touches that are small but monumental include:
- Recommending family-friendly attractions like Khmer pottery making and Artbox Museum Siem Reap.
- Packing snacks and drinks for us before we set off for the early morning Sun-rise Angkor Wat tour.
- Arranging an English-speaking tour guide to ensure there is no miscommunication and one who could engage our inquisitive kids!
Food: For dining and entertainment, there will be a casual, all-day dining restaurant, a Pool Bar & Grill, and a lobby loungeGiven that we are not adventurous enough to eat Cambodian street-food on our first visit, the diverse range of food from Western, Chinese and local Khmer food options available at the hotel’s restaurant made it a worry-free, fuss-free trip for us when it comes to meal-times.
We were initially unsure if Cambodian food would be too spicy but no, there are many soupy and palatable dishes for kids and adults alike. Plus, the kitchen of Lok Lak is very obliging even to cook dishes not on the menu to accommodate the kids’ taste buds.
In-house Amenities and Services: The hotel offers a full-suite of room service. It was extremely helpful when we needed fresh laundry as we had packed light.
In-room dining with virtually the entire selection from the menu of Lok Lak restaurant was also helpful! On days when the kids and us were totally knackered from travelling, to have our favourite food served piping-hot to us in the room was a small luxury we indulge on our travels!
Facts and Features
Here are other note-worthy facts and features of the hotel which makes it excellent as a base to explore Siem Reap.
Distance: The hotel is conveniently located within 30 minutes drive from the airport and other major attractions, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Wat. In short, there is really no need for any long car rides. This makes it a most convenient city hotel when touring Siem Reap.
Large Pool: The large saltwater pool is impressive and forms the central recreational feature of the hotel. One-third of the pool is dedicated as a shallow pool for young kids to play in, and comes complete with a simple (but fun) water slide. Needless to say, it was tough trying to get the kids to get out of the pool after each swim!
Other recreational facilities include a fitness centre and a full-service spa including a relaxation lounge and a foot reflexology area.
Spa (for Mummy and Daddy Yay!): Quan Spa, the hotel’s resident spa is strategically a mere hop skip and jump away. With a totally immersive ambience of peace and relaxation, the spa offers soft and gentle Cambodian-style massage that is soothing and relaxing. The spa is perfect for tired parents who need that bit of rejuvenation after managing hyperactive kids on holiday and after exploring the sights of Siem Reap, especially Angkor Wat!
Letter to the GM
Dear GM
If we were to sum up our experience, we would say wholeheartedly you’ve assembled a very distinct hotel with a very special crew. One that genuinely values human connections at heart. Every guest who has passed your doors brings with them a special memory of your hotel. You have set the benchmark for being a luxurious family-friendly oasis that is perfect for exploring the rustic charms of Siem Reap. Your staff has won our hearts many times over and we are so glad we’ve chosen to know Siem Reap through Courtyard by Marriott, Siem Reap Resort. Please allow us to give your hotel a standing ovation and a heart-felt ‘Orkun’ (Thank you).
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, SIEM REAP RESORT
Address: No 0609 Road 6A, Phum Chongkoesou, Khum Slor Kram, Siem Reap 17251 Cambodia
Contact Number: +855 63 968 888
For more information or to make a reservation, please call +855 63 968 888 email: [email protected], or visit www.courtyardsiemreap.com.
SPECIAL GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to our sponsor, we are giving 1 reader the chance to experience a 3D2N stay in connecting Deluxe Rooms with Poolview with daily Breakfast (for 2 Adults and 2 Kids below 12 years old) at the all new Courtyard by Marriot, Siem Reap Resort (worth S$800)!
To participate, simply:
1. LIKE Courtyard by Marriott, Siem Reap FB and Life’s Tiny Miracles FB.
2. CLICK and COMPLETE the steps in this Rafflecopter Giveaway (Mandatory).
The giveaway ends 10 March 2019 and is open to readers in Singapore. The winner will be contacted via FB inbox and will have 24 hours to respond, failing which a new winner will be drawn. All steps must be completed and incomplete entries will be disqualified. Please note that all Facebook accounts (e.g. accounts set up purely to take part in contests with no authentic posts or very few real friends) will be disqualified. The winner will have to redeem the free 3D2N stay at the resort before 30 Nov 2019. All the best!
I can say this is a perfect place to stay with whole family. Great work Thanks for sharing all the features of this place. Great work.
Hope to win. Never been b4.
Sounds like wonderful holiday destination!
Would love to visit this country and especially the Unesco World Heritage site as am sure it would be an eye opener and educational for the children. Thank you!
I must admit Siem Reap is not on my list to travel with my kids but you might have just changed my mind! So beautiful!! Plus to stay with Marriot, I know we will be in good hands.
Elizabeth De Cruz
[email protected]
I want to win this giveaway as i would like to bring my small little humble family for a getaway. As both my husband and I are working parents, we have limited time to spend with the kids during weekdays. With this getaway, we can unwind ourselves from the busy working life and give 100% of undivided time to our kids.
Love to win this child friendly vacation stay. Din know there is which a nice place for parents n kid.
Siem Reap, is a place i dream but not dare to step out for the adventure trip. After read your blog, i felt is time to bring my son to the country, let him open eyes for things besides Singapore. Courtyard by Marriot really amazing, like the building and interior renovation, make it so high class. I can felt you on staff/crew’s good service, it sure make your trip more wonderful. Angkor Wat, i want to be there for the long heard beautiful Sunset. I believe my boy and hubby will like it too. One of activity mentioned – pottery, sure a special gift for our self, it would came with our Cambodia memories. Hope to win the giveaway so that i could start our special experience with my husband and 10years old son. Orkun
I haven’t been to Siem Reap before and would love to visit this beautiful place with my family! 😊
This would be a terrific quick getaway for the family! Our last big holiday was spent in Danang in Vietnam and we really loved the Southeast Asian hospitality, food and proximity to Singapore. Hope to win and see the ancient ruins at Angkor Wat.
Sounds lovely! Southeast Asian destinations are sometimes forgotten despite its proximity and I’m glad you covered Siem Reap. Hope to win.
Would love to travel to Siem Reap and stay at Courtyard by Marriot. Holidaying with the family need not always be shopping it can also be understanding another country’s history. (fuss free = unwind)
Thanks for the detailed post. 🙂
Wow looks like a wonderful place to explore with my kids !
I would love to win this 3D2N stay for my kids as we never have a chance to travel due to our financial constraits, After reading the blog, this place is an amazing and perfect place for the kids to explore and learn about culture at Siem Reap!
Thanks for sharing!! I have always wanted to bring my soon-to-be 6yo venture countries/destinations out of the norm but haven’t get to it yet due to work commitments and fears that she will not be able to adapt.
I hv nvr been to Cambodia before. Your post makes me wanna fly there asap with my family during June holiday.
Hope to win as my girl will definitely love the big pool
FB : Grace Ng
[email protected]
Hope to win because it will a great family bonding time.
I hope to win a short trip to bring my 3 kids for a break and to celebrate my 2nd child’s birthday. Looking at your recommendation, this place looks cool and am sure my kids will love it!
Always enjoyed reading all the travel posts, makes me feel envious every time, wishing I could bring my family of 4 to such places too. This read was particularly closer to home as I’ve been only to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for work and recognized the country to be truly beautiful! Wishing and hoping I can have the chance to bring my family over!
Hope to win for our first overseas (flying) holiday with my 3 kiddos
I haven’t been to Cambodia before. I have 2 older kids and one baby. Tough to find places to go for vacation. I am glad to find somewhere that is kids friendly and not a hassle to plan a trip! Will love to visit there! Hope to win this!
Would love to bring the family for a well deserved break in siem reap! Thank you!
Thanks for the recommendation. Would love to stay here for some awesome family time.
Looks like a wonderful trip with the kids!
Looks fun…
Hope to win the staycation as we have never been to Cambodia before.
Email: [email protected]
Name : Neo Alice
Email : [email protected]
I want to win the resort stay because it being a family friendly hotel really settled my heart. The facilities available for children , the accessibility of the hotel and prime concern of my stay for my family’s safety and comfort is one factor that has hold me back from exploring Siem Reap. We are now ready to check out Siem Reap.
hope to win this so i can bring my family there. this looks like a very fun place for a short family vacation
I love to travel with my family (hubby, me and our little three). We love to take the plane and we love to explore new places. We’ve never been to Cambodia before. After reading this post and watching your video, we would really love to make a trip to Siem Reap just to have the Marriott experience there. We haven’t any plans for the upcoming school hols so this would be the perfect excuse to buy plane tickets and head somewhere new for a lovely vacation!
I have not been to Cambodia yet but after writing your blog, I am eager to explore Siem Reap and hope to stay at Courtyard by Marriot,Siem Reap Resort where my kids and family would fully utilise the facilities and have a whale of time there,spending a memorable vacation and quality bonding moment.
Name: Amanda Soh
Email: [email protected]
I would like to win this getaway as Siem Reap is one of the place we visit as couple during our paktor time. We have fond memories there and have always wanted to revisit Siem Reap again. Now, mother of a 6 and 10. I will wish to bring my family to this very beautiful Siem Reap again for a whole new experience.
Wish me luck!!
I hope to win the stay so that 4 of us will have a good time in such an amazing suburban place enjoying every parts of the scenery and bonding together with cooking, food and activities that will made us forget about electronics gadgets on these days.
Thanks for the giveaway!
thanks for the giveaway. .I guess my wife has another reason to visit Siem Reap after reading this article and to be honest, I would be glad to take my family there too.
Siem Reap holds a special place in our heart and when we were last there for a short visit in 2016, the hubby did not get a chance to visit Angkor Wat. It would be lovely to win this giveaway so that we can revisit the city and he gets to check out the World Heritage Site!
Life has been tiring for the family having to manage work and kids with no other supportive help. Now that my hub had completed his part time studies, we hope to take a good break and continue to chiong for the rest of 2019!
Chengling tan
Yes i want to win this giveaway:)
As the anniversary of my wife and I are quickly nearing in, which makes the perfect opportunity to surprise my family with something exciting!
I wish to win the staycation it been so long I went for a trip with hubby n Kiddos it will be fun n exciting for the kids n relax for hubby get away from work for a while
We have never been to Cambodia before but I think it is a very beautiful country with lots of history behind it! Have been wanting to visit Angkor Wat and experience what the country has to offer.
The cooking class has gotten me excited too as I love to explore and pick up skills on new cuisine! The hotel facilities all seem so fantastic! My family and I would definitely enjoy ourselves just like your family!
Yes, Siem Reap has always been my dream destination, i hope be given this chance to visit her
Hope to win to expose my 2 little explorers the beauty of Siem Reap without worrying their adaptability to the food and environment. We have been travelling with our 2 young kids below 4 whenever time permits, and honestly, siem reap was never on the bucket list for travelling with kids. This blog entry has provided us much more confidence to explore siem reap with our kids, with both kids activities and visiting angkor wat which we didnt get to visit b4 we had kids!.
We never been to Cambodia before… It will be a good family time to explore and relax together.
Hope to win and let my girls to learn and explore this magic and charming country and had a great authentic experience and adventure!
Wow great escape fun, learning and explore on the getaway on family friendly resort that my little ones our first time to Siem Reap to enjoy some quality family bonding time together.
Thank you for giveaways and fingers crossed hope to win for my family.
Fb Ang lam soon
IG @anglamsoon
We have never been to Cambodia as I always think it might not be a place for kids. But after reading your post…I changed my whole concept about the place. I hope we can win this so that our kids can have a diff experience in Siem Reap…instead of just going to theme parks n urban cities!
I have always wanted to bring the kids to Siew Reap to see a very different life style and expose them to different cultures. However, there’s always a concern that they will not be able to get used to different living styles. Now with Marriott hosting the stay, we have no more worries.
This really changes my mind of Cambodia. Now I’m willing to give myself & my son a chance to visit her, all because of the wonderful giveaway if I win.
I want to win because
1. Me and my family never been to Siem Reap before
2. Would love to give my sons a different experience of trip. They can learn about the history about Siem Reap at the same enjoy a luxurious stay at Courtyard By Marriott of Siem Reap
3. It has been sometime we didn’t go for an oversea trip since our Hong Kong trip 4 years ago.
Hope to win this amazing trip. 😊
I’ve never been to Cambodia before, hope to enjoy an unusual experience with the 2 men in my life – hubby and 3.5yo son! My son will go crazy in the kids club! And mummy and daddy will enjoy local cuisine and soak in the warm hospitality and pay a visit to Angkor Wat!
Your post has changed my mindset about Siem Reap. With or without the contest, I am set to bring my kids for an eye opener trip ! My hubby too, he was quite hesitant about Cambodia Siem Reap when I told him my intent but after reading your post, he is curious about it now. Can we seek your advices as we are planning to make a trip. What are the other food options for kids? Do you often eat in the hotel? Are the street food not suitable not advisable to eat?
After reading the post, i am encouraged to bring my two girls to via Siem Reap and stayed in Courtyard by Marriot!
I would love to win the stay at Courtyard by Marriot at Siem Reap! I’ve always wanted to bring our girls for a more laid back nature type holiday. Im really encouraged by your post to visit Cambodia, have never been there before myself and would love to explore and have a firt time experience together as a family.
I would love to bring my family and kidsto explore and discover the rich history of Siem reap while bonding through meaningful activities!
I would like to bring my children to visit UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat. And stay at the beautiful Marriot, Siem Reap Resort where my children could play at Kids’ Club & learn cooking at Kher Cooking Class.
Jaime Chan [email protected]
Hope to bring the kids to an off the beaten track kind of holiday
never been to Siem Reap although it is always on my bucket list to travel. would love to explore the country! love the rustic lifestyle (i.e. the unhurried world)
Hope to win cos we have been thinking of bringing the kids to the countries in our region to experience different cultures and environment.
Looks amazing! Thanks for organising the giveaway 🙂
Having read your post, I guess we’ve found the place to bring the kids for an adventure, and in the comfort of staying at Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort.
We’ve always been particular on accomodation when we are planning an overseas trip, and your sharing has given us the answer on where we should stay in Siem Reap.
My girls would probably end the trip with “best place ever”!
Looking forward to win this Giveaway.
My son is in love with history and Siem Reap seems like an amazing place for him to learn. While I look forward to a good holiday with the children, I adore the idea of some couple time and ME time. Marriott Siem Resp sounds like a good fit!