Moonlight Villa

My recent stay at Moonlight Villa in Phnom Penh was exceptional. From the start, the staff was incredibly warm and attentive, making me feel welcome. The villa's prime location is a significant advantage, situated just a short walk from the Royal Palace and the vibrant riverside, which made exploring the city's key attractions effortless. My room was comfortable, clean, and well-appointed with modern amenities like air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. The veranda bar offered a friendly atmosphere to unwind in the evenings. For its central location, comfortable accommodations, and excellent service, Moonlight Villa provides outstanding value. I highly recommend it for a memorable visit to Phnom Penh.

Moonlight Villa 26, Street 172, Phnom Penh Monday to Sunday from 07:00 to 01:00 Tel: +855 086 986 663 Food: 2/5 Service: 2/5 Value for money: 2/5 Ambience: 3/5 After a very enjoyable meal at Villa 5 last week, I headed to another villa yesterday, specifically Moonlight Villa. I have been told many times to not eat on 172 (except for the Ethiopian restaurant), but the food seemed to look good on the few occasions I walked by. I was the only guest when I got there and the two young boys handling the service seemed a little reluctant to tear themselves away from TikTok, but I did get my menu. The young man had every intention of hovering over me whilst I looked at the menu; one of my pet peeves. I told him to run along and get me a drink first and give me time to go through the extensive (too extensive?) menu. The menu was also full of spelling mistakes, another one of my pet peeves. How difficult is it to let a native speaker check the menu in return for a cold beer? They cover pretty much everything, from English breakfast to Pizza and pasta, steaks, as well as Western and Asian cuisine. All very much run-of-the mill with nothing really standing out. I ordered the Siem Reap sour soup ($4.50) and grilled chicken breast with mushroom sauce ($6.95). My banana smoothie arrived soon after I ordered. At $2.25, it was not bad, it would actually turn out to be the best part of the meal. The food arrived about 30 minutes after I ordered, which I thought was very slowl as it all seemed to have just been reheated, not made fresh. The staff were so busy with their phones that they only had time to bring the cutlery after the food arrived. The cutlery being wrapped in a stained napkin did nothing to make me look forward to my meal. The chicken dish could best be described as dry. The chicken breast was very overcooked and so dry that I could hardly swallow the meat. The spaghetti, on the other hand, were undercooked. I like my pasta “al dente”; I do not like it cracking when I bite into it. The fact that they came with half a teaspoon of sauce did not help. The mashed potatoes were also very dry, dry enough that they fell apart on my plate. I also question the decision to serve the chicken breast with mashed potatoes AND spaghetti, some vegetables might have made to whole dish a little moister. The Siem Reap sour soup was anything but sour, it was sweet enough to pass as a dessert. Apart from being sweet, there was zero flavor. I rarely add salt to my food, here I would have been happy to chuck in loads of salt. That did not happen as none of the tables had any condiments and getting the attention of the staff was a challenge throughout the meal. A thoroughly unenjoyable meal and I was happy to pay, once I managed to find someone to take my money, and get out.

It's not a bad place but beware the housekeepers. Some steal from your room while cleaning it and no matter what you say to management, it will be denied. Stay close when your room is being cleaned. Mind you, they're now very smart - stole some US dollars (as you would expect, as well as a mini speaker but then a wad of Indonesian rupia which, of course, is worth nothing in Cambodia. Dumb.