English for Tourism Visits Sofitel Angkor

By Meas Kagnachanna, ACE Student

My ACE Diploma Program English for Tourism class had the opportunity to visit Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra, a 5-star luxury hotel located on Charles de Gaulle Boulevard, Siem Reap. When we walked into the hotel, we were warmly welcomed by several staff members, who greeted us with “bonjour”, which means “hello” in English. They also greeted us in the traditional Khmer way.

Our visit started with a presentation on the hotel’s history. We learned about the structure of the hotel and that the Sofitel brand had recently become part of Accor Hotels. At the end of the presentation, we met Mr Chamroeun, who told us about his 19 years working at Sofitel and the reasons he has chosen to stay there for so long. He pointed out that over the years, Sofitel had taught him a lot.

We then enjoyed a tour of the hotel with Mrs Sreypov as our guide. She showed us the hotel pool and told us about its water quality and how the water is treated. After that we headed to a Standard Room, which costs $200 per night. We saw a twin room with a pool view. Mrs Sreypov continued by showing us the garden and describing the method that the hotel uses to get rid of mosquitoes. She also showed us a pond full of lotus pads on a path that led us to a Suite, which costs $650 per night. We saw a Suite with two bathrooms, one living room, one bedroom with two beds and an indoor golf pad. We tried playing golf, but most of us failed: we had never played before!

We then went directly to the dining room, where guests can enjoy afternoon tea, a VIP breakfast and dinner. Dinner costs $100 per person, with six people maximum. Guests can experience a six course menu and can also see the chefs cooking through a large window to the kitchen.

We walked through the lobby to our final destination: the Phokeethra Ballroom. It was an impressive space with four large chandeliers, LED lights and a large screen at the front showing inspiring footage of Apsara dancers. We then took a group photo and went our separate ways.

Sofitel is a great choice of accommodation. The staff are very thoughtful, which probably explains why Sofitel is one of the top ten hotel brands in the world. It was really interesting to learn about how the hotel operates and to actually experience its exceptional customer service ourselves.

To learn more about the ACE Diploma Program, go to: https://acecambodia.org/ACEWebsite/Programs/Diploma%20in%20English