January 2, 2018

Sojourn Boutique Villas: Andrew’s Surprise Birthday Present

This year we happened to be away for Andrew’s birthday. As we were travelling just the two of us, it was pretty impossible (and not always safe!) to wander off on my own to buy him a gift. So, this year I had to think a little outside the box. We hadn’t planned our stay in Cambodia so I thought it was the perfect place to surprise him and organise a few of the days we were going to spend in Siem Reap.

I came across Sojourn Boutique Villas after chatting with a friend before I went away. She had been there for dinner and could not recommend the place enough. So I got in touch with them to see what they could do for me. I wanted to make our stay special and to really treat Andrew, especially as our travels were coming to an end. They were able to pull together a custom package for us which included breakfast, a one-hour massage each, and a cocktail each day. I also booked a surprise destination dining dinner, and a sunrise trip to Angkor Wat which Andrew was talking about wanting to do.

The Hotel

I booked one of the boutique villas at Sojourn. This meant we had a really large private space for just the two of us to relax in. The room was spacious, and well designed and the bathroom was so nice! We even had a little tea area in the room – it was so cute.

The pool area is huge and is surrounded by amazing cabanas so that we could lounge together. There is also a swim-up bar that we took full advantage of! The cocktails here are amazing (order the Mango Daiquiri – you will thank me later!)

I was really impressed when I heard that the owners established an NGO called HUSK. They work with communities to help improve the lives of Cambodian families focusing on providing access to safe water, livelihood opportunities, health, education & environment.

We saw this first hand, with our driver pointing out the rubbish collection area that Sojourn set up and paying for the entire village to have their waste collected.

Destination Dining Experience

On our second night here, we headed for a really romantic candlelit dinner out on a lake near the hotel. We had a private waitress and chef for the night and it was such a treat for us both. Here we wined and dined and enjoyed a three-course meal with a bottle of vino, a cocktail, and after dessert drink. It was just perfect. When we returned to our villa, candlelights welcomed us and filled the room. It was one of the most romantic things and Andrew (and I!) loved it.

Our Trip to Ankor Wat

In advance of our arrival, I had arranged through Sojourn a day trip to Angkor Wat and some of the most well-known temples. We had a driver to bring us around for the day and also a tour guide to walk us around and tell us about the history of the temples we were visiting. At 4 am in the morning, we all met at reception and it was on the road to see Angkor Wat at sunrise. It was absolutely beautiful. Our trip continued on to the cities of Angkor Thom, Bayon, and Ta Prohm along with a number of lesser well-known temples in the area. We really enjoyed the trip and our tour guide was so knowledgeable.

All in all our stay at Sojourn was perfect. As it was high season, prices were generally much higher in Cambodia but the weather was perfect. Dry, hot days and cool evenings. Cambodia is great to visit all year round, but if you go during March or November you can avoid the worst of the crowds and get the best rates. If you’d much rather visit when the weather is at its hottest – April is the best time for you!

If you’re interested in booking your stay in Siem Reap with Sojourn (which I highly recommend!) you can do so by visiting their website here. I also have a special 25% discount for all my lovely readers when you book any villa, which includes a free one-hour massage and a free cocktail each. Just enter the code Sojourn25 when searching for your dates.

For more on our trip to Cambodia check out this post.