Villa Ni Say

My wife and I were looking to visit Siem Reap Cambodia for the first time and wanted to make the experience amazingly special due to the travel dates falling on her birthday and Valentine’s Day. Like many who travel, we were looking for an experience that moved our souls and ultimately contributed to a lifetime of positive memories. So we decided to book our stay! We landed in Cambodia with a level of excited that would rival any two 10 year old children on Christmas morning. Once we cleared customs, we were promptly greeted by our Villa Ni Say provided driver who was wearing a delightful smile and holding the unmistakable Villa Ni Say logo sign. The driver was courteous, helpful and eager to get our experience underway. After an approximate 20-minute ride from the airport, we arrived at the beautifully ivy draped gates of Villa Ni Say. Our first impression was, “Wow”! We were greeted by the Majordomo, Mr. Mab and a welcoming staff bearing gifts in the form of refreshingly chilled hand towel that bore the soothing aromas of lavender and eucalyptus. The meticulously rolled towels combined with a tasty welcome beverage were the perfect rejuvenating surprise. Mr. Mab was very clear that he and the staff’s mission was to ensure that our stay was perfect. We were provided a mobile phone for local calling access and 24hr access to staff for things such as arranging times for breakfast, scheduling excursions, etc. The staff prepared a feast for our breakfast which consisted of an amazing blend of local cuisine and traditional western dishes. Villa Ni Say’s short 12-minute walk to the incredibly vibrant downtown shopping, restaurants and bar scene made the location ideal. The location also provides easy access to temples and historic sites throughout Siem Reap. The Villa consists of a large downstairs living space that was designed to inspire social interaction between family, friends and/or guests. The agile space had grand floor to ceiling windows which doubled as thoughtful doors that facilitated an impressive indoor/outdoor living experience. The bedroom was caringly outfitted with a king size bed outfitted with deluxe bedding and a large bathroom with a grand shower built for two. Villa Ni Say felt like a true Garden of Eden with luscious well-maintained greenery throughout the property. The “green” elements also extended into the core construction of Villa Ni Say. The roof was draped in cultured vegetation which served the dual purposes of being aesthetically pleasing and a critical “green” component to assist in keeping the impressive villa cooled. In addition the choice of polished concrete flooring throughout was both smart and eco-friendly due to its cooling properties and low waste footprint. The large infinity pool is 100% salt water and required a fraction of the potentially harmful chemical treatments that you find in a traditional fresh water pool. My wife and I generally gravitate to businesses and properties that embrace social responsibility and were so impressed by the smart architectural design elements of Villa Ni Say. We had an amazing opportunity to meet the GM Tommy Bekaert (Tommy), who shared all kinds of interesting facts about the property. We learned that the design of Villa Ni Say was inspired by a famous Cambodian architect named Vann Molyvann who greatly contributed to the unique architectural style known as the New Khmer Architecture. After doing a little more research on the topic, we felt even more fortunate to have had such an epic experience at Villa Ni Say! The true measure of anything that we do in life can be answered by one simple question: “Would you do it again?” The answer is a resounding, “YES!” We would make the choice to stay at Villa Ni Say again…. And again… And again!