More about hotels in Kampot
About Kampot accommodation
Kampot is a slow-paced riverside town in southern Cambodia, best known as the home of Kampot pepper, a globally recognised, geographically protected crop grown on plantations just outside town. Staying here puts you within easy reach of the Kampot River, Bokor National Park and the countryside pepper farms that give the region its character, all while keeping a relaxed, small-town pace that's a world away from Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.
Accommodation in Kampot ranges from simple riverside guesthouses to boutique hotels set in restored old shopfronts, plus a few resort-style stays with pools and spas on the edge of town. Most places are an easy walk or short tuk tuk ride from the Old Market area, the riverside strip and the tour operators that run trips out to the pepper farms and up Bokor Mountain, so you can base yourself centrally and explore from there.
Where to stay in Kampot
- Kampot town centre and riverside: The most popular base, with guesthouses and boutique hotels lining the river near the Old Market and night market food stalls, an easy walk to restaurants and sunset cruise departure points.
- Near Bokor Mountain: A handful of quieter hotels on the edge of town, handy if you want an early start for the drive up to Bokor Hill Station and its cooler mountain air.
- Countryside near the pepper farms: Rural guesthouses and farm-stays set among the plantations outside town, good for a quieter, greener stay with easy access to plantation tours.
How much is Kampot accommodation?
- Budget: AU$20-40, simple riverside guesthouses or hostel rooms with fan or basic air-con, often with a shared terrace over the water.
- Mid-range: AU$60-120, boutique riverside hotels with pools and restaurants, including restored rice barns and heritage buildings turned into stylish small hotels.
- Luxury: AU$140-220, resort-style stays with spas, saltwater pools and manicured gardens on the edge of town.
What Kampot is known for
- Kampot pepper: The plantations around town produce Kampot pepper, the first Cambodian product to earn geographical indication protection, and plantation tours let you see and taste green, black, red and white pepper straight from the vine.
- The Kampot River: Sunset boat cruises are a local ritual, drifting past limestone karsts and riverside restaurants as the sky turns orange over the water.
- Bokor Hill Station: A cool, often misty hill station built in the colonial era, now a cluster of atmospheric abandoned buildings and a lookout point inside Bokor National Park, reached by a scenic mountain drive.
- Kampot durian: The province is well known among locals for its durian, marked by the town's durian roundabout landmark and worth timing a visit around if you're a fan.
Top-rated hotels in Kampot
- Rikitikitavi: A converted rice barn turned riverside hotel in the town centre, with a small pool, restaurant and an easy walk to the Old Market and night market.
- Hotel Old Cinema: A boutique hotel built inside a restored heritage cinema building, a short walk from the river, with a pool and a well-regarded breakfast spread.
- Phka Kravan Boutique: A riverside boutique hotel close to the centre of town, with a chic bungalow-style design and rooms looking out over the water.
- Castle Bayview Resort & Spa: Kampot's standout luxury pick, with a saltwater pool, spa, sauna, gym and gardens set on the edge of town.
- La Java Bleue: A boutique hotel in the old French Quarter, an easy five-minute walk from the riverside and Kampot's restaurants and bars.
Travel tips for Kampot
- Visit in the dry season, roughly November to March, for the clearest views on the Bokor Mountain drive and the most comfortable weather for wandering the riverside.
- Book a pepper plantation tour directly with one of the farms just outside town. Most run half-day visits with tastings included.
- Hire a tuk tuk or rent a bicycle or motorbike to get between the riverside, the Old Market and the countryside pepper farms, the distances are short but spread out.
- Pack a light jacket if you're heading up to Bokor Hill Station, it's noticeably cooler and often misty at the top even when Kampot town is warm.
- If you're travelling during durian season, head to the durian roundabout area to pick up fruit straight from local sellers.
