FCC Phnom Penh

Press Reviews

The Independent, September 2010
"Probably the most romantic area is Sisowath Quay, at the confluence of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers. There's a wealth of French restaurants here as well as dozens of local eateries. The Foreign Correspondent's Club, a local institution, has sumptuous accommodation, chocolate leather sofas and lemon walls peppered with black-and-white war photographs. Its al fresco sunset views and Asian fusion menu have attracted photo-journalists such as Tim Page and Al Rockoff (Roland Joffe's Oscar-winning film about the genocide, The Killing Fields."

Lonely Planet
"The FCC is a Phnom Penh institution and the legendary bar has long been a fine place to recapture the heady days of the war correspondents. Not that the proximity to the bar is the only attraction about staying here - the rooms themselves are very stylish and great value.

While not quite as sleek as their Siem Reap cousins, the rooms (all named after Angkorian temples) are consistent with the modern, minimalist style found there for about a third of the price. All have stylish bathrooms with rain showers and most have the trademark yellow terrazzo bathtubs (in varying sizes), while little extras like oil burners add a romantic touch. Several have balconies, with Ta Prohm and Kbal Spean being the pick for their views over the riverfront and the Tonlé Sap. These front rooms, however, can get a bit noisy. Rooms have desks and broadband Internet connections, and the restaurant/bar has wi-fi. Other concessions to the world-weary journos who call in include a minibar where the spirits come in 1L bottles rather than miniatures, and framed front pages from the Phnom Penh Post. Booking well ahead is advisable."

Conde Nast Traveller (UK), December 2008
"A colonial-era villa in Phnom Penh, the FCC is a sanctuary for tourists and expats alike. It opened in 1993 and was frequented by journalists and photographers attracted to the convivial bar; in 1997 it added two bedrooms and today there are nine. Now the clientele is a merry mix of tourists and business travellers."

Sydney Morning Herald, December 2008
"The bar at the FCC Phnom Penh Hotel, a classic example of French colonial architecture, is a capital haunt in the South-East Asian kingdom. "The F" is where foreign correspondents and diplomats gathered in the 1990s, when Cambodia was emerging from the fall-out following the Khmer Rouge's genocidal rule and years of conflict. Today, the bar is famous for its views of the convergence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, which bask in pink reflections when the sun sets over the National Museum behind the hotel. Happy hour is 5-7pm; try the lychee martini.

Wow factor Meeting of rivers.

Accessibility The bar is in Sisowath Quay, the riverfront entertainment district in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital."

The Telegraph, June 2008
"From Kompong Chhnang we drove overland past rice fields, sugar palm and cashew plantations, to Phnom Penh, where we met Ant Alderson, the British co-owner of the FCC hotels in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

The FCC, formerly known as the Foreign Correspondents Club, enjoys a prime riverfront location with enviable views up and downstream. The elegant, pillared dining room, in cream and dark wood, cooled by ceiling fans, is straight out of Graham Greene or Somerset Maugham – both two former patrons."

Travel + Leisure, December 2007
"The most popular hangout in the evenings is the Sisowath Quay, on the Tonle Sap River, near the National Museum and the Royal Palace (built in 1917 and 1866, respectively, along the same "traditional" lines—with elegant spires, golden roofs, and eaves held up by mythical figures—that were favored at the time by French administrators). One of the more pleasant places to eat on the Quay is the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC), a lovely colonial-style building that is neither a club nor a place to find many foreign correspondents. But the service is friendly and the food, Western with a smattering of more local fare, is excellent."

The New York Times, February 2007
"No matter how you get around Phnom Penh — by foot or by tuk-tuk — you will undoubtedly end up at some point at the Foreign Correspondents' Club, commonly called the F.C.C.

The food here is undistinguished (at best), and the toothache-inducing fruity drinks should be passed up in favor of a cold bottle of Angkor Beer. But perhaps the best seat in Phnom Penh is one of the stools in the F.C.C.'s third-floor bar at happy hour. (Yes, happy hour seems to be a big thing here; almost every bar and restaurant in town has one.) Here, as the sun slowly sets behind you, you can watch the action below on the quay slowly shifting from day (vendors hawking their wares, young monks taking a stroll along the waterfront) to night (clubgoers ramping up the energy and noise level)."

Guest Reviews

Reviews are only from people who have stayed there and booked through i-escape.

• “This is wonderful place, my delux room was really big and you cannot beat the location. The only "but" is - it is quite noisy so if you are a light sleeper it might not work out for you - my room was one of the outside rooms and it was really noisy at night.”
  Karolina, United Kingdom (06.03.13)