I'm not sure if this hotel is in decline or just starting its efforts to revive itself, but the entire resort is in desperate need of some tender loving care (service, food, hotel). I was curious why the price is so much lower compared to other nearby 5-star hotels like Six Senses Krabey Island, but now I understand.
Everything was in poor condition. The furniture had no finishing, stain, or paint left, and all the cushions were stained. The finishes and walls were dinged up or broken and needed a fresh coat of paint. The linens, such as towels and sarongs (except for the sheets, which seemed new thankfully), were torn, stained, and gray. The tiles and pool tiles had white mildew. There were power outages at least three times a day, with one lasting over two hours. All the outlets in my room were broken after one of the outages. The phone in the room didn't work and it was nearly impossible to get any service from your room since rarely anyone responded to the hotel telegram. The staff uniforms were also all worn-out and old (this is unprofessional and I feel sorry for the staff having to wear them).
Overall, the local staff were kind and warm, always with a smile on their faces. There were always people sifting the sand and cleaning up the beach throughout the day. I completely appreciate and support hiring local staff to boost the local economy, but out of all the staff I encountered in customer-facing roles (excluding the Western managers), only two people could speak English to some extent, making communication quite difficult. The Western GMs came to say hello in the morning and at night when their shifts changed, but they were not seen throughout the day. The only staff member I saw consistently was the F&B manager, Mark, who was the most hands-on and interacted with guests.
The food was tailored to Western tastes. There was a variety of Western and Eastern dishes, and the quality was decent, but I got mildly sick from the food on one of the days.
The only service I used from the hotel (since the spa closes at 5pm!) was the boat and airport transfer from Phnom Penh. The airport pick-up driver was not there when I exited the airport, demanded that I stop at a market to get change for toll fees immediately, and overall, it was not a pleasant experience (old car and rude driver). The shared or private boat transfers to the island are not complimentary ($80 each way for private or $60 each way for shared boat transfer).
If I had paid more for the room, I would have been extremely disappointed with my stay, but for $300 per night in Cambodia, it was deeply disappointing. Despite having 5-star amenities like a gym, spa, infinity pool, and private beach, this hotel does not meet the standards of a true 5-star establishment and you should come with low expectations.
The private beach is lovely, quiet, and peaceful. The views from the beach pavilion room were really nice and serene. If you're looking for a cheaper option with a nice beach but not expecting 5-star rooms, service, and food, this might be a good choice for you.
I sincerely hope that this hotel takes better care of the property in the future, improves the skills of their staff for better service and language abilities in customer-facing roles, and addresses all these issues, as there is so much potential for this resort.