Best Budget Hotels in Phnom Penh (2026 Guide)
Five budget hotels in Phnom Penh I stayed in over New Year — real prices, addresses and honest notes, all under A$50 a night.
The scooters don't stop for New Year. Amen and I landed in Phnom Penh in the gap between Christmas and January 2024–25, when the riverfront fills up, the rates creep north and the city runs hot and loud past midnight. We came to eat, shoot and move around cheaply — and that last part is easier here than almost anywhere I've travelled. These are the five budget hotels in Phnom Penh I actually booked and slept in, with the real prices, addresses and what each one was like.
No sponsorships, no invented extras. Everything below was paid for at the most expensive time of the year, so off-season you'll likely do better.
What counts as a budget hotel in Phnom Penh?
"Budget" shifts the moment you cross a border. A private hostel room in an Australian city centre runs north of A$100; in Phnom Penh a comparable room can land under A$15. For this guide I've drawn the line at under A$50 (about US$33) a night — the band that suits backpackers, digital nomads and anyone who'd rather spend their money on the street food than the pillow.
Inside that price I'm looking for four things: a clean room, a central or well-connected location, staff who make check-in painless, and the small perks — Wi-Fi, parking, breakfast, a pool if I'm lucky.
When we travelled (and why your price may be lower)
We stayed from after Christmas 2024 into the first week of January 2025 — peak season, New Year surcharge and all. Travel outside that window and the same rooms get cheaper.
The 5 best budget hotels in Phnom Penh
1. Monsoon Bassac Hotel — in the thick of Bassac Lane
This one sits right on Oknha Chru You Hak Street, ringed by cafés, bars, massage parlours and clubs, with AEON Mall a corner away. I took a Deluxe Double with a balcony and a work desk that actually worked — fourth-floor night views, proper hot water, a modern bathroom. I parked the scooter on the roadside out front.
- Stayed: 3–4 January 2025
- Price: US$24.30 a night
- Perks: Free Wi-Fi, parking
- Address: 8z Oknha Chrun You Hak St (294), Phnom Penh 12000 · +855 70 921 522
2. Okay Palace Hotel — by the Royal Palace and Sisowath Quay
Two minutes from the Royal University of Fine Arts and a short walk to the riverside and the nightlife. The façade is dark, elegant wood; my Deluxe Double had city views, a balcony and warm lighting. Of the five, this is the one I'd book again first.
- Stayed: 27–30 December 2024 (3 nights)
- Total: A$129 (about US$28 a night)
- Perks: Free Wi-Fi, parking, coffee/tea, express check-in, welcome drink
- Address: Street 19, 42, Phnom Penh · +855 77 519 967
3. Poolside Villa — backpacker base a minute off Bassac Street
Technically a hostel, but it does private rooms, so I took a Standard Single for a night out. Tiny self-contained bathroom, nothing fancy — but the poolside bar runs late and there's a social corner built for meeting people. If you're solo and want company, stay here.
- Stayed: 31 December 2024 – 1 January 2025
- Total: A$28.54
- Perks: Free Wi-Fi, pool access, express check-in
- Address: 18 Abdul Carime Street (21), Phnom Penh · +855 87 372 017
Bassac Street next door is one of the best nightlife strips in the city. On New Year's Eve, the bars spill onto the road and the energy runs feral.
4. Rose Emerald Hotel — near Orussey Market
Don't judge it from the street — inside it's modern and clean. The English-speaking staff sorted me quickly, and my Superior Twin came with a fridge, a TV and a lift to the room (not a given at this price). The area's walkable, with markets, food and transport on the doorstep.
- Stayed: 30–31 December 2024
- Total: A$40.29
- Perks: Drinking water, Wi-Fi, parking, express check-in
- Address: No 36, St 232 Corner 115, Sangkat Veal Vong, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh 12253 · +855 23 223 232
5. Relax Hotel — quiet suburb for a rest day
Further out, so I hired a scooter to get around. The trade-off is calm: local cafés, no crowds, and the only place of the five that threw in a free breakfast, a welcome drink and a room upgrade. English is thin on the ground here, but a staff member happily helped me order food.
- Stayed: 1–2 January 2025
- Total: A$37.46
- Perks: Breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, welcome drink, coffee/tea, free upgrade
- Address: No 81, Oknha Nou Kan (St 105), Corner of St 320, 12304, Phnom Penh · +855 12 880 223
What I paid then — and what these rooms cost now
One of the quiet joys of Phnom Penh is that prices have barely moved. Here is what I paid over New Year 2024–25, next to the cheapest current listings (June 2026, two adults, across Agoda, Booking and KAYAK). Mine were peak-season rates; the "now" figures are starting prices, so check live for your own dates.
| Hotel | What I paid (Dec 2024–Jan 2025) | From, today (June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Monsoon Bassac | US$24.30 / night | from ~US$24 (recent avg ~US$35) |
| Okay Palace | A$129 / 3 nights (~US$28 a night) | from ~US$19–22 |
| Poolside Villa | A$28.54 (private single, 1 night) | from ~US$8 dorm bed; private rooms more |
| Rose Emerald | A$40.29 (1 night) | from ~US$22 |
| Relax Hotel | A$37.46 (1 night) | from ~US$14 (recent range US$21–34) |
A fair note on Poolside Villa: that US$8 is a dormitory bed. I paid for a private single, which still books at a similar price today. Like for like, almost nothing here has gone up in over a year.
How to book a budget hotel in Phnom Penh for less
- Compare across Agoda, Trip.com and Booking.com — the same room genuinely prices differently across them.
- Book free-cancellation rates so a better find doesn't cost you.
- Watch for last-minute flash deals — Agoda pushes them hard here.
- Sleep in different neighbourhoods across your trip; it's the cheapest way to see the city like a local.
- A local eSIM gets you online the moment you land — handy when you're navigating to an address on Street 232.
For official visa and entry details before you go, check Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism.
Final word
I paid for every one of these rooms myself — no comps, no sponsorship, just what worked on the ground over New Year. If Cambodia's on your list this year, start here and spend the savings on the food. Still deciding where to go in the region? Browse our Asia travel guides next.
Afrofeast is Africa's food, travel and culture platform, founded by Dennis Obel. Follow on Instagram @afrofeast, trace your heritage with OurRoots.Africa, and explore more at afrofeast.travel.
