The Tribe Vibe – Phnom Penh’s latest place to be

After much anticipation and a not-so-aft opening Tribe Hotel Phnom Penh has finally opened its doors. What though is so special about the place, is it worth a staycation and what is the rooftop bar and restaurant like? Khmer Nights went to get the skinny on things.

Who are TRIBE?

Having previously written about TRIBE, we won’t go too much into their background, but they originally began as a cost-conscious European hotel that in their words “offered everything you need without the stuff you don’t”, as well as being a hotel that “responds to the needs of the modern traveler”. 

In practice this means something that offers pretty much everything the young say traveler needs, from a great co-working area, to deluxe, but affordable rooms, as well as probably the most exciting entry to the rooftop bar and restaurant experience in Phnom Penh.

To read about Tribe Hotels click here . 

A staycation at TRIBE

The scene branch of Tribe to open in Asia after Bali, when it comes to hotel stays, the company really are trying to reinvent the wheel. The entrance comes across more like a nightclub and the lobby immediately impresses that things are different.

There’s no concierge here, but what they do have is a 24 hour cafe offering much more ambience than a standard coffee joint, as well as a pool and a huge co-working area. This according to Marketing and Commercial Manager Sabina Malikova was part of making Tribe a hub for the city “We offer much more than just a coffee shop in our co-working area, as well being equally well-priced. There’s a pool, a gym and even areas that can be used for meetings. We really want to welcome everyone”.

Something which was very evident on our trip, with the lobby, or rather “common area” being full of social media influencers, and curious guests all out to see what the Tribe vibe was like.

The rooms were also equally impressive, without being gaudy, with only 4 tiers ranging from $90-140, as well as most importantly, as they out it themselves “offering everything you need, without the stuff you don’t”. And this includes great wi-fi and sufficient plugs, something woefully missing in many locations.

To read about the best co-working spaces click here. 

Hemisphere Restaurant and Bar

Most impressive though and perhaps the bait that will draw in the locals is the rooftop bar and restaurant. Located on the 11th floor, it is thus shorter than many of its peers, but as they say great things come in small packages and this is certainly the case here.

Being located on the riverside means that the 11th floor setting offers great near views of the ever evolving Mekong river, in contrast to other rooftop settings that literally offer views of rooftops. But a bar and restaurant needs more than just views, it needs great food and drink, so how does Tribe fare here?

The rooftop drinks are presided over and in many cases invented by acting F&B Manager, mixologist and former Cambodian bartender of the year Chengly Vy, AKA Dr Strange. The good Dr has created a fine list,w which includes at least 15 in-house inventions, most of which have a local influence, or ingredients, or utilise his love of Mexican Mescale. These can either be ordered directly to your table, or you can sit at the bar and watch the young team make the magic happen. 

And perhaps most importantly the drinks are genuinely affordable, starting at just $5.50 a glass, expensive enough to keep out the riffraff, but cheap enough to have you not feeling guilty for wanting to sink a few.

Food wise, while the hotel offers multiple dining options, it is all about the rooftop, where Jatupam Tanthaphat, AKA Chef Robbie is cooking up a storm. His menu is international, but with obvious Khmer influences, such as with the seasoning and even a nod to the locals through his fusion lok lac dish. And again all at an affordable level, particularly when compared with the competition. 

But overall it was the ambience and vibe that truly made the rooftop come alive, with the overall feeling not only being much more relaxed than at other venues, but also feeling that bit “cooler”.

Hotels and bars may come and go, but it is rare that we get something that is truly unique, Tribe is that place. 

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