How time flies! It’s been almost two months since our last bar review, so better we come strong with this one. Today we will check Elephant Bar which is situated inside glorious Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap. The Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor was Siem Reap’s first hotel, and it remains the city’s grande dame. There is no secret that hotels like this are hiding some of the most sophisticated bars. Elephant Bar Siem Reap is classic, easygoing, and prestigious at the same time. To find out about our experience, please continue with reading our review.
Elephant Bar Atmosphere
Not so long ago, we wrote about Raffles Siem Reap High Tea and if you remember, we were astonished by how lovely this hotel is. However, we didn’t have the chance to stay here. Probably we can simply call this, the Raffles curse. When we were in Singapore we couldn’t stay at Raffles, due to the renovation, and now again. Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor is just to be renovated as well. Anyway, we will be back in Siem Reap, for sure!
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor is all about the charming colonial luxury design and lush details. The same goes for the popular Elephant Bar, which is a snug place with dark wooden furnishings and bright walls. As the name indicates, it is safe to expect some sort of Elephant in a room.
Indeed, our eyes caught numerous small statues and giant tusk arching above the Areca Palm trees. Hopefully, the presented tusks are artificial and not real.
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor Elephant Bar Drinks Menu
Drinks selection at the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor Elephant Bar is broad, to put it mildly. We were drawn to the list of special and all-day cocktails, but sours & fizzes were very tempting as well. Then there is a list of wine and spirit that covers the world’s famous regions for both sections. Here we must admit that the so-called “sipping cabinet” filled with different single malts, rums, bourbons, and rye is bigger than the “grape juice cellar”.
Interesting Fact
Raffles Hotels have its own house-gin made by Sipsmith. This so-called Raffles 1915 Gin was created to celebrate a 100 years of Singapore Sling cocktail. When you are in Siem Reap, go and try this Gin if you have a chance.
Our Cocktails
Airavata
Signature Airavata cocktail is a must-have drink at the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor. This fruity tropical drink is named after the divine five-headed elephant and therefore served in a handmade elephant mug. Flavor-wise you can expect crème de banana liqueur, lime juice, and fresh coconut juice, aided by malibu and rum.
We can say that it somewhat resembled the tropical pina colada whenever we had a taste of the juicy pineapple garnish. What we didn’t like was the single-use plastic straw, hopefully, they will soon move on the sustainable path!
Raffles Signature Bloody Mary
Adorable fresh Kampot pepper on top of the deep red drink looks gorgeous, but tasting them makes all the difference. It’s no secret that Kampot pepper is unique, so we grabbed a chance for tasting whenever the opportunity presented itself.
A combination of Broken Shed Vodka and tomato juice spiced with Raffles Signature mix is spot on when paired with a delicate aroma of fresh green pepper. Even if you avoid the spicy garnish you’ll enjoy the Bloody Mary with its renowned savory notes.
Elephant Bar Siem Reap Review Card
- ATMOSPHERE – 9/109/10
- SERVICE – 9.3/109.3/10
- DRINK SELECTION – 9.2/109.2/10
- PRESENTATION – 9.7/109.7/10
- OUR DRINKS – 9.5/109.5/10
- VALUE – 9.3/109.3/10
Final Thought
There is no doubt, Elephant Bar Siem Reap is an exquisite bar, just like it should be. Heritage hotels are carrying a rich story and believe me most of them started in the bar. Sure, this is not a legend like Bamboo Bar but… The ambient of the Elephant bar is nice, the cocktails are on the artisanal level and the service is delightful. After all, this is all we are looking for.
Price & Location
All-day cocktails come at a price of about 9,40 USD while Raffles Fame costs about 14 USD or more. In case you’ll visit during the happy hour (4-6 p.m.) on weekdays you’ll find some of the drinks are -50%. Happy hour or not, obey the smart-casual dress code and leave beloved flip-flops behind. Here is a link to the location for easier navigation.
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