The DNA: Sister hotel to Bali’s The Balé Hotel – a long DNA Hotels favourite, the The Balé, Phnom Penh outpost is an equal zen-like venture. The 18-suite modernist compound is located directly on the mighty Mekong river, a few kilometers north of the city. Long rectilinear corridors and footbridges slash through white pavilions and internal courtyards landscaped with frangipani, lemongrass, black-bottom ponds with spider lilies, a sacred Bodhi tree, and thick jungle foliage. There is a beautiful pool on the riverside, a fitness room, a spa and a small restaurant serving a seasonal Cambodian menu with light Mediterranean touches.

Seen: Wallpaper*

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 18 suites (100-110m2) (1,076-1,185 sq ft) • hotel opened: November 2017 • architecture & interior design: Sidarta and Sanjaya ✅ free on-site parking • no pets allowed • 24-hour front desk