Located in Siem Reap’s picturesque former French colonial quarter, FCC Angkor by Avani has expanded its leisure and guestroom offerings with the introduction of Visaya Spa, a new resort wing and a second saltwater swimming pool.
The neo-colonial resort has re-opened with three new room categories: the Family Suite, Garden Suite and Riverview Suite. The Family Suite features an inviting terrace shaded by a centuries-old banyan tree. Utmost care was taken to create inviting outdoor relaxation zones for the entire family, dividing the terrace into a dining area, a cozy sunning nook and a spa corner with a soaking bathtub.
Located on the ground floor and overlooking lush, tropical greenery, the Garden Suite features a separate living room and opens onto a covered patio where a rattan dining set invites guests to linger in dappled sunlight. At 150 sqm, the Riverview Suite is the resort’s largest. Located on the top floor of the new wing, the suite boasts a stunning terrace overlooking the tranquil river and swaying treetops. On the terrace, multiple relaxation clusters include a rattan chat set, a dining area and an oversized soaking bathtub.
In keeping with the overall French colonial feel of the resort, the airy rooms are decorated with vintage typewriters and framed front pages of regional newspapers. Guests with an eye for inspiring detail will delight in discovering charming old clocks, rotary dial phones, Khmer carvings, traditional tiles, and antique clay pots among guestroom décor. Bed runners and chair cushions produced by women at local weaving villages exhibit the kind of exquisite craftsmanship that makes the resort a treat for all the senses.
Travellers can also restore themselves with a signature treatment at the new Visaya Spa or relax at one of the spa’s four airy treatment rooms which are bathed in natural daylight and overlook a serene courtyard. Combining the elegance of soothing terracotta tones with subtle touches of copper, the décor reflects Visaya Spa’s vision of simplicity.
Locally woven textiles pay homage to the spa’s Khmer roots. Adjacent to the spa is a beauty salon offering manicure and pedicure services, while the gift shop stocks organic skin and body care products, along with exquisite locally made gifts.
Following months of research, the Visaya Spa team curated a streamlined spa menu centred on signature experiences, western and eastern massages and all-natural beauty treatments. Drawing on Khmer, Thai and Ayurvedic traditions and ingredients that are interwoven with spiritual elements of Hinduism and Buddhism, Visaya Spa offers a modern-day interpretation of the traditional wellness culture of the region. Its ethos is one of purity and simplicity with a focus on techniques that have been handed down through the centuries.
Khmer wellness tradition harnesses the healing properties of local ingredients: soothing onkuin seed and aromatic spices, such as ginger, nutmeg and clove that naturally warm the skin and heat the muscles and joints to melt away tension.
Beauty treatments rely on blends of seasonal herbs, plant leaves, mango, coconut, aloe vera and raw honey. Maximising the potential of these natural ingredients, Visaya Spa therapists combine them with regional and western wellness techniques.
