Rooms in SihanoukVille start at FREE per day.  A few places, like Utopia, offer free rooms to backpackers.  But don't expect a lot.   After free, comes $2/day for a bunk bed in a dorm room.  The next step up is $6 per day - which can be found at over 70 guesthouses here. Most of these include a double bed, bathroom, TV (you don't get air-conditioning or hot water).  Some of these can be quite nice.  Most of these rooms are found downtown or on Victory Hill.  $10 and up gets you the TV and hot water at many places (but not right on the beach).

Angkor Wat model at the as yet to be named Hotel.  You can't stay here

Most places will give you a discount for prepaying for a week or month at a time.  Usually, a $5 room can be rented for about $90 to $120 a month.  Prices are generally higher in the Winter (November through February) and lowest in the Summer (June to September).  This would be when it rains everyday.  Please note: on a few holidays, every room in SihanoukVille is booked and prices can triple for several days.  This is usually around Christmas/New Years (end of December), the Chinese/Vietnamese New Year (early / mid February), and Khmer New Year (Cambodian) in mid April.

Best bet, pick a general destination before you get to town. Downtown is the easiest, with the most services and in the center of all the beaches.  You can walk from the bus station to many budget guesthouses.  Several places have rooms with bathroom, cable TV, and fan for $5 and up.  Only problem..... no beaches.

Victory Hill is on or close to Victory Beach.  Nice view of the islands and port in the distance, tree lined beach, and the most backpacker guesthouses, services, and restaurants in one area in town. About a 5 minute ride from downtown. About $1 or less for a motorcycle taxi.  Rooms start at $4 here.


Green Gecko on Victory Hill

Ocheteaul / Serendipity Beach.  Most popular destination in town, and most expensive.  Off the beach you can find good, cheap places to stay and eat.  Many new services opening up by the day here.

Utopia. Free rooms

If you're going to one of the beaches, best to walk a block into town, sit down and get a drink or meal, look over a map, question the staff there (you can find downtown, English, French, Irish, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, German, Japanese and a few other languages), and take a motorcycyle taxi or Tuk Tuk to your destination.  If you're going to Victory Hill, you can just have them drop you off and walk around looking for a place to stay.  To Ocheteaul / Serendipity, you can get a ride to the Beach Road, and stop in Monkey Republic or Utopia (which will probably both be filled up anyway) and ask their advice.  They're near several backpacker places and will be glad to help.

Monkey Republic. (or Bungalow Swaa)