Amber International is reinventing the hotel experience in Kampot with the area’s first 5-star luxury resort, as it aims to put the French colonial town with an abundance of nature on the global map.

Set in more than 1.5ha of beautifully landscaped grounds by the river – with stunning views of the Elephant Mountains and the picturesque town as a backdrop – Amber Kampot is combining Cambodian charm with international levels of excellence to provide a unique luxury experience.

“We plan to make Kampot an internationally renowned destination, as we build the first 5-star resorts in other undiscovered locations of unparalleled beauty in Asia, such as Labuan Bajo in Indonesia, the Ogasawara Islands in Japan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan,” said Taihei Yamada, Amber International Holdings CEO.

With so much undiscovered beauty around the globe, Amber International’s goal is to open it up to the world, working with local communities to make such places more accessible.

While Kampot is the first location, Amber’s second project is set for Labuan Bajo on Indonesia’s Flores island – the gateway to Komodo Island and its dragons – before expanding to provide luxury access to other undiscovered locations of outstanding beauty.

With a 1,500sqm white sandy beach awaiting guests following booking in after disembarking at the resort’s pier from a private boat ride from the town, Amber Kampot is designed to deliver a luxurious castaway experience.

Ancient Roman author Pliny the Elder records a description of amber as being “produced by the rays of the sun . . . and thrown up upon the shores”.

And reflecting the enduring appeal of this precious substance, the concept of Amber International is that the jewel of luxury can be found in undiscovered locations – with Kampot the first.

“To cater for travellers bored of major destinations such as Bali and Phuket, we look for undiscovered locations. However, as there is usually a lack of luxury accommodation in such places, Amber International is to be the first to offer 5-star resorts.

“Kampot is one such place. It has many great tourist resources, including stunning nature and wonderful historic buildings. So my plan was to build a full luxury resort in such an undiscovered location.

“I recognised that Kampot has great tourist appeal, such as the French colonial buildings, the mountains and the river, but it was lacking an international standard 5-star resort – until now,” Yamada said.

The eco-friendly resort is 100 per cent plastic-free and located across the river from the Kampot branch of the National Bank of Cambodia, a beautifully restored example of French colonial architecture.

Twenty one-bedroom pool villas are 77sqm, while there are five 180sqm pool villas with twobedrooms and living room. All units are fully self-contained villas with private pool and deck with indoor kitchen and outside cooking area, while the chef is also available to personally prepare the food.

With all the amenities expected from a 5-star resort, including spa, restaurant, and poolside bars, Amber Kampot goes further to provide a unique luxury experience.

“Amber International is committed to contributing three per cent of net profit to the community where they run businesses. Undiscovered destinations are often undeveloped in both hard and soft infrastructure, education and vocational training, for example.

“As we want to grow together with the community, Amber Kampot offers vocational training for those local people who are willing to become hoteliers, led by senior hoteliers who have experience working at Aman, Sofitel and Four Seasons. We offer job opportunities to successful graduates at Amber Kampot,” Yamada said.

With the focus firmly on ensuring the highest standards of quality, Amber Kampot is currently open in a soft capacity before a planned grand opening in January.

“As we make Kampot a must-visit destination, we concentrate heavily on excellence, and this is nowhere better reflected than with our food – with a focus on affluent Cambodians with contemporary Khmer fare, as well as top Western and Asian fusion cuisine,” the Japanese entrepreneur added.

Amber Kampot offers a range of activities including jet skiing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, or alternatively guests can relax in one of the pavil-ions on the white sand beach and enjoy the stunning views as the river flows serenely by.

With Amber Kampot also securing rights to use a private island a 15 to 20-minute boat ride away from the resort, it offers a further way to enjoy an unrepeatable beach experience.

“Once as we were sailing to the island, we were able to dock with a passing fishing boat, which meant we had the freshest seafood possible for our barbecue. It was truly unforgettable,” Yamada recounted.

And with all it has to offer and its commitment to excellence, a stay at Amber Kampot indeed promises to be an experience that remains long in the memory.

For more info: https://amber-kampot.com/