The iconic Elephant Bar at Raffles Hotel Le Royal has been named one of the “Best Global Hotel Bars” by Food & Wine magazine—one of just 10 venues selected worldwide.
Long regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most beloved watering holes, Elephant Bar in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is celebrated for its timeless French colonial elegance, extensive gin collection and rich history. The recognition, which appears in the magazine’s May 2026 issue, further cements the bar’s status as a global destination for discerning drinkers.
“What a tremendous honour for Elephant Bar to be recognised among the world’s best hotel bars,” said Dagmar Lyons, General Manager of Raffles Hotel Le Royal. “This historic venue is part of the heart and soul of our landmark hotel. It continues to offer guests an unmatched blend of old-world sophistication, warm Cambodian hospitality and unforgettable cocktails in one of Asia’s most beautiful settings.”
With its rich wood panelling, colourful ceiling frescoes, historic photographs and classic wicker chairs and leather sofas set beneath high French windows and arched colonnades, Elephant Bar exudes timeless colonial charm.
For more than nine decades, it has welcomed luminaries including Charlie Chaplin, Charles de Gaulle and Jacqueline Kennedy, who sipped the first “Femme Fatale” cocktail during her 1967 visit to Phnom Penh. That signature drink remains on the menu today.
The bar also boasts one of Southeast Asia’s most impressive gin collections, with more than 200 carefully curated labels, including the legendary Sipsmith Raffles 1915 and the hotel’s own locally crafted Elephant Bar Gin, alongside refined cocktails and mocktails. The popular ‘Elephant Bar Gin Experience’ offers two hours of unlimited gin cocktails and a gin tasting.
For more information on Raffles Hotel Le Royal or Elephant Bar, please contact +855 23 981 888 or visit www.raffles.com/phnom-penh.
