what is the differance between a guesthouse and hotel

Will be in Cambodia in June 2009 and starting to plan trip now. We are a couple aged 50 and will be travelling with 15 yo daughter.

In 07 went to Vietnam (without daughter) and stayed in 4 to 5 star hotels. Felt they were impersonal and waste of money compared to 2 to 3 star hotels we saw.

Intend to visit Phnom Penh, Siem Riep and perhaps one of beach towns. From research so far am confused as to differances between Guesthouse and Hotels.

Can anyone explain the differances and if Guesthouse would be suitable to stay in with 15 daughter?

Our main requirements are saftey, security, comfortable bed, ensuite and air conditioning.

Also how busy will June be? If not real busy then would probably take the chance of not booking and inspecting first.

what is the differance between a guesthouse and hotel

I stay at guesthouses exclusively as they have a small, homey feel and are very reasonable. I don%26#39;t need fancy amenities and silly showercaps, just a comfy bed and A/C! A lot of places will even call themselves ';hotels'; but are actually guesthouses. I suggest you look at various sites and read the reviews first (like on this site and on Canby Publications and Travelfish). Some places are better than others although the rates may be the same. Some GHs also offer breakfast, which is included in the room charge. It is mist definitley OK for you to stay with a young adult or even a child at a guesthouse. June is not high season so you could just go see the rooms when you arrive and if they look good, pick one.

what is the differance between a guesthouse and hotel

Should you arrive Phnom Penh early enough in the day , it would be pertinant to do a tour of several guest-houses , i can suggest a reliable tuk-tuk man for this if you so desire , he helps accomodate a lot of visitors to PP .

Hotels tend to be more impersonal , that is the nature of the beast , but many guest-houses can be the same , the friendliest of guest house are not normally near the given sights , but do not be perturbed , just have a driver on call who can look after your needs to be driven between various places , often with his input on choice .

Odball please let me clarify something in your post for this OP and future readers.

A tuk-tuk driver who is highly recommended by someone reliable (such as Odball) might be okay, but otherwise, please do not get recommendations from random tuk-tuk drivers as most are not as interested in your comfort as they are in their commission from the establishment.

The first time I went to SEA I stayed in big hotels and it took away from the experience greatly. Staying in a nice guesthouse gets you a little closer to the ground and makes for a more valuable experience.

With a 15 year old in tow, I would try to do a little volunteer work while you%26#39;re there if you have time, or make a small donation to a school or orphanage. An enriching experience.

It is also good to contact the institution beforehand to see what supplies they might need, and purchase them at a local market before you go. A lot of orphanages don%26#39;t like people wandering in off the street (and some strictly forbid it) so definitely check into this prior to your visit.

I always arrange my drivers upon arrival. There are a million of these guys, and the guesthouses can hook you up with people immediately.

Thanks for all the replies. I now understand the differances.

I appreciate the suggestion regarding the orphanages and agree that our daughter will benefit from the visit. Do I arrange the visit before our trip or wait until we arrive? If we can arrange the visit before the trip can any one advise some contact details?

Many Thanks