The Raffles Le Royal Hotel is worth visiting both as a piece of stunning French colonial architecture, and also for its part in the dark days that preceded Pol Pot's takeover of Phnom Penh. The Elephant Bar is the easiest way for outsiders to pop in for a look. The hotel served as a Red Cross hospital in April 1975 and was at the centre of the chaos in the city as the Khmer Rouge approached. The building was designed by Ernst Hebrard - one of the most distinguished architects of the French colonial period with grand buildings and city planning accomplishments in Phnom Penh and Hanoi. The Elephant Bar is a good excuse for a visit. The bar lacks the atmosphere you might expect of the location. For more on the hotel's 1975 history, check out River of Time by Jon Swain.
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