De Castle Royal is a high-rise condominium in central BKK1, one of Phnom Penh’s most established urban districts. The building sits on Street 288, in Sangkat BKK 1, within Khan Boeng Keng Kang.
De Castle Royal is a single-tower condo project with around 32–33 floors above ground and three basement levels. The total height is about 117 metres, which makes it one of the earlier modern high-rise residential towers in Phnom Penh.
The project was developed by Nuri D&C (the “De Castle” series developer) and was completed in 2014, with residents moving in from 2014 onwards.
Key building figures from the official project information:
- 3 basement levels and parking up to the 3rd floor (7 parking levels in total)
- 32–33 residential storeys above the parking podium
- 414 condo units in total
- Site area roughly 2,926 sqm, building footprint about 1,550 sqm
Unit mix and layouts
De Castle Royal was designed as a large-format, family-style condo rather than a micro-unit development. Official unit data lists:
- 1-bedroom: 166 units, approx. 89.5–114.8 sqm
- 2-bedroom: 118 units, approx. 139.5–162.8 sqm
- 3-bedroom: 98 units, approx. 228.6–261.5 sqm
- 4-bedroom: 18 units, around 330 sqm
- 5-bedroom: 6 units, about 396 sqm
- Penthouses: 8 units, roughly 618–705 sqm
Because of these sizes, even the one-bedroom units are quite large by current Phnom Penh standards.
Internally, most units follow a fairly similar pattern: open-plan living and dining area, a separate kitchen (often enclosed), balconies off the living room or bedrooms, and en-suite bathrooms for the larger units. Finishes are generally mid-to-high standard for the period of construction: tiled floors in living areas, timber or laminated finishes in bedrooms in some units, and built-in cabinetry. Over time, individual owners have renovated and customised units, so the specific interior look can vary from unit to unit.
Facilities and common areas
De Castle Royal offers a set of shared facilities that were considered high-end when the project launched and are still competitive for a city-centre building of this age.
- Swimming pool
- Gym / fitness centre – at one stage managed by “The Place” gym brand
- Sauna
- Rooftop or upper-level garden / deck
- Café and mini-mart within or attached to the building
- 24-hour security, reception and management office
- Multi-level secure parking with RF-card access
The seven levels of car parking (from B3 up to the 3rd floor) provide around 474 parking spaces for residents and visitors, which is relatively generous given the dense BKK1 location. Resident parking is controlled via RF cards, while visitor and temporary passes are issued by the management office.
Location and neighbourhood context
De Castle Royal stands on Street 288 in BKK1, a central, mixed-use neighbourhood that has evolved into one of Phnom Penh’s main residential and lifestyle hubs for both Cambodians and expats.
From the building, residents can walk or take a short drive to a wide range of amenities:
- Supermarkets and minimarts such as Lucky and other local groceries clustered around Sihanouk Boulevard and nearby streets
- International and local restaurants, cafés, and bars throughout BKK1
- Language schools, kindergartens, and international schools located within the wider Boeng Keng Kang and Chamkarmon area
- Clinics, dental practices and larger hospitals within a few kilometres
Being in inner Phnom Penh, De Castle Royal also offers straightforward access to key city corridors like Preah Sihanouk Boulevard and Norodom Boulevard, with approximate driving times (depending heavily on traffic) of 15–30 minutes to areas like the CBD, Aeon Mall 1, and around 40–60 minutes to Phnom Penh International Airport.
Building age, management and maintenance
De Castle Royal is an established condo with a track record in occupancy, leasing and management.
Property management has at various times been handled by professional management companies, including CBRE’s property management division. This brings a more institutional approach to service charge collection, maintenance of common areas, safety procedures and parking management.
Because the building has been in operation for several years, prospective buyers or tenants typically look at:
- Current condition of lifts, lobby, corridors and façade
- Maintenance and cleanliness of the pool, gym and rooftop areas
- How management handles car-park allocation and visitor parking
- Service charge levels and what they cover (e.g. security, cleaning, common utilities, facility upkeep)
These points can vary over time and are usually verified by inspection or by checking with current residents or the management office.
Ownership structure and typical market positioning
De Castle Royal is a strata-title condominium, with individual units held on separate titles (often referred to as “hard titles” in Cambodian practice). Foreign buyers can generally own units on upper floors in their own name under the standard foreign ownership rules, while Cambodian nationals can own on any floor.
Market-wise, De Castle Royal was one of the first “luxury high-rise” condominiums in Phnom Penh. Nowadays it is usually positioned as a large-format, city-centre condo targeting:
- Owner-occupiers wanting bigger floor areas in BKK1
- Long-term rental investors who value the location and the established demand from expats
Brokerage listings show a range of asking prices and rents depending on unit size, renovation level and floor, with examples of one-bedroom resale units advertised from roughly the low- to mid-hundred-thousand USD range, and three-bedroom units in higher price brackets. Rental listings commonly target mid- to upper-range tenants, with published asking figures that can change over time as the market moves.
How De Castle Royal compares within BKK1
Within BKK1, De Castle Royal sits in the “early generation” of high-rise condos, alongside other projects launched in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Its main distinguishing features, compared to many newer towers, are:
- Larger average unit sizes, especially for 1- and 2-bedroom types
- An established occupancy and leasing track record rather than off-plan risk
- A relatively high parking ratio for a central location
At the same time, it may not offer the same level of brand-new interior finishes or the extensive “lifestyle mall” style podiums found in some more recent developments. When presenting this project, it’s fair to position it as a mature, sizeable condo in a proven inner-city neighbourhood, with strong fundamentals in terms of layout sizes and accessibility, and with building age and ongoing maintenance as key points to look at during due diligence.
