Short Cuts

LAP OF LUXURY Even in the low-budget haven that is Southeast Asia, grimy Siem Reap is exceptional in its appeal to backpackers: it's easy to live on the cheap as you explore Angkor Wat. Yet within a five-minute walk from an unpaved alley of $2-a-room guesthouses, the elaborate Grand Hotel d'Angkor offers its top digs for—are you sitting down?—$1,900 a night. The hotel has two 400-sq-m villas that come with everything a Hollywood star or head of state might want: two bedrooms with marble bathrooms, linens of Khmer silk and a private wine cellar. Guests—they've included director Oliver Stone, supermodel Kate Moss and Jordan's Queen Noor—are greeted with a decanter of brandy and enjoy the attention of a round-the-clock butler. The exotic outdoor pool area is so doused with pesticides that you can easily ignore the fact that you're vacationing in a malarial zone. Book early: both the Villa Uma and Villa Kama are often occupied. Meanwhile, a few dusty blocks away, a more frugal traveler could use the $1,900 to stay at the dumpy but popular Narin's Guesthouse—for three years.

LUNCH BREAK Savvy travelers would think themselves wise to eschew the tourist-trap lunch stalls across the street from the entrance to Angkor Wat, opting instead for a packed lunch provided by their hotels. They would be wrong. Chez Sophea is a tiny gem not to be missed. Run by a French-Cambodian couple, the breezy restaurant offers a delicious selection of simple French fare and Cambodian specialties. And for special occasions, there are always a few bottles of chilled champagne on hand.