Sometimes it's better to start at the bottom and work your way up. But what if, at the same time, you could start at the bottom and be at the top? lebua Hotel offers just that at its Lake Okareka Lodge, set on a private estate in New Zealand. And when we say private, we mean private -- the extent of the accommodations is three luxury suites that can house, all together, nine people. Total. Maximum. When you book, even if there is just your lonesome, you get the whole thing to yourself -- "yourself" being you, your private chef, and the attendants waiting to fulfill your wishes.

Each of the suites gets lake views, private balconies, Bvlgari amenities, and the services of the estate's private chef. Should you commandeer the executive suite, you'll step up to your own lounge, spa bath, private office and walk-in wardrobe. As for things to do, the suites are set in the countryside, next to a lake, on the North Island of what is arguably one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. Should you tire of the fishing, sailing, kayaking, jet skiing, hiking, or simply being, the lodge maintains a piano room, a fantastically stocked wine cellar, and a 24-hour concierge for those urgent, 3 a.m. requests.

lebua Hotel Bangkok has quarters for more guests, but the numbers don't spoil the treatment. Each room in the all-suite hotel in the State Tower, Silom district has views of the Chao Phraya River. Naturally, all-suite does not mean all the suites have been created equal: ranging from 66 to 266 square meters, opt for the premium digs and you'll sup on multi-course meals prepared by your own chef for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and that liquid meal known as "cocktails."

If you must go out, the bar and five restaurants under The Dome will reward you for the slipper-shod trek: Sirocco, 63 stories up, is the world's highest open air restaurant; the tables at Breeze sit on jutting balconies, where you can dine on modern Asian fare while descrying views of modern Asia; the Mezzaluna specializes in Italian and amore -- every proposal made there has been accepted; Café Mozu mashes up a DJ, a pool, and Italian, Lebanese, and Indian courses; and Distil is where you go to wash it all down... in moderation, of course.

What could be better than 5-star suites and food? Why, a party to celebrate their opening. lebua will be hosting a gala launch of the New Zealand property and the Tower Club addition to its Bangkok location in, of all places, Sydney, Australia. The soiree goes down in November, on a private yacht that will be moored in front of the Opera House, where lebua chefs will be on hand to tempt you to make the trip to those other points distant.

If one were tempted to wonder about flying to Australia to have a party for resorts in lands at least five hours away by plane, we must remember that ours is not to question why. Ours is only to ask, "Why not?" And then make reservations...

Luxe City Guides are not your ordinary travel books. In fact, they aren't books at all. They are are beautiful, sleek, accordion-style guides that are small enough to fit in your pocket. These travel and style guides point the discerning traveler to only the best of the best in Asian, European and Australian cities.

From Bali to Tokyo, the guides are packed with personally researched information from city-insiders who know their way around the fashion, food and entertainment scenes. Luxe takes things a step further by including information on services, shops and secrets that you might never find on your own. With Luxe, you are a visitor, not a tourist.

Whether you are looking for the best martini in Istanbul, want to design your own handbags in Hanoi or desire a quiet moment in a secret garden in the heart of Bangkok, Luxe will take you there in style.

The guides are written in an opinionated and irreverent style and are beautiful to look at. With no paid advertising, the Luxe City Guides are updated twice each year with regular online updates.

Buy the guides individually for $9 each, or get a customized boxed set of twelve for $108.

Condo residences are really starting to take off in Thailand. We keep seeing more and more urban complexes. The latest to be announced is the Millennium Residence @ Sukhumvit, a set of four towers in Bangkok. The new condos are designed for both Thais and foreigners and have panoramic views of Bangkok's skyline. The four 51 to 53-story "orchid petal-shaped" towers have 604 units in total. Amenities include a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis court, jogging track, gymnasium, a sauna and steam room, games room and a playground for the children. Prices range from 6.6 million Baht (around $173,000) to as much as 90 million Baht 9($2.37 million) for a penthouse. The project is expected to be completed by November 2009.

From the pictures, it looks like a modern boutique hotel in New York or Los Angles but Luxx is a new hotel in Bangkok. The tiny hotel of just 13 rooms offers chic and clean modern design to attract trendy travelers. It opened a few weeks ago and Luxx Hotel general manager, Dusadee Srishevachart says that they will be promoting the hotel to  European and American guests.  The hotel will also have a bar called Mess and is hosting their launch party on March 29, 2006 . Luxx is located on Decho Road in an area that offers plenty of nightlife, dining and shopping for tourists. They are offering opening specials as low as $70 per night.

[via HospitalityNet]

WWD has an piece on the latest luxury shopping mecca, the Siam Paragon in Bangkok. The $365 million mall has a giant saltwater aquarium, marble floors, gourmet food and 250 stores to chose from. There is an 860,000 square foot Paragon department store and high-end retail like  Armani, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Chloé, Bottega Veneta, Jimmy Choo and Bulgari. An entire floor of the Siam is the "World of Luxury" where high-end jewelers can be found and there is also a floor devoted to exotic car and yacht dealers. The shopping center is aimed at both rich Thai shoppers and tourists. Tourism is Thailand's top business and although most tourists are from Asia, the number of European and American tourists is rising. Other shopping destinations in the area include the Central Department Stores which spent $20 million adding to its Chidlom flagship to compete with the Siam Paragon and is planning to expand its Zen store; Gaysorn Plaza which also spent  spent $60 million on a face-lift; the 215,000-square-foot Siam Discovery Center which is aimed at customers aged 25 and up, and the 430,000-square-foot Siam Centre complex next to Siam Paragon which is designed to lure preteens and teens. Pictures of the mall and the aquarium can be found on this website. 

Continuing our coverage of Valentine-themed getaways we take you to exotic Bangkok. The Vareena Spa in the Westin Grande Sukhumvit hotel offers the Romeo & Juliet package through the month of February. The package takes place in the Sky View Suite and includes a 30 minute soak in a Jacuzzi pool infused with a milk bath, followed by a body scrub and an hour-long aromatherapy massage. The experience ends with two glasses of red wine.

[via e-travel blackboard]