Jakarta - Hotels

[Irish Mongrel]

Check out the AirBnB scene if you're going to be there more than a few days.

I had previously looked at AirBNB then started to see listings with security cameras in amongst the apartments I was focusing on. Seemingly they were allowed to have security cameras in common areas! Thanks but no thanks. Next you'll be having to sweep the bedrooms, and certainly wouldn't be the first time for me to make out on a sofa.

Looking at AirBNB today the policy changed yesterday (30-April), to only entrance areas, none allowed inside. Be interesting to see how that goes.

[Gaijin Gigolo]

In Jarkarta I would not stay below $17 because the cigarette smell will make me sick, cough up a lung, and burn my eyes out of my head. I am at a $20 and is ok but still has cigarette smell at times. I like the large window big room, refrigerator, and location so I deal with the smoke smell. Next week go to a newish $23.

I believe the higher the cost the higher the smoking enforcement will be. I doubt there will be any problems above the $30 level. WARNING: Stereotype coming soon. Higher cost in general means better clientele.

Nobody talks about the other side of the coin (the down sides) so I do it. I feel bad for guys expecting ABC but getting XYZ instead. Cigarette smell in your hotel room for a non-smoker is huge and can ruin a vacation. I never had it nearly this bad in Colombia, Philippines, or Thailand (countries I am used to for comparison).

I agree with you on the cigarette smoke. It's disgusting and makes me ill at times too. Check out the AirBnB scene if you're going to be there more than a few days. Miniscule risk of smoke and prices very doable IMHO.

[Gaijin Gigolo]

Cigarette smoke isn't even a big deal bro. I used to smoke a pack a day of the Starlite cigarettes in Medellin.

Of course it's a big deal to many. It's disgusting and makes some people very ill. That's why indoor smoking has been banned most places around the world.

[June Fly]

Has anyone stayed at the Hotel 88 Mangga Besar VII? I saw this hotel while walking out of Hotel Travel. It's 3-star and the price is about $21 night and photos and reviews look good. Holiday Inn, Aloft, and Lumidor are my favorites, but this one appears to be convenient, and you can walk to Hotel Travel without getting Uber or Grab, and rest between sessions without haggled by mamasans.

[Gabacho]

In Jarkarta I would not stay below $17 because the cigarette smell will make me sick, cough up a lung, and burn my eyes out of my head. I am at a $20 and is ok but still has cigarette smell at times. I like the large window big room, refrigerator, and location so I deal with the smoke smell. Next week go to a newish $23.

I believe the higher the cost the higher the smoking enforcement will be. I doubt there will be any problems above the $30 level. WARNING: Stereotype coming soon. Higher cost in general means better clientele.

Nobody talks about the other side of the coin (the down sides) so I do it. I feel bad for guys expecting ABC but getting XYZ instead. Cigarette smell in your hotel room for a non-smoker is huge and can ruin a vacation. I never had it nearly this bad in Colombia, Philippines, or Thailand (countries I am used to for comparison).

Cigarette smoke isn't even a big deal bro. I used to smoke a pack a day of the Starlite cigarettes in Medellin.

[LoveItHere]

Does that apply in the international hotels as well? Like Holiday Inn or Santika?

In Jarkarta I would not stay below $17 because the cigarette smell will make me sick, cough up a lung, and burn my eyes out of my head. I am at a $20 and is ok but still has cigarette smell at times. I like the large window big room, refrigerator, and location so I deal with the smoke smell. Next week go to a newish $23.

I believe the higher the cost the higher the smoking enforcement will be. I doubt there will be any problems above the $30 level. WARNING: Stereotype coming soon. Higher cost in general means better clientele.

Nobody talks about the other side of the coin (the down sides) so I do it. I feel bad for guys expecting ABC but getting XYZ instead. Cigarette smell in your hotel room for a non-smoker is huge and can ruin a vacation. I never had it nearly this bad in Colombia, Philippines, or Thailand (countries I am used to for comparison).

[AddictedToWomen]

... smoke like crazy and it is in the aircon when it blows. If you have asthma or hate smoke like I do you will be miserable and being in a non-smoking room does not mean crap here. The aircon in my room was bothering my eyes and lungs like someone was blowing smoke in my face.

Does that apply in the international hotels as well? Like Holiday Inn or Santika?

[Expat American]

Hi,

Do you know what is the length / depth of the pool at Holiday Inn?

I am a good swimmer, I would like to know if it is big enough for me to practice (2. 5 km / 45 min).

Any other pool option in North?

Thanks.

No idea. Never used the pool. Was busy dipping in some sweet Indo pussy instead.

[Banana Boi]

My view is the cheap hotels are really bad here.

Then shell out another 10 USD per night for a good hotel where non smoking rooms means non smoking. Where else in the world can you clean international hotel chains like Novotel, Holiday Inn, Mercure, Ibis Styles, etc for around 30 USD per night?

Notice the details in my post BB? Almost as if I am actually here.

Clearly you're not in Jakarta because you believe Lokasari is a hot spot to find young pretty girls.

[LoveItHere]

Just pick one and book it for 2 nights. If you like it stay. If not move to one of many in the Mangga Besar area. Even if the hotel you've chosen is awful and you want to leave right away hotels are so cheap you can afford to take the loss and move on.

My view is the cheap hotels are really bad here. I had mites on the bed of my second hotel. I buzz cut my hair that night at the hotel and went to bed. I thought the little prickling feelings were that I had not rinsed all the hairs off well enough. But I was wrong. Had to wash all my clothes down the street and spray my stuff. NOBODY wants to do that on their vacation. Also, these people smoke like crazy and it is in the aircon when it blows. If you have asthma or hate smoke like I do you will be miserable and being in a non-smoking room does not mean crap here. The aircon in my room was bothering my eyes and lungs like someone was blowing smoke in my face.

Notice the details in my post BB? Almost as if I am actually here.

Even if the hotel is showing full on Agoda, Booking etc, just walk down to the lobby. There will be extra rooms that they haven't made available to the aggregators and will be able to reserve for you direct.

All 5 hotels I tested the price on were always cheaper online so booking direct would be best but costlier.

[Goferring]

..it is not often that hotel rooms are sold out in Jakarta. There are always plenty available.

Even if the hotel is showing full on Agoda, Booking etc, just walk down to the lobby. There will be extra rooms that they haven't made available to the aggregators and will be able to reserve for you direct.

G.

[Banana Boi]

Just a few hotels I looked at.

I'd help you in detail but since you posted all my posts are only story telling and I've never been to Jakarta or Thailand you wouldn't take my advice anyways.

But to help other members on this board who have never been to Jakarta who don't think I'm story telling, it is not often that hotel rooms are sold out in Jakarta. There are always plenty available. Just pick one and book it for 2 nights. If you like it stay. If not move to one of many in the Mangga Besar area. Even if the hotel you've chosen is awful and you want to leave right away hotels are so cheap you can afford to take the loss and move on.

[Goferring]

Just a few hotels I looked at. Agoda.com ratings versus my ratings when I visited and asked to see a room..

I've been caught out by Agoda ratings before. Beware that the default list of ratings is by "most helpful". These can be years old and anything pre COVID can be wildly different to today's reality.

Be sure to manually sort ratings by "most recent" to get up to date reviews, if you want an idea of what customers found.

PS. I should have added.... A very handy list

[LoveItHere]

Just a few hotels I looked at. Agoda.com ratings versus my ratings when I visited and asked to see a room.

Hotels near Travel / Lokasari.

8. 8 (7. 0) LEAF listed in many wrong locations. Middle of nothing. Big rooms but dirty pillow cases and walls.

7. 4 (7. 1) 88 HOTEL across from Travel had dirty bathroom and kids playing in the hallways.

8. 6 (4. 5) ARWANA dark and smelled like stall cigarettes and mold.

8. 2 (7. 3) INFINITY good for the price.

8. 3 (0) CITY BIZ Horrible! Dark. Dirty. Smelled like an ashtray. Got mites there like bedbugs.

8. 3 (0) CITY STYLE Horrible! Dark. Dirty. Smelled like an ashtray. You will get mites there like bedbugs. First room was so small I could not even put my suitcase down to open it so they moved me to a slightly larger room at CITY BIZ where I got attacked by mites. I had a doctor see the bumps and she told me there is a problem in Indonesia. Two street girls I saw had the same red bumps which I assume they had the same thing.

INFINTY, CITY BIZ, CITY STYLE are the same owner. All check ins are at the INFINITY Hotel.

Hotels near Classic.

8. 2 (7. 3) COVE Huge rooms but walls and bed sheets are dirty.

8. 4 (8. 8) HEEF was the cleanest I saw but very small rooms for the price.

Listen the hell up! If you are staying at the high end hotels I am sure you are fine. But all you guys that stay at the cheap hotels like me. You need to stay at a higher level hotel than you normally do or you will be sorry! The ratings by the travel sites and pictures are so off the mark. Basically anything under IDR 270,000 ($18 US) is a no-no.

I have read many times about the pollution here but I have never been out walking when the streets are a parking lot so it has not been bad in my view. What is bad is the cigarette pollution in the hotels. I stayed in a room and it smelled fine whenever I left for a few hours and came back. But as soon as I turned on the air conditioner I could smell cigarettes. I am in a better hotel on a non-smoking floor. Every day for 5 days straight there is some "A"-hole smoking on my floor. To get away from this issue I probably would need to stay at a Holiday Inn or Hyatt level hotel where I am sure they enforce the no smoking rules.

[InTheClouds]

1. I would want to go to places other than Classic. 2. See 1. You have to ride a taxi somewhere anyway. 3. Air goes everywhere. 4. Theres and ATM in the Holiday Inn Lobby. I load up with about 1 M IDR and it lasts me the night. Or pay by CC at Classic Spa.

But to each their own. Where I sleep is very important to me. Clean, comfy bed, good aircon, no cigarette smell, room service, gym, pool and breakfast. Holiday Inn gives all that for $40/ night.

Hi,

Do you know what is the length / depth of the pool at Holiday Inn?

I am a good swimmer, I would like to know if it is big enough for me to practice (2. 5 km / 45 min).

Any other pool option in North?

Thanks.