Jakarta - Hotels

[QUOTE=Stykler;2226521]Why should he PM you? Don't you think the rest of us deserve access to his insight?[/QUOTE]I agree everyone must benefit. I was referring to sharing a specific contact no in PM. Relax bro.

This might be a bit outside the scope of this thread, but I'm looking at Raffles, Kempinski, MO, Shangri-La, and Ritz-Carlton amongst other places, and curious if any of those hotels have had an especially recent refresh. I love the service in SEA five-stars, but sometimes the parent companies get a bit negligent in updating the furnishings.

[QUOTE=Advantageous;2228073]This might be a bit outside the scope of this thread, but I'm looking at Raffles, Kempinski, MO, Shangri-La, and Ritz-Carlton amongst other places, and curious if any of those hotels have had an especially recent refresh. I love the service in SEA five-stars, but sometimes the parent companies get a bit negligent in updating the furnishings.[/QUOTE]Hard to go wrong with any of these hotels. Shangri-La has the advantage of having BATS bar downstairs. I haven't stayed at Shangri-La in years, so not sure how newly renovated the rooms are there, but I have very picky business associates who still stay there and love it, so the rooms must still be in great shape. MO renovated a little over 10 years ago and I'm sure it's still quite nice, but I don't like to stay there. I always like Kempinski, and it's hard to beat Ritz-Carlton, but the newest are Raffles and Fairmont (which I realize you didn't mention, but it's new and close to CJs). If I had my choice, I may go for Raffles simply because it's only a few years old and I've heard good reviews on it. My second choice would probably be Kempinski. It also depends on where you want to go outside the hotels because they are in different areas of Jakarta.

I've been to the venue just the once about 12 months ago and had a "so-so" experience with a two lady deal. I feel I may do better on a return visit.

My plan is to visit Jakarta for the weekend early November (I have arranged a transit stop for a business trip) and this time stay at the Hotel Classic for 3 nights so I spend more time at the venues inside and less time travelling around in traffic.

Any thoughts on the accommodation and meals at the Classic and any nice restaurants nearby to be recommended?

[QUOTE=Advantageous;2228073]This might be a bit outside the scope of this thread, but I'm looking at Raffles, Kempinski, MO, Shangri-La, and Ritz-Carlton amongst other places, and curious if any of those hotels have had an especially recent refresh. I love the service in SEA five-stars, but sometimes the parent companies get a bit negligent in updating the furnishings.[/QUOTE]The Shangri-La has finished their rooms fresh up in 2017. The Kempinski is desperately due for one last I heard.

[QUOTE=Kodja;2232327]I've been to the venue just the once about 12 months ago and had a "so-so" experience with a two lady deal. I feel I may do better on a return visit.

My plan is to visit Jakarta for the weekend early November (I have arranged a transit stop for a business trip) and this time stay at the Hotel Classic for 3 nights so I spend more time at the venues inside and less time travelling around in traffic.

Any thoughts on the accommodation and meals at the Classic and any nice restaurants nearby to be recommended?[/QUOTE]The hotel is about a 1 star and that's being generous. I am a non smoker and the whole place stinks of cigarette smoke. Even though I supposedly given a non smoking room there was smoke all around me. I was coughing so much I checked out early and moved to another hotel near Gajah Mada. Being in the vicinity of the terminals and bunker was an advantage that I could walk there but in retrospect it was a very bad decision to stay in that hotel.

A member asked me via PM to post a review of this hotel, so here goes. First of all, this is not a hotel which I would normally go for. It was seen as just a convenient place to stop over for a couple of nights. The in-house spa was probably the main attraction. Accordingly to the usual websites, this hotel rates 3. 5 stars, but normally, at least in a place like Jakarta, I'd go for four stars or better. The low cost helped, especially since I was arriving very late and therefore had limited opportunity to enjoy the hotel facilities. And the location seemed convenient too, although this turned out not to be the case.

My room was the deluxe king bed. Total cost for the two nights was 1.1 Juta, or 55 ($71) at the exchange rate at the time. That included WiFi and breakfast for two. Size quoted as 35 sq. Mt, so it was spacious enough for my purposes. A/C seemed fine, usual safe etc. Bathroom was good, with a walk in shower plenty big enough for two. Water pressure and temperature were excellent at the times I used the shower.

Bed was comfortable. Minimal external traffic noise, since the hotel is set back from the road, and little if any corridor noise that I noticed. However light sleepers may have a problem with the noise from the karaoke rooms on the 5th floor. My room was on the 7th or 8th floor and I could hear the muffled noise, but it did not disturb me. Everything in the hotel seemed to be very clean. Did not use room service.

Buffet style breakfast was available on the ground floor. It did seem rather basic, but I had only one breakfast, and a light one at that, so I may not be the best judge. Lifts were fine. ATM in the lobby. Check-in and checkout were quick and efficient. Overall, the hotel seemed to have quite low occupancy, and the residents that I saw appeared to be on business not on vacation. Spa was fine. For more details, see my report in the main Jakarta thread.

For me, one major disadvantage would be the absence, outside of the spa, of a good lounge or pleasant area with a nice view to relax and have a beer or a coffee. The other main disadvantage was the location, with nothing of interest in walking distance. So I would definitely not stay there again, but it would be OK for someone needing a clean, modern, budget-friendly, business hotel for a limited stay, and who had a need to be located in that area. Photos on sites such as Hotels dotcom are accurate.

After reading MaxAircon's review on Orchardz Hotel Industri I felt guilty that I didn't do the same.

I chose to stay there because I felt I could avoid travelling in the heavy and unpredictable Jakarta traffic during a long weekend in Jakarta and monger "on site".

The hotel was booked trough Angoda for about RP130,000,000 for three nights which worked out to be another mistake I made. I'll get to that later.

Although I booked a non smoking room I was told at the time of booking they will do their best to meet my request. I then contacted the hotel directly via WhatsApp (I speak fluent Indonesian) and said if you can't guarantee me a non smoking room I'll book somewhere else. They then told me they will prepare a non smoking room for me so I made the booking firm.

Upon arrival everything seemed fine. The staff were very friendly and a basic breakfast buffet was included as well as free WiFi which worked well. The hotel has 3 floors and a ground floor and I had a room on the second floor. My room had a window but it faced out onto a private balcony towards the inside sort of like a roofed atrium from the first level to the top. I noticed other guests on their balconies were smoking.

My room was simple. Everything worked. The AC was noisy and the room smelled slightly of cigarette smoke. As soon as I went outside the door of the room the smell of stale cigarette smoke became stronger. The breakfast buffet area also was a smoking area even though there were no smoking signs on some tables. I had had enough.

I stayed there for two nights and on the morning of the second day I told the reception I had to move out a day earlier and asked for one night refund. I didn't think I would get a refund and they told me that because I booked with Angoda there is no refund. I wasn't going to argue so I checked out late the afternoon of the second day. On the way out the bell boy asked me why was I checking out early and I told him of the smoking. He said they should have put me on the third floor because that is a non smoking floor! WTF! All good, lesson learnt.

The accommodation part of the hotel is under different management to the the terminals, bunker and spa. However because they were all in close walking distance to my room it made things just a little bit more easier for me. I had some interesting experiences in the terminals and spa and will report on that separately. I won't be staying in that hotel again but I reckon I'll return to the terminals in the future.

[QUOTE=Kodja;2247973]The hotel was booked trough Angoda for about RP130,000,000 for three nights which worked out to be another mistake I made.[/QUOTE]Oops! The room was Rp1,300,000 for the 3 nights.

Have my airfare taken care of, although it will be in Economy for the 2 segments (US to Tokyo HND, then on to Jakarta) - so really hope for good comfort during my stay. Mostly interested in massage (incall), and 1 visit to Classic. Will also hope to try Tinder, failing that, use my charm at a nice shopping mall.

I am trying to keep my status with Marriott.

Ideas on these properties -.

J. W. Marriott.

Aloft Jakarta Wahid Hasyim.

Four Points by Sheraton (seems best value).

The Mayflower (Marriott Executive Apartments).

[QUOTE=PapaeNoel;2250813]I am trying to keep my status with Marriott. [/QUOTE]1. The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan. A great hotel with super large, well appointed rooms, a great pool / garden area, excellent restaurant, and an OK location, although further south than the rest on your Marriott list. I found this hotel to be very high value for the money therefor I highly recommend this hotel, although, due to its location you can expect to add 15 minutes travel time to Malioboro at 9pm compared to staying at the Four Points.

2. J. W. Marriott (across the street from the Ritz) - well appointed rooms although much smaller than those at the Ritz and a terrible pool. Good restaurant, but due to the lousy pool and room size, I can't recommend this hotel and personally will never stay here again.

3. The Mayflower. I never stayed at this hotel, but based on my experiences at 2 Bangkok Marriott Executive Apartment Hotels (Thonglor (Soi 55) & Park (Soi 24)) I would expect that it is probably pretty good, but unless it were substantially less money than the Ritz-Carlton, Mega Kuningan, I would much prefer the Ritz.

4. Four Points by Sheraton. I never stayed at this hotel either, but have passed it many times on my way North to the brothels. It looks like a modern, no frills 4 star corporate hotel. Nothing fancy, but new, clean, standardized rooms very similar to other Four Points elsewhere.

As far as girls are concerned, here is my #1 tip to you: don't miss Malioboro Lounge / Malio Club or the Emporium Spa Hotel. Both are very different from each other, but both have great girls, and both are vastly superior to Hotel Classic IMHO. I had 6 or 7 girls in Malio / Malioboro & 4 girls in Emporium this October trip and had only 1 girl I would not bother repeating with. Can anyone say the same thing about Hotel Classic?

[QUOTE=PapaeNoel;2250813]Have my airfare taken care of, although it will be in Economy for the 2 segments (US to Tokyo HND, then on to Jakarta) - so really hope for good comfort during my stay. Mostly interested in massage (incall), and 1 visit to Classic. Will also hope to try Tinder, failing that, use my charm at a nice shopping mall.

I am trying to keep my status with Marriott.

Ideas on these properties -.

J. W. Marriott.

Aloft Jakarta Wahid Hasyim.

Four Points by Sheraton (seems best value).

The Mayflower (Marriott Executive Apartments).[/QUOTE]If you have gold status or higher with Marriott, the JW Marriott will likely bump you to a suite (not always, but many times). The suite rooms there are quite good, but the normal rooms are just ok for the price. If you were guaranteed a suite for the normal room price, I'd go with that one. The Ritz Carlton standard rooms are nicer and only about 20 usd more per night.

The Mayflower has the biggest standard rooms of the hotels you listed (it's basically an apartment), but it's not as convenient as far as being near any malls or restaurants within walking distance.

I have not stayed at Aloft or Four Points. However, the rooms at Aloft are newer than Four Points. Although it's near a mosque and not in as good a location, it seems the Aloft may be a good choice since it's about 1/3 the price of the JW or Mayflower and relatively new.

As far as going to Hotel Classic and convenience of location to get there, Four Points seems the best, but it's likely the worst room of any of the choices.

I just read Natty Bumpo's reply. He is spot on. I also prefer Malio over Hotel Classic, however Malio costs about 3 times the price of Classic.

Have also enjoyed the Marriott Thong lor property (apartment), and as a Platinum Elite got the free breakfast, etc. Need to look at the hotels in more detail.

As for staying at the J. W. - I am sure I would appreciate the extra comfort if I actually did get upgraded, but seeing that there is no guarantee of this happening, I am favoring the Four Points by Sheraton.

Malio sounds intriguing.

[QUOTE=PapaeNoel;2250877]I am favoring the Four Points by Sheraton.[/QUOTE]Let us know how it was, I'm curious. I don't know anyone who has stayed there.

[QUOTE=PapaeNoel;2250877]Have also enjoyed the Marriott Thong lor property (apartment), and as a Platinum Elite got the free breakfast, etc. Need to look at the hotels in more detail.

As for staying at the J. W. - I am sure I would appreciate the extra comfort if I actually did get upgraded, but seeing that there is no guarantee of this happening, I am favoring the Four Points by Sheraton.

Malio sounds intriguing.[/QUOTE]You can also consider Westin and LE Meridien. Both are part of Marriott group after the merger with Starwood.