Jakarta - Hotels

[QUOTE=Ekspat]Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta
To Close For Renovation

Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta has announced that the hotel will close on December 23, 2007 in order to undergo a far-reaching renovation, which will reposition the property as the city's most luxurious and contemporary hotel.

Details of the exact nature of the renovation are still to be finalized, however substantial changes will be made to the property, including a significant reduction in the number of rooms. Due to the extensive nature of the planned renovation, the hotel will be closed for a significant period.

Just to let u know.

Cheers![/QUOTE]
Thanks for this important info.

I often recommend this hotel to friends as a very nice and girl-friendly hotel at a somewhat reasonable rate (under $90 a night). Sounds as if they'll be a lot more expensive once they re-open.

[QUOTE=XXL]At closing time they may call you rather than go home empty-handed.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but in case they got costumer, you are in bed empty handed.
Sounds really like a great night, especially in Jakarta.
Better have a plan B.
Cheers!

[QUOTE=Mighty Spearsman]Sounds as if they'll be a lot more expensive once they re-open.[/QUOTE]
True, I expect this as well.
Reduction in rooms means larger rooms to me--> price hike.
Stayed there several times because of the great location with plaza indonesia next door and many bars nearby.
Let's wait and see.

Cheers!

[QUOTE=Bulai69]There are many many posts on this subject: in summary, you will asked a million rupiah (100USD) for what you can get for 400k upwards elsewhere.[/QUOTE]

Agree they'll ask for satu juta but they can be negotiated down to reasonable market price - 500k rupiah. Depends on which night and also time of evening...

Yes, you are right - I wasn't recommending he pays them satu juta! My point was maybe better to hunt elsewhere?

If you travel light and can shop around once you get there, a tack I have used is to check into a fairly cheap and nasty place (the sort that doesn't get advertised in brochures or online). Just ask around or do some hunting. Then ask the bellboy to find you a girl and send her to your room.

(I am only recommending this to the adventurous who are confident about not getting mugged, ripped off etc. If you need to play safe, use one of the big hotels.)

[QUOTE=Bulai69]Yes, you are right - I wasn't recommending he pays them satu juta! My point was maybe better to hunt elsewhere?[/QUOTE]

Yup, totally agree again ;)

I was exhausted after work yesterday, so when I got back to the Mulia I called their spa and asked for an in-room massage. I've had these on several previous stays, and although they have been excellent "veggie" massages, nothing even slightly improper has ever been suggested (much to my disappointment).

Yesterday's massage proceeded as per usual until the massage girl (a 6, maybe, if you overlook the brown teeth) gestured at my boxer shorts and asked if I wanted a massage there too. I expressed interest, she quoted a ridiculous price, we haggled, she stripped naked and provided an expert oily-happy-ending while I groped her extensively. Negotiations revealed, incidentally, that HJs were the limit of this girl's services.

I guess it's a bit hit-or-miss here. I'm pretty sure you can't *order* a massage with extras from the spa, so it's just down to luck as to whether you get an obliging massage girl or not.

I'll probably book another massage for tomorrow; I wonder if any more extras will be offered.

There's a passing comment in your report which mentions your "boxer shorts". Whilst not wishing to invalidate your assumptions about the Mulia (the only 5* I've never stayed at), it's perhaps interesting to mention something which a "masseuse" I know well, told me at another hotel. I've "had" her a few times, notwithstanding the excessive cost for a hj, because she is the best practicioner I've ever found.

I asked her if she ever got refusals or lack of interest after she did her usual "accidental" initial stroking of her customer's bollocks. She was amused and said that it never happened because she always could tell if they wanted it well before hand. But the key point was that she said "pasti dia ga mau....kalau pakai boxer shorts" (certainly he doesn't want it...if he's wearing his boxer shorts!)

If you don't get anywhere, remember they will certainly be sacked if they get reported to the hotel management so if in doubt, they won't do it. I know from "reliable sources" that some hotels embed "phantom buyers" to check out mal-practice in that respect. No....I don't know of any vacancies!

[QUOTE=Bulai69]But the key point was that she said "pasti dia ga mau....kalau pakai boxer shorts" (certainly he doesn't want it...if he's wearing his boxer shorts!)[/QUOTE]

Interesting!

I'm now two-for-two at the Mulia; last night's massage also had a happy ending. Again, the boxer shorts stayed on throughout, and again, the masseuse just asked me outright, "Massage here too"?

I think they just judge the situation on its merits. I'm a young-ish guy, obviously in the hotel alone... it's a fair bet that I'll be up for a handjob. Also, both masseuses indulged in a little sneaky scrotum-rubbing during the "clean" part of the massage, and I think they may have drawn some conclusions from my reactions to that.

Never occurred to me to take off the boxers though. Will give that some thought!

[QUOTE=Idler31]Yesterday's massage proceeded as per usual until the massage girl (a 6, maybe, if you overlook the brown teeth) gestured at my boxer shorts and asked if I wanted a massage there too. I expressed interest, she quoted a ridiculous price, we haggled, she stripped naked and provided an expert oily-happy-ending while I groped her extensively. Negotiations revealed, incidentally, that HJs were the limit of this girl's services.

I'll probably book another massage for tomorrow; I wonder if any more extras will be offered.[/QUOTE]If you're in the Mulia, you're much better off nipping off to CJ's. If you go after 10: 30 you can find a girl in minutes. Buy a drink, have a nice chat, and then announce that you have to get up early. She will almost always offer to come up to the room. Short-term costs are less than a massage + HJ, between 450. 800k, depending on the time of night and how pretty she is. Try it once and you'll never get a massage there again.

Anyone knows any spa still open after midnight? Its really difficult to find one with local massage after 12:00 am.

[QUOTE=Key Master]The hotel that was recommended to you was Ambhara. It is very well located so much that you can walk across the street and get to the Blok M bars like Top Gun and My Bar. Also located right across the street is Passaraya Mall. It's a real good location. Also, you'll be able to get it cheaper if you go to the hotel reservations desk at the airport where you are getting your bags. It's called Indotel and you'll have to pay for your rooms in advance in order to do so by Rupiah or credit card. You can extend by going to one of their offices later in Jakarta. I'll put a link below to their website which I don't know how accurate it is, but it's saying 660,000 a night w/breakfast. The rooms aren't big but location is killer. Staying at other places in Blok M like Melawaii run probably in the 330k range. I used to stay there but it's a little ratty to me, and I got bit by mosquitoes as I'm a magnet to them. If mosquitoes don't bother you, you can go there. It's a farther walk to those bars, but once you know it, it's not a big deal. It can be kind of scary walking there late night though because of the darkness and might behoove you to just take a cab. Also, at night, you'll probably take a cab if you are with a woman in tow.

Personally for me, Blok M bars are great to go to for relatively cheap fun, but you don't have to stay that close. If the price is good for you, then Ambhara is pretty good location and it's a true 3-4 star hotel. It's great not to have to take a cab to go eat in the mall and then barhop. Hotel pricing for what you get in Thailand is not close, but this hotel will not disappoint if you can afford it. Otherwise, other hotels are definitely available but you'll have to cab or take a bus to Blok M. There is a hotel section here in the Indonesia section so if you haven't maybe read it. But the link below is Indotel and will show some pricing for them but you'll have to deal with them when you land and go pick your bags up. There's ATM's right when you clear immigration to pay in Rupiah, but for that much, you might have to charge it. There is another hotel reservation desk called Kaha right outside after you clear customs, but I don't recall seeing that they had a relationship with Ambhara hotel. You can check and the customs guy will let you go back into the luggage area to go back to Indotel to do business otherwise. At least they did with me before. Kaha seemed cheaper for the hotels that both did business with. They will even come to your hotel to help extend your stay for their price if you call them. Don't know if Indotel would do the same. You'll have to pay them cash though of course but it's all legit.

The hotel would not match the price given to me by the hotel reservations desk that's why I had to call them. It's stupid but they all do it. The website quotes for the hotels are kind of bs, so don't bother. The Indotel website below is kind of tricky to figure out but information is there, just find the links by moving your cursor around to see them.

Also, enjoy but realize it's not Thailand.

[url]http://www.goindotel.com/prg/booking.php?kdhot=19[/url][/QUOTE]
I just wanted to support Key Master's information in response to a recent post by Bowerboy in the "Jakarta" section. I'm posting my comments in this thread as it is the more appropriate section for discussion on hotels.

I travelled outside of Indonesia for a few days and arrived in Jakarta Sunday evening at Terminal 2, Section D (where most of the foreign airlines such as Singapore Air, Lufthansa, etc. have their flights). I went over to the Hotel Reservations counter inside the baggage area (as described above) and scribbled down the prices for several hotels, including the Ambhara Hotel in Blok M.

Ambhara Hotel - 680,000 rupiah a night

Hotel Melawai I - 255,000 rupiah a night

Hotel Melawai II - 290,000 rupiah a night

Mercure Rekso (in Kota, north part of Jakarta) - 520,000 rupiah a night

There was also a large sign on the wall boasting "Special Rates for Sultan Hotel" that's the old Hilton, also the Sahid Jaya (3 star hotel on Jl. Sudirman) had good rates as they are undergoing a renovation of their lobby and front entrance. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to write down their rates, but I'm sure that they are reasonable also.

Hope this helps Bowerboy.

Since I do not want to bring girls into my appartement. This hotel looks like a good place to bring a girl to. The price seems reasonable at arround Rp 270 rb and the location is great.

Did anyone try it ??

Any other suggestions are welcome.

[QUOTE=MarkIII]Since I do not want to bring girls into my appartement. This hotel looks like a good place to bring a girl to. The price seems reasonable at arround Rp 270 rb and the location is great.

Did anyone try it ??

Any other suggestions are welcome.[/QUOTE]
The rooms are small and furnishings are sparse, but hey, you're there to have sex, not admire the furniture.

Yes, the location and price are both good, especially for an overnight stay.

If you're only there for a short-time round, you could even book the room in the girl's name and let her keep the room for the night after you leave. If the girl just wants to sleep, that room may be nicer than her room in a crowded rooming house where she normally stays; if the girl wishes to entertain additional "clients" after you leave, that's up to her.

Other reasonably priced options for short-time/short stay are listed in a recent post by our distinguished senior member Oyenk.