Jakarta - Hotels

[BaliLuver]

Any review comments on bringing freelancers to the hotel?

[Gabacho]

After two weeks in Mangga Besar, a survey:

RedStarz, solid wifi, clean-ish, friendly staff. Cheap at $13 USD / night on Agoda.

Hotel Arwana, absolute shlthole, one of the armpits of Mangga Besara. Horrible internet connection and grimy as hell.

Spark Life ARTOTEL Curated, very nice property with a clean pool. Very clean, staff very friendly (almost to a fault sometimes) and superb wifi. Just don't bother with the in-house massage, it's shite and overpriced. An excellent property for $18 per night.

I didn't care much for sparks life when I stayed there but I think it was because I was on a smoking floor and it smelled of chemicals. Also they try to force you to buy the breakfast.

What about that Hotel 88 that is right down the street (Across from Luminor) that place looks nice. Also the upper budget guys who post here often mention that there are two different Luminor Hotels. They are correct. I went on a mission one night at 1 am to walk to an Alfamart that was still open to buy some coke zero and I ended up at an alfamart next to the other Luminor that is just south of the Sawah Besar Metro station (close to classic) then as we all know there is the Luminor Hotel on Mangga Besar across from Sparks Life and Hotel 88.

[Gaijin Gigolo]

After two weeks in Mangga Besar, a survey:

RedStarz, solid wifi, clean-ish, friendly staff. Cheap at $13 USD / night on Agoda.

Hotel Arwana, absolute shlthole, one of the armpits of Mangga Besara. Horrible internet connection and grimy as hell.

Spark Life ARTOTEL Curated, very nice property with a clean pool. Very clean, staff very friendly (almost to a fault sometimes) and superb wifi. Just don't bother with the in-house massage, it's shite and overpriced. An excellent property for $18 per night.

[Werqweq]

To get to the eastern side of jalan Gajah Mada you have to pass one huge crossroad. This takes 10 minutes on a motorbike.

Thanks for the warning. I will give it some more thought.

[Werqweq]

I also like a good breakfast to kick-start the day. I wonder whether booking Red Top without breakfast wouldn't be an option. You then would walk to Luminor or Moevenpick on some days to have breakfast there, assuming Luminor lets you in as a non-guest. Moevenpick's breakfast is on the expensive side (20 USD if I remember right). This is only a good idea if Red Top is markedly cheaper without breakfast included.

Thanks for the idea, but I don't think it's even possible to book Redtop without the breakfast, at least not on their own website. If I have to walk out somewhere it kind of ruins things anyway. No longer just a quick trip downstairs in the slippers after showering, before going back up to work with a cup of coffee. Plus I have to pay extra for it.

What is so horrible about it? Not much choice? I assume it's a buffet?

Buffet, yes. I thought it was decent enough the first two days, though I wouldn't rate the spread as much higher than 3-star hotel quality. On the third day I thought it had become pretty boring, and by the fifth day I only went down to stuff myself with enough egg protein to last till dinner and get some coffee. On my next stay half a year later, the spread seemed to be almost exactly the same and I soured on it.

A pity as the gym, the rooms (somewhat old and dated notwithstanding), and location are all great for mongering (Classic / Emporivum).

[Mogwai]

I've booked there for my next stay, just cause I can't stand the horribly repetitive breakfast at Redtop anymore,...

What is so horrible about it? Not much choice? I assume it's a buffet?

[XXL]

How huge a problem is the traffic? I've booked there for my next stay, just cause I can't stand the horribly repetitive breakfast at Redtop anymore, though otherwise I like the hotel, especially due to the good gym and good work space in room. Movenpick I unfortunately have to rule out as the rooms, at least the lower tiers, do not even have a work desk as far as I can tell from the photos.

I can still cancel my stay at M. P. , so would appreciate some details about travel time to Classic. When I checked online, it looked like it was about 15-20 minutes with car, and I'm guessing on a motorbike it will be half of that. If it's too bad, I might have to book at redtop again.

I remember once taking an hour and a half to get by taxi from Moevenpick hotel to Malioboro. This may have been a one-off as I never went to Malio again. A cab ride I did on a regular basis was from Moevenpick or Classic to Gajah Mada shopping Mall. That lasted the usual 20-30 minutes.

I also like a good breakfast to kick-start the day. I wonder whether booking Red Top without breakfast wouldn't be an option. You then would walk to Luminor or Moevenpick on some days to have breakfast there, assuming Luminor lets you in as a non-guest. Moevenpick's breakfast is on the expensive side (20 USD if I remember right). This is only a good idea if Red Top is markedly cheaper without breakfast included.

[Safado70]

How huge a problem is the traffic? I've booked there for my next stay, just cause I can't stand the horribly repetitive breakfast at Redtop anymore, though otherwise I like the hotel, especially due to the good gym and good work space in room. Movenpick I unfortunately have to rule out as the rooms, at least the lower tiers, do not even have a work desk as far as I can tell from the photos.

I can still cancel my stay at M. P. , so would appreciate some details about travel time to Classic. When I checked online, it looked like it was about 15-20 minutes with car, and I'm guessing on a motorbike it will be half of that. If it's too bad, I might have to book at redtop again.

To get to the eastern side of jalan Gajah Mada you have to pass one huge crossroad. This takes 10 minutes on a motorbike.

[Werqweq]

Plus: Spacious rooms, silent Airconditioning, great breakfast, only the breakfast in Mvenpick is better.

Minus: mediocre gym, traffic is a huge problem because of the current construction.

How huge a problem is the traffic? I've booked there for my next stay, just cause I can't stand the horribly repetitive breakfast at Redtop anymore, though otherwise I like the hotel, especially due to the good gym and good work space in room. Movenpick I unfortunately have to rule out as the rooms, at least the lower tiers, do not even have a work desk as far as I can tell from the photos.

I can still cancel my stay at M. P. , so would appreciate some details about travel time to Classic. When I checked online, it looked like it was about 15-20 minutes with car, and I'm guessing on a motorbike it will be half of that. If it's too bad, I might have to book at redtop again.

[Safado70]

Plus: Spacious rooms, silent Airconditioning, great breakfast, only the breakfast in Mövenpick is better.

Minus: mediocre gym, traffic is a huge problem because of the current construction.

[PartyAnimal]

So if it's not BATS what other hotel bar has freelancers in numbers? Melia?

What are the going rates for freelancers out of hotel bars please?

BATs and CJ are mostly MILFs but some of them are super wild to rock your night. Typically 1-1. 5 mil for the night. But some ask insanely higher.

[Mogwai]

I used the sofa for my two small suitcases (both handluggage size). Nowhere else to put them. Do they mention the square meters of the room? Bathroom was not too small though. Japanese toilet. Big shower.

Thanks XXL. Sounds good. It's attached room, 30 m2.

[XXL]

As long as it's a comfortable sofa and room, I don't mind that it's small.

I used the sofa for my two small suitcases (both handluggage size). Nowhere else to put them. Do they mention the square meters of the room? Bathroom was not too small though. Japanese toilet. Big shower.

[Mogwai]

The seating area is hardly an "area". It's just a sofa against the wall or window. The room is much smaller than it looks on the picture. Rooms in this hotel are rather small. Ok for 1 person, too small for 2 IMO. My room was like this one. It was "chambre lit queen classique" (classic room with queen bed)?

As long as it's a comfortable sofa and room, I don't mind that it's small.

[XXL]

Do the Classic rooms at the Mvenpick have a seating area like in attached picture? Or only the Executive rooms?
It's not clear from the pictures and very limited room information on their website.

I really don't understand that many hotels cannot even put clear pictures and information on their own website. I hate that.

The seating area is hardly an "area". It's just a sofa against the wall or window. The room is much smaller than it looks on the picture. Rooms in this hotel are rather small. Ok for 1 person, too small for 2 IMO. My room was like this one. It was "chambre lit queen classique" (classic room with queen bed)?