Do you dream to sleep in a
“hip” but not too expensive hotel? To wake
up in a coffee plantation? To experience a lifestyle
that recalls the golden age of travel in the 1930s?
Or to have a room which objects have been displayed
at the National Museum? Indonesia makes it possible
with some extraordinary hotels. And they are even more
waiting for you...
Over the last decade, many international chains invested
and continue to invest in Indonesia as a sign of confidence
for the tourism potential of the country. Hotels in
Indonesia have even set trends over the world. The luxurious
“Balinese style” with its intensive use
of precious wood, its combination of natural material
like cotton or rattan, its balanced integration of art
pieces and its refined spa experience has spread to
the rest of the world. Bali today continues to set trends
in the industry with some of the most lavish hotels
on earth. Travellers will however find more and more
unique properties in other parts of Indonesia. You will
find a selection of hotels which are exceptional in
any standards. The list is not exhaustive and they are
many more to discover during your next trip.
Jakarta: trendy living
at affordable prices
If you expect the best of international chains, they
are all there in Jakarta: Hilton, Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental,
Meridien, Mercure, Nikko, Shangri-La or Sheraton and
more… However, one of the new emerging markets
is today boutique design hotels. Two properties are
a must for trendy urbanites: the Alila
Jakarta is a haven of relaxation and contemporary
style with its minimalist modern lines and its collection
of art. All the rooms are large, well lighted and equipped
with free internet access. And surprisingly, rates start
as little as US$ 90 for this four-stars property, a
great bargain! For budget conscious but trendy travellers,
the Sparks hotel is a new option. The eight-storey building
has been designed as a three-star boutique hotel in
modern “youthful” architecture, located
in the heart of Chinatown. Travellers can even choose
the colour of their rooms in three different shades
(blue, green or purple) and will enjoy the funky bathroom!
Prices start from US$ 60…
Yogyakarta: living like
a Sultan
The development of Yogyakarta and its region has a major
tourist destination ignited a boom of boutique hotels
offering extraordinary experiences to travellers. The
hotel “Rumah Semang », 20 minutes away from
the city centre, is a former Javanese Palace dating
back to the XVIII° century and reconverted into
an exclusive boutique hotel surrounded by a traditional
garden. Only six rooms are available to experience the
life of a Royalty!
An hour and a half away from Yogyakarta, stay in the
midst of a coffee plantation at the
Losari Coffee Plantation Resort and Spa, surrounded
by a tropical garden and facing eight volcanoes. 26
deluxe villas build in traditional Javanese style with
antique furniture surround a magnificent colonial house,
which used to be the property of the coffee plantation
owner. Antique furniture equips each of the villa and
special spa products are available in the bathroom.
An octagonal swimming pool with surrounding terrace,
part of a Hammam complex, is the perfect spot to admire
the amazing mountain scenery. The Java Green Restaurant
proposes a healthy lunch card featuring ingredients
from Losari’s own organic gardens.
Closer to Borobudur, relax your mind facing in exclusivity
the beauty of the majestic temple at the Amanjiwo.
Opened in 1997, the limestone-made resort reproduces
the layout of the Borobudur temple with its central
dome reminiscent of a stupa. The hotel has 36 suites
set in pavillion with 15 having their own swimming pool.
Swimming , relaxing and facing a sunset over one of
the most beautiful buddhist monument in the world is
not anymore a dream…
http://tourism.jogja.go.id
East Java: recalling
the past
For nostalgic travellers of a by-gone era, East Java
offers colonial style hotels. In Surabaya, the Mandarin
Oriental Majapahit is a landmark and symbol of
the wealth of Indonesia’s second city and has
been delighting guests for almost a century. With its
white arcades, its opulent art deco rooms, its interior
gardens, the hotel is a living memory.
An hour and a half away by road, Malang, nestled in
a valley surrounded by mountains, used to be the cool
retreat during the summer for retired Dutch planters,
civil servants and wealthy residents of Surabaya. The
city is the perfect host to the Tugu
Malang hotel. The property looks like a museum
as it is home of one of the finest antiques collection
in the country with some of its objects regularly exposed
at the National Museum in Jakarta. In this quiet atmosphere,
guests of the Tugu Malang can enjoy the beauty and serenity
of their rooms, all furnished with authentic antics
following a classical style. One of the hightime at
the hotel occurs in the afternoon when old ladies pour
special blend Javanese coffee to guests accompanied
by traditional Javanese cakes made in the hotel's own
bakery.
Bali: spiritual living
In the Island of Gods, the Conrad
Bali Resort and Spa on Tanjung Benoa Beach is
a haven of high style and luxury, a soulful blend of
contemporary Balinese sense of harmony and serenity.
Here travellers experience the art of living according
to the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana. This
concept takes its root in the principles of a quest
for harmony and balanced relations between the Humans
and God, the Humans and their environment and among
Humans themselves. The Conrad Bali will plunge the visitor
into a world of smiles, with people that are refreshingly
natural in their approach and genuinely friendly. The
Spa uses traditional Balinese products in a refined
atmosphere.
In the heights of Ubud Village, the Maya
Ubud Resort and Spa offers a singular unexpected
experience. The hotel location is already an amazing
discovery: The Maya Ubud Resort is set in 10 hectares
of hillside gardens, stretching 780 metres, high above
two river valleys. The elegant and peaceful retreat
is the place to enjoy Bali in all of its diverse activities:
learn to cook Balinese, lift your spirit with the Reiki,
an ancient system of Natural Healing, relaxed with your
beloved in a private spa pavilion located beside the
swirling waters of the Petanu river, have a private
bicycle ride in surrounding villages. Plunge into the
two pools set amidst the forest green, overhanging the
river valley and at the riverside. It is then easy to
forget that any world exists outside of Maya Ubud.
Lombok, living in a village
The Lombok’s Novotel
Coralia is an impressive architectural masterpiece
built in the style of a traditional Sasak village, one
of the ethnics living in Lombok. The magnificent property
stays on the shores of a crystal blue lagoon. The hotel
is surrounded by tropical gardens where bungalows are
located. The hotel has also traditional rooms decorated
with coconut wood.
Sumbawa, living in luxury
under tents
It might be a remote area from East Indonesia but the
Amanwana in Sumbawa Besar, West Sumbawa, is one of the
most stunning hotels in the country. Built like a nature
camp, the hotel is located in a secluded cove on the
island’s west coast surrounded by tropical forests.
The hotel has 20 luxury tents offering the most comfortable
stay with air conditioning, king size bed, a large bathroom,
all decorated with exquisite pieces of Indonesian art.
A restaurant and bar are located in an open air pavilion
facing the sea. Guests have the possibility to explore
the island and practice snorkelling and windsurfing.
