Travel Forum / Destinations / Asia / February 2006

The Marriott is close to downtown but far enough from the center not to
have the congestion. Great hotel. Not much good shopping in the area if
that's what you're looking for.

Mandarin Oriental is closer to the business area. Walking distance from
several good shopping areas and restaurants.

Marriott is a better hotel. Mandarin is a bit cheaper but still 4 star.

These people have good rates  http://www.goindotel.com/ Sometimes the
website does not work well, and sometimes the list of deals is not up to
date so confirm by email. Or just wait until you get to the airport, few
hotels are full, most are probably under 50% full, some far under.

They also run the hotel booking desk in the airport, just by where you
collect luggage (international terminal)
There are good deals available, and Indotel probably have the better ones
(at least they used, I haven't checked lately).
You could be paying anything from US$50 to $200+. Usually rates are ++, i.e.
add 21% for tax and service to the base rate.

As for hotels:
- If you are there for business, where is your office?  No point in wasting
an hour or two in traffic each day.
- Do you need leisure facilities - good pool, tennis, gardens, etc?

That would narrow the range.

Some options which should have OK rates:
- Borobudur - great for leisure - 50M pool, indoor and outdoor tennis,
squash, gardens, jogging track. But rooms are not the best and location is
in the government rather than business area. I have seem rates around $75++.
5* but not the rooms.
- Hilton - good location, where Sudirman crosses the toll road to airport,
great for sport, but food can be below par for a 5*. Very big grounds, gold
driving range next door, but nowhere nearby to walk to.
- Mandarin and Le Meridien - smaller 5 stars, both have good service in my
experience; in the middle of the business area
- Aryaduta - was the Hyatt and I thing still managed by Hyatt  lost the name
for political reasons, not their fault. Probably the cheapest of the 5*,
good service, but so-so pool etc. Govt area. Maybe still 5*, or could be 4
- There is a new Ritz Carlton, good location by the Marriot - I heard they
are doing good deals while they are new. Business area, between Kuningan and
Sudirman. 5* upper end.
- Nikko - 4*? Nicely rebuilt a couple of years back, looks good. Good rates
I hear. Very central
- Aston - apartment hotel - good location near Sudirman, probably bigger
than average rooms. 4*?

Lots of others, depending on what you need, and where.
There is not really an obvious centre to Jakarta, or there are several
- Old Jakarta & Chinatown, now mostly run down
- The Monas/Thamrin area - goverment offices
- Thamrin/Sudirman area - modern business centre, most of the multinationals
etc
- Kuningan, another business area not far from Sudirman
- South Jakarta - residential and some industrial estate (some oil companies
there)

If there is a centre I would place it at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout,
where you find the Grand Hyatt hotel, the Nikko and the Mandarin.