Escaping from the hustle and bustle of a big city such as Jakarta is (in my opinion) necessary. However with work and family obligations sometimes you don’t always have the time and luxury to plan and afford trips that requires you to get out of the city.
So here’s why I think a ‘Staycation’ can be pretty awesome:
- A quick change of scenery from your own home & bed
- Less stressful in planning and more affordable (especially when you have children)
- You get to explore your own ‘backyard’ or a different part of your city
- It can be spontaneous
- You don’t need to take a long leave from work
Raffles Jakarta Experience
This past weekend, our family of four had the chance to stay at Raffles Jakarta located right next to Lotte Shopping Avenue (Ciputra World). I have to say, we hardly (or shall I say ‘never’) go to this part of the city on the weekend and it felt like we were exploring a new territory, in a good way.
As we arrived at the hotel, we were promptly greeted by the hotel staff, including a nice lady who offered to take our carry-on bag inside.
Checking-in was made seamless and we were assigned into a Raffles Room on the 15th floor. I also noticed a special Priority welcome for Le Club AccorHotels members at the reception.
Raffles Jakarta has several types of room in which all rooms offers a Raffles Butler Service;
- Signature Room (60 sqm)
- Raffles Room (60 sqm)
- Artist Suite (97 sqm)
- Gallery Suite (136 sqm)
- Garden View Suite (136 sqm)
- 2-Bedroom Raffles Suite (390 sqm)
Personalized Welcome Note
Having stayed in a number of luxury hotels around the world, my comparison notes would usually lies into the personalized services and the little gestures a hotel would make for their guests. Raffles Jakarta had successfully done that at my arrival.
Personalized welcome on the TV screen and a handwritten welcome note.
At check-in, the front desk offered to deliver welcome drinks to our room, so I opted for their famous berry soda and the kids were offered an iced chocolate.
Generous Room Size & Beautiful Bathroom
What I love about this hotel is the generous room size; the most standard guest room such as Signature Room and Raffles Room is equivalent to a Junior Suite in other 5-star hotels.
The bathroom was beautifully designed with a full-size bathtub, an enclosed high-tech toilet and a large walk-in shower complete with the amenities you would expect from a 5-star luxury hotel including a his and her robe.
I was glad I had the chance to have a nice warm salted bubble bath on my first night staying here and it was just perfect.
The Pool and Facilities
One of the highlights of our stay is definitely spending time at the swimming pool on the 14th floor. If you’re looking to escape from Jakarta’s hecticness, then Raffles Jakarta offers a perfect oasis in the middle of the city.
The pool area is busier in the afternoon than the morning, even when it’s busy, you could always find a great spot because of the well-sized outdoor area. It was equally beautiful in the early mornings and around sunset.
Navina located right next to the swimming pool is a great pool restaurant, a perfect place to chill with your group of families of friends.
On the same floor you’d also find a Kids Club and a fully-equipped fitness centre, both facilities are very well-lit with natural light that could really help uplift your mood.
Hotel Restaurant & Bar
The hotel’s restaurant, the Arts Cafe located on the first floor just a few steps from the mall’s access. The breakfast features a full range of Western and Asian selection, from a made-to-order hot food of noodles, porridge, egg station to pastries and the usual English breakfast menu.
If you’ve heard of the Singapore Sling cocktail, it was first made popular by the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Right at the Writer’s Bar at Raffles Jakarta you can have a taste of not just Singapore Sling but also their signature drink called the Jakarta Sling – something that is not to be missed.
Highlights
It depends on what type of stay you’re looking for or what kind of mood you’re in, whether it’s a family getaway, a night out with friends or even a wedding celebration, Raffles Jakarta can definitely offer all these.
Since my stay experience was a family staycation, the highlights of our stay was definitely the generous size room, the pool oasis and the convenience of the hotel being located right next to a shopping centre that gave us even more food selection anytime of the day.
Would I recommend and stay in this hotel again? Absolutely.
