I had a one-night stay in Jakarta before flying to Bali the next day. I decided to splurge for a stay at the Kempinski after hearing much about it. This will also allow me to get my requalification for my GHA Titanium status out of the way. Rates at the Kempinski are high and in fact much more than what I would like to pay. Thankfully my remaining Discovery Dollars comes in handy. I am also keen to see how other Kempinski would be after only trying the one in Singapore. The Lady In Red got in touch one day before the stay to reconfirm my stay and also inform me that I have been upgraded two-tier to the Executive Grand Deluxe room from the base level room that I book. My spa arrangement is also arranged. The Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta have an excellent location. It is located right next to the Selamat Datang Monument fountain and is directly connected to the Grand Indonesia mall.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I book the stay directly from the hotel website. My nightly rate in their base-level deluxe Room cost 2.4m IDR which includes breakfast. It will be a good opportunity to try out another Kempinski hotel besides the Singapore one which I adored. I was double upgraded to their Executive Grand Deluxe on account of my GHA Titanium status. Early check-in was also accorded which came in handy given my early arrival. I covered most of the stay with my Discovery Dollars and the rate was really good. GHA always have really good rates and it was close to the spot FX rate. The conversion rate on the day I check out was 15205 IDR per USD. I emptied all my Discovery Dollars and top up another 900,000 IDR or so. Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta features 289 rooms and suites spread across 6 categories.
| Rooms | Ganesha Executive Club Access | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe | No | Yes | 44 Sqm | 120 |
| Grand Deluxe | No | Yes | 64 Sqm | 68 |
| Executive Grand Deluxe | Yes | Yes | 64 Sqm | 90 |
| Salon Suite | Yes | Yes | 85 Sqm | 6 |
| Diplomatic Suite | Yes | Yes | 128 Sqm | 4 |
| Presidential Suite | Yes | Yes | 412 Sqm | 1 |
Checking In
I arrive at the hotel at around 9.40am given the prolonged wait for my baggage and the flight delay. I took a grab from the airport which cost around 190,000 IDR including the tolls and parking. It took around 45 mins to get to the hotel. The traffic was smooth by Jakarta standards. The hotel was super busy even in the morning. Upon arrival, the bell boy immediately came over to help me with my bags. As per the usual in Indonesia, security was tight you will have to go thru airport-style security screening.
The lobby was pretty chic and I was immediately helped to by the staff at the reception. My room was already ready and my GHA Titanium status was recognised. It is quite lovely that they extended club privileges even to upgraded rooms. This isn’t the case in the Singapore Kempinski. I was provided with all the information and they also offer a drink voucher at the hotel’s German restaurant, Paulaner Bräuhaus. That’s a nice touch.
Executive Grand Deluxe Room
I was assigned an Executive Grand Deluxe room on the 7th floor. The is also on the same floor as the executive lounge. My room, 732, was just a short walk away from the main elevators. There are a couple of them in the hotel so do make sure to use the one that is easier for your room location. The Executive Grand Deluxe room is the best available non-suite room that they have over here. It measures a spacious 64 Sqm. That has to be one of the largest non-suite rooms out there and it feels more like a junior suite.
The room comes with an L-shaped entranceway before you turn right and enter the main space of the room itself. By the entranceway, you can find the wardrobe which is of a good size. It is well-equipped and comes with everything that you might need. There are plenty of hangers, a safe as well as bathrobes and bath slippers.
The main space of the room is in a huge spacious rectangular configuration. You have a little sitting area with a couch as well as a coffee table. It is always nice to have a separate seating area even though you are not in a suite. A cake and fruit platter was brought over later on as a welcome amenity.
The minibar and TV are located together on a chest opposite the bed. The high-quality Smart TV comes with plenty of both local and international cable TV channels. Although it is located at an angle, the TV can swerve to face either the sitting area or the bed. You can find a fully equipped mini fridge as well as an actual espresso coffee machine with capsules provided which I appreciated.
The highlight of the room is definitely the plush king-size bed. One of the best I had laid on. I had a great rest on it after the long travelling day. The pillows offer great neck support and you can request some harder ones as well. The ottoman in front of the bed offers some extra storage area and it is also nice for placing some clothes. At first, I was shocked by the lack of power outlets on the side of the bed before realising that they are designed to be hidden in the pull-out drawer on either side of the bed. I do wish that they had installed some international adapters instead or USB outlets. You can find the lighting controls here too.
The room comes with an awesome view of the famous Selamat Datang Monument Roundabout with the fountain right in front of the view. It is lovely both in the day and in the evening too.
By the window, you can find an additional armchair. The work desk is also here and it is made of glass. Power outlets are within reach and the office chair offers decent back support. Wi-Fi is generally good in the room but may get spotty around other areas in the hotel.
The bathroom is an impressive aspect of the room. Located behind a pair of double doors, you can find the spacious bathrooms with both His and Her sinks. All sorts of amenities are provided. While I am disappointed to see that only house-branded toiletries are offered instead of the Salvatore Ferragamo ones. They have the most impressive toothbrush that I have ever got in a hotel. An Oral B toothbrush!!! This got to be a first!
Look at that gigantic tub that can fit like 3 or 4 pax!
A hairdryer is also found below the sink and this is a disappointing aspect of the hotel. I do not expect to see such stuff in a luxury hotel. The standing shower and toilet are located in separate rooms. Water pressure is excellent from both the handheld shower head as well as the rainforest shower.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre is located on the 17th floor. It is an amazing facility and comes with a good view of the surrounding area. I love how spacious and bright the facility is with plenty of natural light. It seems to be a very welcoming place. The fitness centre is open from 5.30am to 9pm daily. The places seem well maintained by the staff. Towels and water are provided.
Spa
I did manage to squeeze in a spa treatment despite my short stay and pre-reserved a 90 mins massage beforehand. You can check out the spa menu here. The prices are good for a 5-star hotel with a 90 mins massage coming in at 825,000 IDR and GHA Titanium members also get a 15% discount. Do make a reservation ahead if you would like to come. The spa is located on the 17th floor just off the pool and fitness centre. Upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed in and then ask to fill out a form. They also serve me a welcome drink which was some lemongrass tea. I was also asked to try out some of the essential oil that they have and choose my preferred one from, Lavender, Green Tea, Sweet Orange or Eucalyptus.
I went for a hot stone massage which was excellent. This is very much needed after the long night and the flight. The therapist then introduced themselves and we were then led into the treatment room.
The treatment was excellent and super relaxing. It loosens my muscles. The therapist was great and constantly check whether the pressure was enough. After the massage, we were led to the relaxation room where the staff offered us some hot tea and pandan cookies.
Pool
Together with the fitness centre, the pool is also located on the 17th floor. The rooftop pool is lovely and has a nice set-up. The pool is on the smaller side. You have a main circular pool as well as a jacuzzi on the other side. The pool is open from 6am to 9pm daily. It is spacious enough for you to do some laps and laze by.
Surrounding the pool, you can find plenty of sunbeds. Sadly, my stay is too short for me to use the facility.
Ganesha Executive Club
The lounge is also called Ganesha Executive Club. It is located on the same floor as my room and is open from all day long. It offers afternoon tea from 2 to 5pm and evening cocktails from 6 to 9pm. The lounge is a lovely space to hang out and looks quite nice to spend some time in. It is not a huge space. Here are some pictures of the lounge.
I went to check out the afternoon tea offerings and the offerings weren’t too impressive. This is definitely not worth tracking back to your hotel for. It doesn’t look appetizing at all. I would have expected a lot more from a Kempinski. Drinks-wise, you can find the usual soft drinks, coffee, tea and juices.
Evening cocktails were slightly better. They actually have one of the more generous evening cocktails hours from 6 to 9 pm. Drinks-wise, you have some spirits, wine and 2 types of beer. They have both Bintang and Heineken.
Food offerings are much better in the evening. You can find some snacks, cheese and a small salad bar. There is also a couple of hot dishes.
I was expecting a little more from a Kempinski. This is definitely not a dinner replacement. You can skip it if you are not around the hotel too. Service is excellent here and the place is good for a drink or two before dinner.
Breakfast at Signature Restaurant
Breakfast is served at Signature Restaurant which is located on the ground floor just by the reception area. Breakfast service is from 6.30am to 10.30am. It was a feast. I was welcomed and ushered into the restaurant. The staff also gave us a brief introduction to the buffet lineup on the way in and took drinks orders. The Signature Restaurant is rather spacious and the crowd was out despite the early hour that we are there.
I did not have time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast as I was in a rush and had to catch a flight later on. This is one of the best breakfast spread that I ever had in Indonesia. My very first in Jakarta and there was really a lot of food for guests to enjoy. You have options ranging from various live stations. The lineup will more or less suit everyone, you can find Japanese, Western, Chinese and local dishes. I will let the pictures do the rest of the speaking.
As with Kempinski properties, the pastries and spreads options are not lacking. You can also find their signature honeycomb. However, the sausages are underwhelming for the German heritage branding of Kempinski.
What I really enjoyed were the local cuisine dishes especially the Soto Ayam, Gado Gado and Nasi Goreng. I wish that I had more time to properly enjoy a leisurely breakfast here.
When you know that a hotel has ice cream for breakfast. This is a sign that you are in for a treat!
Conclusion
I had a comfortable stay at the Kempinski. The local is ideal and having the Grand Indonesia mall directly connected makes things easy. This is my second Kempinski property. The rates are rather high here for Jakarta and I doubt I would splurge for it if I were paying fully in cash. It is a little more than what I would like to pay for a hotel in Jakarta. The club lounge is rather weak in my opinion and I would rather they canned it and provide more drinks vouchers at the German restaurant. The vibes are really good there. The rooms are lovely and well-maintained but showing their age. I especially enjoyed the spa and breakfast here. With that, I have also qualified for GHA titanium status for the next year. Tried and tested!
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