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latest overview
May 15th 2000:
As the crisis passes, most Asian tourism authorities are promoting heavily tourism to their own countries, as well as in co-operation with neighbours. Tourism is an old stand-by to generate revenue, and with Asian currencies still down on 3 years ago, attracting strong North American and European folding stuff has great attraction. As a result, hotel rates are increasing region wide as tourist arrivals increase, despite some over-supply of accomodation from over building pre-crisis. Competition is keeping rates down nevetheless, but be wary of the "extra charges". Hoteliers are keeping room rates down but increasing the cost of food and beverage and commnication. Malaysia and Indonesia have recently introduced timed local calls. This has been a god-send for hotels who can now make their normal sizeable profit on every minute rather a sizeable profit on just one call. Accessing the Internet from hotel rooms, which a few years back would cost around 30 sens in Malaysia for example for as many hours as you want will now cost you around $30 to $80 Ringitt every hour. That's a 1,000 percent and over percent increase of the cost of doing business in these countries via phone lines from the hotel. The great majority of that is profit for the hotel. Negotiate a special rate for local calls with the hotel if you expect to be accessing the Internet for long perios from your lap-top in the hotel toom. Thailand is also considering introducing timed calls, with no doubt great anticipation from Thai hoteliers.
October 1999: Malaysian hotels rates, after a being the best regional value of 2 years are on the way up, previously overpriced 5 star Bangkok hotels are on the way down, and Singapore rates are steady. All rates simply reflect the over supply of hotel accomodation, especially in KL, and the higher optimism in the travel industry at this time as incoming tourist figures increase. Hong Kong is beefing up its tourist promotion.
March 1999: Five to four star hotels in most capital cities in the region have decreased their rates significantly in order to attract the lesser numbers of business travelers. Smaller and boutique hotels have generally increased rates as they have less rooms to fill and are experiencing more regional travelers due to lower room rates.
Value looks especially good in Malaysia and Singapore. However, 5 star hotel rack rates in Indonesia remain high, though many hotels are willing to bargain. Watch out for "hidden" extras in items such as local calls, a recent rise in telekom charges in Indonesia giving hotels an opportunity to regain revenues lost in room rates, through
exorbitant rates.
Thailand's successful Amazing Thailand campaign has left occupancy rates in Bangkok and especially popular resorts looking much better than expected. Supply and demand means Thailand accommodation costs have increased significantly in Baht terms in the last 18 months.
Hong Kong room rates have decreased significantly from those of 2 years ago.
Expect to pay around $80 US in 5 star hotels in most South East Asian countries (though the rack rates regularly hit 160 to 200 US), less than $50 US in 4 star hotels, and around $25 to $30 US in 3 star hotels in these countries.
peninsular
Excellent location near the Harbour on the Kowloon side. Star ferry is very
close for the island ferry as is the MTR Tsim Sha Tsui station. Old style
service but most of the views are now blocked out. The glitterati now stay
at the Regent close by while the traditionalists congregate here and reminisce
about the olde Empire. Outrageously expensive as are all hotels in Hong
Kong and even more so because you are paying for history.
eaton: kowloon hong kong
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95% of Hong Kong hotel rooms look the same. The lobbies vary a bit. If you
are staying on the Peninsula this is a better bet than most with excellent
food and a good bar with various nooks and crannies for business tete a
tetes. It is on the main drag and close to a MTR station.
excelsior: hong kong island
If you need to stay on the Island, this is cheaper than the glittering newer
hotels down the road and is a traditional Hong Kong hotel we can all remember,
Again excellent food, and some breathtaking views from many of the rooms.
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Recently voted the best hotel in Asia by a leading business travel magazine,
this fine new establishment in the harbour area of Singapore is bringing
in the punters at a great rate. From what our correspondents tell us, it
is deserved. It has all the trappings that the glamor level of the Carlton
hotel group can offer and more, the location, and the views afforded all
hotels in this spot. Just the sort of hotel that makes it very difficult
to smuggle in your takeout from the hawker center down the road without
feeling like a pauper in rags. It is hard to offer the best hotel restaurant
fare in Singapore, but the Ritz-Carlton must get close. It's top outlets
are elegant and classy, and the coffee house type outlets still provide
the best quality and presentation of nosh. The lobby of course, is stylish
and well suited for meeting clients and associates.
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While the Ritz-Carlton is the darling of the Singapore well heeled set and
international travelers at the moment, the Mandarin Oriental remains one
of our own favourite hotels in the Lion city. Maybe just because in a region
that is changing so quickly, the old and familiar have a certain charm.
But it is more than that... The Mandarin-Oriental chain set standards in
both elegance and service that are consistent throughout the region, and
though the Oriental in Singapore may be showing its age, it's a familiarity
that can never deserve contempt. Wonderful nosh, top class room service,
and just the renowned Mandarin-Oriental service make the Oriental an excellent
choice for lodging. It shares the problems with the Pan Pacific and the
Ritz-Carlton... you just cant seem to get out of these places without walking
though a shopping centre, and past lots of bare concrete and you have to
walk a long way to get any reasonable quality local hawker food.. Still
we guess these places werent built for people who walk to work...
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| inn of the sizth happiness - singapore |
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The Inn is no more, though the building still stands... We leave the review for a reminder of what we have lost...
In a place that forsook its soul to gain riches, this little gem of a hostelry
stands out. Far enough away from the maddening crowds and frantic shoppers
in Orchard Road, here you are 10 minutes walk from the business centre of
town, nicely settled in Chinatown with the Tanjong Pagar restaurant area
just down the road. Maxwell market replete with tortoise soup is opposite
and joss sticks continually burning opposite your window protect you from
evil commercial spirits that frequent the business district down the road.
Various rumours have it that this place used to be a hospice, stables, crematorium
or brothel. Decide for yourself or ask the mysterious Mindy. The standard
rooms are very small with no windows, take a deluxe room on the street for
the Venetian blinds and views of trees and birds. Hey is this really Singapore!
There are only about 30 rooms, prices for the deluxe room are about 120
US rack rate. This is no luxury hotel but a home away from home. Various
regular customers frequent the coffee house downstairs including Danish
ship captains, US Engineers, ex Australian rock and roll band members and
Thai business people. Recently enhanced with the opening of the "Inn
Bar" where the gorgeous Veronica will keep you amused with various
match stick and coin puzzles. Beats Club 392 any day.
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| goodwood park - singapore |
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I used to stay here when it was cheap many years ago. The alternative to
the Raffles hotel which is so expensive now and has lost some of its charm
with the recent renovations. The Goodwood Park is nice example of a colonial
hotel. Food and beverage is of a high standard and the food service excellent.
Over-priced...but heh, Singapore competes with Hong Kong all the time so
why not prices! A short walk from Orchard Road but far enough away to rise
above it. Gracious accommodation.
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In a city where most hotels feel the same the Lady Hill at the end of Orchard Road is a favourite of many business travelers.
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A nice leafy entry and one of the nicest Shangri-La's in Asia. Service,
food, rooms, and outlets are all at the Shangri-La's usual standards but
with a special Singapore touch.
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| palace of the golden horses |
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If you like gee-gee's you will love this place. The horse stable concept
rules supreme with horsie statuettes everywhere and in all it is a monument
to everything equine and indeed its a short canter to the race course. Thankfully,
there is no equine epicure in the kitchens however. Built as one of Mahathir's
glamour projects, this hotel is 5 star and more. A separate data port for
your modem of course, a roomy feel to the rooms, a nice Italian restaurant
of the highest standard amongst many other eating outlets, expansive lobbies
and top class seminar rooms. The landscaping is superbly designed and the
architecture is original and classic almost at the same time. Only problem
is that it is a bit out of town, about half way to the Kuala Lumpur International
Airport. For doing business in KL central it is a bit inconvenient, though
for a seminar or for business in the Sunway or MMC areas it is fine. More
of a resort that a hotel, it is integrated within the Sunway Lagoon, shopping,
race-course, and resort complex, so you could probably stay here with out
ever venturing into KL proper.
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| Due to economic problems,
the Shangri-La as of early 1999 represents excellent value for money...
Room rates have been reduced... |
The traditional business travelers hotel in KL. Solid, reliable and predictable.
Opposite the Hard Rock Cafe. One of the finest French restaurants in Asia
is inside as is a good deli with sandwiches for home sick travelers. Location
is great and the service is legendary. It boasts one of those clone English
pubs that are cloned in a multitude of places in Asia, and not one can beat
the real thing. The food here, while pricey, is extremely well presented
and of high quality. There is a great understated charm about the Shangri-La
Hotels in South East Asia, usually sporting a panoramic view from a full
wall window in the lobby lounge.
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| sheraton imperial - kuala lumpur |
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It took a while to come but the new Sheraton hotel in Kuala Lumpur is finally
open. ..And what a hotel! The lobby oozes olde world and regal atmosphere,
right down to the metal-shutter decor. ..(I guess you have to visit to know
what we mean). Quite central, just a 10 minute walk (or 30 minute taxi!)
to the Shangri La and 15 minutes to the KLCC. The rooms are nicely appointed,
and everything else is what you would expect from the Sheraton Chain, from
the quality food outlets to the attentive but unobtrusive service. A great
choice for your next KL trip.
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| mandarin oriental - kuala lumpur |
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This is the hotel where Madeline Albright stayed when she and Al Gore pissed
off the KL political ´lite no end late last year. It is quite simply a beautiful
example of the Mandarin Oriental chain, personally the favourite chain of
APMF staffers. It nestles in the shadow of the tallest building in the world,
the KLCC and Petronas Towers, and shares the landscaped park and waterways,
making one of the finest backyards in the world. This park includes a rip
off Singapore's Sentosa "dancing fountain", but apart from that, a wander
around the park at sundown with a client may inspire some great business
ideas, and is healthier than a sit down meal. The dining room is elegance
personified, with high ceilings and European decor. This hotel was built
to last.
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| j.w. marriot - kuala lumpur |
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A smaller, almost boutique hotel, in the Bukit Bintang area. The Marriot
chain has built some nice business hotels in Asia, and this is certainly
no exception. Nice soft furnishings, wooden tables and carpets, and boasting
a good Italian restaurant with great fresh pasta lunchtime buffet, a definite
recommendation.
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| ritz-carlton kuala lumpur |
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Definitely a boutique hotel, though with all the class, style and grace
of its siblings, the Ritz-Carlton has some nice touches of its own, and
a handy location in Bukit Bintang. Some very positive reports about this
newly opened hotel from APMF correspondents, one stating that it is now
his favourite hotel in KL and will always stay here when visiting Kuala
Lumpur. In a town blessed with some superb hotels, that is a great recommendation.
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| renaissance hotel - kuala lumpur |
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Golden Triangle area and very European in styling. Good reports are filtering
in on the late night disco, the service and the food. Worth a try.
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Minimalist architecture and the open spaces so often preferred by Japanese
visitors, the theme here is air, space, clean lines, and spartan modernist
decor. The rooms all open up onto a vast inner space. If you walk out a
bit blurry eyed in the mornings, circular windows on doors and metal railings
may make you belief you are on an enormous ocean liner. In the rooms you
can operate the aircon, TV,lights, and just about everything from your remote.
Stay a week and you might have worked out how it works. The food outlets
are clean and as of early 1999, deserted. High prices but to be fair, great
quality in food and service. The staff are overjoyed to serve you to reduce
their boredom It is in the same building as the APMF/OPC offices so a pretty
smart place to stay when you visit us, but it is pretty hard to recommend
until they become more susceptible to negotiating decent long term rates!..
Still, if you LIKE feeling like you have a whole floor to yourself or are
the only guest in a massive hotel, or like staying in places incognito,
you may well LOVE this place... No dedicated bar, just a small and very
boring lounge. ....A good place to sleep.
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Recently renovated and always a favorite. If you like Hiltons you will love
this. The outside Italian BBQ late in the week is a favorite. This hotel
used to have a nice view of the race-course before it was razed for the
KL City Centre development. The Tin Mine disco downstairs has for years
been a favourite late night meeting place for KL glitterati, royalty and
the world's oldest professionals. However, it has been renovated under the
new name TM2, the high class hookers have been chased out, and it will cause
an even bigger dent in your wallet than before. Comes alive for an hour
or so every night, but then again by that time you should really be in bed.
Fond memories of this place however as the first place I encountered a Koh
Samui shower outside Koh Samui, (except it was with French champagne instead.)
..And not forgetting it's where Salinah taught me how to pay backgammon
on an off night. Now, unfortunately, the TM2 reincarnation is no longer
recommended.
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| concorde hotel kuala lumpur |
| Depending on occupancy rate
at the time, you can negotiate a good rate here at present but expect
to be assigned a room in the older, less salubrious wing... The Concorde
engages in its own peculiar form of racism by offering frequent special
deals to Malaysians and Singaporeans only.... ..(or is it nationalism????)...
So good deals can be had for locals and Singaporeans. Caution..! package
tourists descend regularly, crowding out the bar and eating all the
free peanuts.... |
Slightly down market from the Hilton and Shangri-La but preferred by the
young at heart. This place is always lively no matter what the hour with
coffee house affording a great view of KL's busiest street so you can lean
back with your expresso and watch the frustrated motorists outside. Spacious
lobby, above average lounge bar with above average Filipino bands. Rooms
vary considerably in appointments, some are very tawdry while others are
very acceptable. Real attraction is that accommodation here means your avoid
the queues at the Hard Rock Cafe next door by flashing your room key. Lots
of little corners here and food outlets for your business meetings. Friendly
staff and rooms are modem friendly. The "Melting Pot" 24 hours coffee shop
has recently restored its food quality to the days when it was THE place
in town to be seen, after a bad period for a couple of years.
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The best value hotel in Asia right smack in the middle of Chinatown but
with appointments approaching 4 to 5 star standard. The only complaint is
the small rooms, but when you consider rack rate is about 40 US for a standard
room who really is complaining. And since we wrote the first para. of the
review, the hotel is starting to show its age, and is probably due for a
good renovation. With Chinatown outside however, you don't spend much time
inside the hotel. No remote controls on the TV but no worries here as you
can turn off the TV at night with your big toe poking out the end of the
bed. The only let down is the boring bar with those big chairs arranged
in circles favoured by the Chinese but precluding meeting anybody else here
you don't know already. Atrocious Filippino duos and trios mime to tapes
of hits of the 1980's (the worst era for pop music). Everything else about
this hotel is perfect, including the outside patio where you can sink a
Carlsberg and Satay for 4 US while watching all the action on Petaling Street.
Blanchard informs me the blackboard menu here boasts, as it has for the
past 4 months, that you can purchase a garlic nun here for $2.20. Must bring
back some colorful memories for old Catholic school boys. One North Yorkshire
lass had the misfortune of staying here one night when the Indian Deepavali
festival was at its height in Chinatown outside. She lasted around 3 hours
before seeking out the comparative peace of the Hilton. However, many Westerners
who like the bustle and hustle love this place.
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| bintang warisan - kuala lumpur |
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Small budget hotel, but perfectly acceptable for business travelers, located
smack in the middle of the Bukit Bintang area. Comfortable, clean, with
good service. Good effort at creating a heritage feel on a budget. Stay
here for around 120 Ringgit a night, and have lots of cash left over for
shopping in the adjacent shopping complexes such as Star Hill, Lot 10, and
BB Plaza. The Golden triangle business centre is a 5 minute teksi, 3 minute
bus, (once/if you can catch them) or 20 minute walk. Best of the string
of 3 star hotels along this strip, all plagued with the same problem of
aggressive touts offering the services of wanitas with dubious charms to
any single man within "Psst.. Psst.." distance. If you can ignore this,
its great value.
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Many say this the best hotel in the world and they are not far wrong. You
owe yourself to try this at least one night. Forget the cost and just do
it. The value is still stupendous. Take the river cruise down the Chao Phraya
river for Asia at its finest with the brilliantly lit temples, market gardens
bordering on the banks of the river and the dead dogs floating past. The
service in the hotel cannot be matched anywhere in the world, the Writers
bar is steeped in history and tradition and you are right on the edge of
the main Silom business district. Food is faultless, view at sunset something
else.
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A grand lobby, a temple outside to ask forgiveness after you offered that
bribe the day before, a lively bar/nightclub (Riva's), Planet Hollywood
over the street, superb service and a great central location between Sukhumvit
and Silom make the Hyatt a good choice for those who like glitter, marble,
and impressiveness. Many friends and associates stay here regularly. We
like this Hyatt, though our favourite hotel in Bangkok is just down the
road a piece...
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There is something about tradition and familiarity that makes older hotels
far more comfortable than those new monoliths favoured by the glitterati,
yuppies and genies. Especially when the economy is going crazy. That is
the major reason why the Regent remains the favourite hotel for many of
our network. The lobby is far less ostentatious than that of the Hyatt next
door, but for functionality it wins hands down. One night last year, according
to the Chao Phraya River
Rat, customers in the sparsely populated lobby included a top TV news
presenter, the governor of the Bank of Thailand, the regional manager for
Citibank, the general manager of another 5 star hotel, and two from Chuan's
cabinet. ..All at central tables of course, but nodded acknowledgments offered
as they passed each other..
..Must have been an interesting night.. a bug in the lobby may reveal
a lot about Thailand strategies to combat the crisis. Generally however..
the Regent seems to be the preferred meeting place for the top public
servants, while the Royal remains the hangout for many pollies.. and the
clubs for the private sector tycoons. Of course these groups in Thailand
are not necessarily mutually exclusive..
But enough about people-watching. The understated lobby encourages business
discussion, there are good conference facilities, a good Thai restaurant
and superb Western food in the Western restaurant. The rooms are wonderfully
serviceable, and service discreet and attentive.
While the world changes at a dizzingly fast place.. some places remain the
same.. and for the reason that they provide substance and not packaging.
It takes a long time to develop the sort of quality that is not manufactured
but earned. The Bangkok Regent is one of these few places, making it the
first choice for smart business travelers to Bangkok.
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Newly built near Soi 2 on Sukhumvit. Smaller than the more famous chains,
intimate and refined, the JW Marriott is a good choice. Central location,
and a comfortable place to settle down for the night. The infamous Nana
Plaza is 5 minutes walk away, though we feel J.W Marriott customers are
above making purchases at that place!..
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| grande sheraton sukhumvit |
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An attractive and new hotel on Sukhumvit Road near Asoke. Great Italian
restaurant, excellent buffet spreads, a sophisticated lounge bar offering
good love entertainment and an innovative decor in the men's facilities
at least. The accommodation features good views of Bangkok, and the usual
5 star Sheraton room. But the attraction is the location, and the very pleasant
coffee house and restaurant. The band in the lounge last time we heard was
a very competent jazz trio who played Ellington requests without missing
a beat and also allowed Blanchard
up on the stage to deliver his own peculiar version of "I've got it bad
and that ain't good". From all reports the performance did not in any way
belie the title of the song. The mass exodus at the time was not due to
the food or service we can assure you..
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Blanchard thinks it has lost a lot of its indefinable charm, but if you
are doing business in Sukhumvit and can't afford the Hyatt this could be on your maybe list. Tha Ambassador has seen better days, once the largest hotel in Bangkok and the facilitator of much property growth snaking down Sukhumvit from the city. Like a grande olde lady, there are hints of its glory days through the gaudy make-up plastered on in desparation. Some of the rooms in the old wing are falling apart, and big plans are afoot renovations. In he meantime they are amenable to negotiation we room rates. Cavernous interiors, good food, great location, everything you need
is outside the door 24 hours a day. Yes the Flamingo disco has gone and
so has the zoo but the excellent Thai restaurant is still there as are the
two ladies at the lobby bar who have been there for years. Well, we will
let Blanchard tell the tale... US $50 or
thereabouts for a reasonable room, but booking through a local Bangkok travel
agent will afford the best price. $1,000 baht will do it for a room in the old wing. ..Just don't tell your clients you stay there...
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| southern comfort apartments |
| As the apartments have gained
popularity, and as a result of rising prices, Bourbon Street's Southern
Comfort Apartments have raised their room rates... While previous small
hotels like this have raised prices, the five star hotels have decreased
theirs, making the difference in room rates much less. The apartments
retain much of their charm, but the value of 5 star hotels in Bangkok
as of May 1998 represent real value for money... The Southern Comfort
Apartments have their own home page now at http://www.bourbonstbkk.com/
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A great find in Bangkok, further up Sukhumvit and off Soi 22. Left at the
country and western bar, just past the Price of Wales bar and opposite the
massage parlour is the Bourbon Street Restaurant. The hotel is above the
restaurant. Big,fairly old, but freshly renovated rooms with 20 or so satellite
channels on large TV's. Some 5 star hotels cant even match this. A circular
bit of glass glued to an imitation ivory elephant is your bedside table.
The Creole restaurant downstairs has the finest food of the genre. Last
time visited, there was an impromptu jazz jam session in the corner. Like
many Bangkok restaurants this has twice as many staff as customers 95% of
the time. The bar predominates and you will be making new friends in no
time. All the local rags and some business weeklies are always available.
Given the cuisine the place is a bit of a hangout for expat Yanks but if
you are one yourself or can match their repartee you'll love it here. Big
beds, no direct ISD, only about a dozen or so rooms but the staff are very
friendly. They prefer pizzas from the restaurant rather than cash tips.
All the character with none of the sleaze. Highly recommended for the even
slightly adventurous. Rack rate about $25 US per night.
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| mandarin oriental jakarta |
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A very pleasant and friendly hotel with some formality always evident in
the Oriental Group hotels. As the others always dependable. A good city
centre location across the road from the Hotel Indonesia and the more ostentatious
Hyatt in Jl Thamrin. Its Jakarta, so your choice of hotel is made up for
you by where your meetings are. But this is quite central. Don't travel
at peak times though. The breakfasts on the executive floor are healthy,
high quality and well presented. Best news is that they are renovating the
incredibly boring bar downstairs and the new manager is promising a very
"lively" bar when it re-opens in late April 1999. Nice restaurant on 1st
floor.
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The great attraction of the Shangri-La Jakarta is Bats, but more about that
here... Suffice to say here that we are not talking about the smelly marsupial
variety. Other than that is it typical reliable Shang standard, which ain't
such a bad thing... The pool and outside garden are particularly beautiful
and the location central. There can be a real bustling feel to the Shang
here on weekends, and the staff sometimes seem over-whelmed, but that should
in no way put you off. The Shangri-La professionalism region wide is always
above average, and running a hotel in Jakarta just at this time is not the
easiest job in the world.
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Well we did say we review a wide variety of hotels here, several being..
well.. different!. So who wants to say in Jakarta for less than 10$ a night,
in a safe room less than 10 minutes to the centre of the city? Well you
can... These two hotels, on opposite sides of the street, offer a clean
room, the number 1 variety having rooms looking out on a nice lawn. Both
have shuttered glass windows, air-con, and if you pay 2,000 Rupea more you
get a "Deluxe Room" the only difference being that you have your own fridge.
One of us stumbled upon this place after a late night flight, and having
lost credit cards wanting a cheap place for the night. He ended up staying
a week, just for the distinctive "feel" of this place.
First of all, guests are mainly African Muslims who seem to be running
a massive sort of import/export clothing business. Many rooms have been
converted into shops piled with children's clothes. The front office staff
moved into a mass panic when they found out that our poor correspondent
was accessing the internet through the phone line. This prompted several
visits from first the room supervisor, then accompanied by their boss,
then by their boss, and finally by the manager. The final scene had all
4 staff listening intently to how connecting up to the phone line like
this costs the hotel the same as making local calls, and that it was just
not possible to use their business centre to fax an Excel file. Tidak
Bagus! Our long suffering correspondent had his direct dialing privileges
withdrawn...
But of most interest were the regulations, a selection of those which
depart significantly from the run of the mill, "No intoxicating liquor,
no visitors" stuff provided below...
- According to the menu, Food service may be refused on the following
grounds:
- There is not enough room in the fridge to store the requested
item
- Ingredients were not available at the market
- There is not enough staff to cook the requested item
- The staff do not know how to cook the requested item
- There is not enough clean cooking utensils
- Wow.. now that's service! Any other restaurant
would just say that the item is "unavailable Sir". At least
this place gives reasons.
- No visitors after 10pm. They must be entertained in the lobby. (Must
make for some interesting scenes in the lobby..Eds..)
- No single woman who lives in Jakarta can book in unless they present
a signed letter from their family or personal guardian
One staff at an unnamed 5 star hotel expressed major surprise when hearing
of the previous accommodation when our correspondent had enough and moved
to the former after a week.
"..Wow...how could you stand it... they sell marijuana in the street
there..!"
....Now what was the name of that street again?..(:-)..
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If you are doing business in this part of town, this is the only place to
stay. No great hub of social activity, but refined, elegant and quiet..
A nice change from the central hotels. Interesting historical Dutch area
of Jakarta. The restaurant is something special in the casual dining genre.
Top quality food and buffets. The staff are wonderfully friendly and helpful.
The taxi ride to the centre of town is about 15 mins at 2 am and about 50
mins at 5pm, but it is still worth staying here if you are working close
and are not constrained to travelling at peak times. The hotel knows their
problem and their limousine service is well worth it, with the total charge
being not much more than the taxi charge if you catch the concierge in a
good bargaining mood. When I was there the bar was like a morgue at 6 pm..
on week-days, but then again this place is very new.
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