Raffles Jakarta

BACKGROUND Raffles Jakarta opened in March 2015, the 12th property by the luxury hotel group. It is housed in Ciputra World Jakarta 1, a mixed-use development (including a retail mall, serviced apartments, an office tower and theatre) that’s owned by one of Indonesia’s most successful entrepreneurs, Pak Ciputra.

WHERE IS IT? Located in the Kuningan district of Jakarta’s Golden Triangle, the city’s central business district. Getting to the hotel from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport takes about an hour by car, depending on traffic conditions.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? Guests expecting a Singapore-style colonial look will be surprised by the modern design, which was inspired by the works of noted Indonesian artist Hendra Gunawan. This is evident in the elevator area of the lobby, where a large Gunawan painting hangs, its explosive use of rich colours complementing the hotel’s gold tones and luxurious red carpets.

ROOM FACILITIES My Raffles room immediately struck me as spacious. At 60 sqm, it’s split into two distinct spaces – a bedroom and lounge area – and felt almost like a suite. The sturdy wooden desk features plenty of connectivity options, including HDMI, audio and video jacks, a LAN port and universal charging socket. A long, plush couch faces an HD flatscreen TV, and coffee/teamaking facilities include Illy and TWG tea offerings.

The bedroom is dominated by the comfortable kingsize bed, and there’s a choice of firm and soft pillows. Power sockets are located at each bedside table, allowing easy recharging of phones. The large marble-clad bathroom features a bathtub and rainforest shower stall, and premium bath amenities are available.

Whilst all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a top hotel are present, most impressive to me was the personalised service. Raffles was the pioneer of the butler service, and it continues to be top quality; as well as the usual check-in and in-room services, I was addressed by name whenever entering or exiting the hotel – something that makes every guest feel special.

CLUB LOUNGE Raffles Jakarta does not offer a dedicated club lounge, which is a pity. However, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing Martijn Dekker says that after a number of requests from guests, the hotel is looking into the possibility of developing one.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS There are three F&B options: the all-day dining Arts Café by Raffles, which offers a buffet as well as continental and Asian à la carte menus; Navina Pool Bar that serves light bites and juices or meals from the à la carte menu in a garden setting; and The Writers Bar, a reinterpretation of the iconic Singapore bar that offers afternoon tea sets, plus live music, tapas and cocktails in the evening.

MEETING FACILITIES All meeting venues are located on Level 11, which has its own dedicated lifts. The highlight here is the 2,500 sqm Dian Ballroom, which can host up to 3,500 people. Other smaller meeting options include the Singapore, Paris and Dubai rooms – named after gateway cities where Raffles hotels are found – as well as a boardroom and library.

All event facilities are equipped with audiovisual equipment and are served by a dedicated catering and conference planning team. An Event Butler is present at every event, ready to offer service when needed.

LEISURE FACILITIES Along with an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre (featuring personal trainers), the hotel is also home to the brand’s signature Raffles Spa, which offers a variety of treatments, facials and spa day packages. Clement Huang

VERDICT An excellent hotel that features eye-catching design and world-class service; this is without doubt one of Jakarta’s best.

Raffles was the pioneer of the butler service, and it continues to be top quality