BACKGROUND The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place, opened back in 2007 as part of a large mixed-use complex comprising a shopping mall, Ritz-Carlton residences and offices. This is the second Ritz-Carlton property in the city, with the first located in Mega Kuningan.
WHAT'S IT LIKE? As Gestalt psychology goes, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” and, in this case, my entire Ritz-Carlton experience was the result of a series of wonderful service encounters, the first of which began the minute I landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, where I met the hotel’s super-efficient airport services manager, grinning from ear to ear and eager to help at every turn. In fact, not only did he get my luggage off the carousel, he also helped me buy a local SIM card. Then, when I checked in to my room, I found the latest copy of my favourite magazine wrapped in a cute red bow; the hotel had done a little research prior to my arrival to find out my preferences and while many might see that as a breach of privacy, I relished the small yet thoughtful gesture. Finally, the wonderful lady who checked me in to my room took the initiative to send up some hot tea upon discovering that I was beginning to get a sore throat. All these outstanding moments set the tone for my entire stay, which in my opinion outshines all of the hardware.
And the hardware is of a high standard to start off with. This Ritz-Carlton property, designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), exudes a contemporary charm with plenty of marble, steel and glass, high ceilings and gracious chandeliers. I can think of no other word more fitting than sexy to describe this place. Guests enter the hotel via the arrival lobby on the ground floor, which has the reception to the right and, to the left, the concierge and walkway that connects the hotel to the Pacific Place shopping mall.
From here, lifts take guests up to the Club Lounge on the 21st floor, which consists of floor-to-ceiling windows across the back wall offering a panoramic view of the city that is bound to amaze even the most jaded city crawler, more steel-and-glass interiors complemented with colourful paisley patterned furniture. As an all-suite property all guests have access to the lounge where they can enjoy free wifi internet access as well as complimentary breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
WHERE IS IT? This hotel is smack bang in the heart of the city’s financial centre, Sudirman, adjacent to the Jakarta Stock Exchange and several other international financial firms.
ROOM FACILITIES I stayed in a superior grand club room, measuring 54 sqm, which for an entry level room is huge. The room branches in two directions from the entrance: to the left is a walk-in closet that connects to the bathroom, and to the right is the rest of the room. It offers a large working desk with a printer, wifi internet access, a king-size bed with lush bedding, a 46-inch LCD TV and an iPod docking station.
The walk-in wardrobe leads to a bathroom that is as sexy as the rest of the hotel. Swathed in dark marble, the bathroom consists of a rain shower, Bulgari amenities and a large tub facing floor-to-ceiling windows.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Since the Club Lounge offers a variety of food and drinks throughout the day, there are only two other food and beverage outlets: the Pacific Restaurant and Lounge, which serves international cuisine in buffet and à la carte format, and the poolside bar, 8 Lounge, which sometimes runs open-top cinema nights for guests.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES The hotel prides itself on its ballroom because of its sheer size – located on the fourth floor of the hotel and measuring a total of 7,600 sqm, it is one of the largest ballrooms in Asia. Other than this, the hotel has nine meeting rooms on the eighth floor and two boardrooms on the Club Lounge level.
LEISURE FACILITIES The spa, gym and swimming pool are all located on the eighth floor. The gym, open daily from 6am to 11pm, is well equipped and is operated by staff who have figured out how to give great fitness tips and refreshments without lurking about too much. Personal training sessions can also be booked.
Alisha Haridasani
Verdict
Impeccable. As mentioned, the service at this property blew me away and the location is brilliant.
Fact file
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are only 62 suites at this hotel in seven categories, starting with 20 superior grand club rooms, measuring 54 sqm, 23 deluxe grand club rooms, eight executive grand club rooms, seven Mayfair club suites, two Mayfair club spa suites, one Ritz-Carlton suite and one presidential suite, measuring 340 sqm.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS Definitely the marble tub with views of the city below. In fact, there’s nothing quite like a hot bath in that tub at the end of the day, looking down at the sparkling lights of the city, to unwind and take your mind off the mundane. Also, the printer is a convenient addition.
PRICE Online rates for a mid-week stay in mid-May in a superior grand club room start at US$528.
CONTACT Sudirman CBD, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 52-53
TEL +62 21 2550 1888; www.ritzcarlton.com
