We check into one of Jakarta’s most iconic and beloved hotels, Gran Meliá Jakarta, to see how this hotel has evolved with the changing times. 

Background

A haven of serenity and luxury in the heart of Indonesia’s capital, the Gran Meliá Jakarta is an urban oasis nestled in the prime Golden Triangle central business district of Kuningan. Cutting an elegant figure against Jakarta’s cityscape, and inspired by its Spanish heritage, the Gran Meliá Jakarta is an iconic address for business travellers, with 366 luxurious guest accommodations, five dining destinations, a spa and wellness sanctuary by Meliá Hotels International’s signature wellness brand YHI Spa, and renowned hospitality and service.

First Impressions

After the chaotic traffic of Jakarta, arriving at the Gran Meliá Jakarta is a welcomed respite and making my way up the escalators and into the hotel’s cavernous lobby, there is a sense of peace and order that’s accentuated as I’m guided up to the 15th floor and the coveted RedLevel, home to a very special executive lounge. It’s here, in this boutique hotel within a hotel, that I’m checked into my room, a Deluxe Suite, a sprawling elegant space that makes travel far from home comfortable and convenient. 

The Room

While my suite isn’t the most modern in the city, it’s certainly large and well-appointed. The foyer opens onto the main living space, which boasts an expansive dining table that can double as a meeting space, a separate workspace, a couch along one wall and panoramic city views. The bathroom features both a standalone bathtub and walk-in shower as well as double vanities and opens onto both the vestibule and a separate dressing room. Other room amenities include both wifi and high-speed cable internet and dual 42-inch LCD televisions. One of the key benefits of the space is how it lends itself to business travellers looking for a workspace or a setting for intimate meetings as the bedroom is easily closed off, leaving teams ample room in which to work.

The Executive Lounge

One of the things that stands the Gran Meliá Jakarta apart is the RedLevel. An elegant, refined space, the lounge serves buffet breakfasts for RedLevel room guests, as well as a RedLevel Lounge Tea service and evening cocktails and canapes from 6-9 pm. Staying on a RedLevel guest floor also entitles guests to a raft of additional perks, including complimentary garment pressing upon arrival, personalised check-ins and check-outs (with arrival cocktail), free local calls and internet access, discounts on business centre services, and the use of a meeting room, making it an obvious choice for business travellers now wanting to venue out and brave the traffic. I love the quiet evenings in the lounge, where travellers from around the world meet over cocktails and hot and cold snacks, making for the perfect precursor before a night exploring the neighbourhood’s leading eateries.

Dining

Like many of these Grand Dame hotels, Gran Meliá Jakarta offers a spectacular array of dining experiences. At Café Gran Vía you can expect a world of flavours from across the globe, including spectacular breakfast spreads and thematic dinners. The hotel is also home to the acclaimed Yoshi Izakaya restaurant (below), which combines a verdant garden setting with a modern approach to Japanese dining led by chef Ito Tomoaki. For the best flavours from Sichuan and Canton, guests can head to Tien Chao Restaurant, where the menu highlights include authentic Peking duck and weekend dim sum; while in the Lobby Lounge, the perfect setting for casual meetings, an elegant tea and coffee service – with pastries from adjacent El Bombon patisserie – turns to evening cocktails and live jazz each night.

Wellness

After a busy day of meetings or for business travellers looking to fend off the grips of jetlag, make a beeline for the YHI Spa. The spa offers a selection of soothing, stress-busting massage and beauty treatments influenced by traditional culture, to help you forget about the frenzy of daily life. These are complimented by a wide variety of holistic therapies, including hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, and reflexology. There is even access to an intimate outdoor swimming pool.