Towering above the city burgeoning commercial hub, Raffles Jakarta is a respite of luxury and sophistication at the heart of the Kuningan district.

Located in sophisticated Mega Kuningan, with its shopping malls, restaurants and convention spaces, the Raffles Jakarta opened in 2015 and in doing so brought an elegantly contemporary zeal to the city’s accommodation scene. Located 31km from the international airport and connected to the Ciputra Artpreneur Centre, the hotel offers a more intimate and bespoke take on luxury in one of Asia’s most important capitals.

First Impressions

I arrived at Raffles Jakarta on one of the city’s moody monsoon afternoons. The elegant lobby, with its towering mosaic and eye-catching, vibrantly blue Preciosa crystal chandelier, was quiet and cool and a departure from the hub of activity that defines arrival at most Jakarta five star hotels. Within minutes I was being whisked up to my Artists Suite, one of the Raffles’ 173 luxurious guest rooms and suites, for an in-suite check-in.

The Room

The hotel’s Artists Suites are sublimely luxurious, residential-esque spaces, and are ideally suited for business travellers looking for space and privacy, and who, given the post-Covid era, like to conduct meetings but don’t want to spend all of their precious time in the city fighting its notorious traffic.

An expansive living room and a dining area with an eight-seat dining table and adjacent workspace, are wrapped with floor-to-ceiling glass, offering striking urban vistas. Beyond, there’s a butler’s pantry with a separate entrance (this is a Raffles after all and each suite comes with a dedicated Man Friday) and a guest bathroom, allowing guests to isolate the living spaces from the master bedroom and master bathroom beyond.

Within that private space, the bedroom features a king-sized bed, a vanity table, another large flatscreen television, ample storage space, and a beautiful bathroom with double vanities, a walk-in shower, a pair of Oscar Lawalata-designed robes, and a deep soak tub.

The Artist Suites continue the hotel’s artistic persona, which has been inspired by iconic Indonesian artist Hendra Gunawan, the works of which have lent a calming, contemporary colour palette to the hotel’s interiors, which feature soft blues and greens, warm leather, and cool marble. This sophisticated design aesthetic is complemented by touched of tech, from the massive flatscreen television of the living room to the illy coffee machine and the USB charging ports of the bedroom and dedicated workspace.

In addition to the Artist Suites, Raffles Jakarta boasts Signature, Garden View and Raffles rooms, all of which are among the largest in the city, as well as sumptuous Gallery Suites, which feature a collection of Gunawan works; corner Garden View Suites; and the truly indulgent two-bedroom Raffles Suite, a 390sqm penthouse with staggering city views.

Suites come with the added perk of access to the Raffles Club, a refined space on the hotel’s 12th floor that boasts spectacular views of the Jakarta skyline and which serves delectable food and beverage presentations throughout the day. This is a great space for intimate meetings, casual catchups and evening cocktails; additional benefits of club access include complimentary shoe shine, local telephone calls, complimentary printing, and a pressing service, as well as two hours’ usage of a boardroom space.

Dining

Raffles Jakarta has also become a culinary destination for a city that lives for the next meal. Be sure to start your evening at The Writers Bar (a personal favourite), a Jakarta outpost of the iconic watering hole at Raffles Singapore that pays tribute to famous novelists. The refined space, with its sculpted crystal chandeliers, book collection and grand piano, is famed for its lavish afternoon teas, but also whisks guests back to the Golden Era of cocktail creation, with a list of revered classics as well as some modern renditions – be sure to try the Sustainable Negroni and Sustainable Martini.

If you prefer to make the most of Jakarta’s balmy afternoons, you might want to pair your dip in the hotel’s pool with a bite at the Navina Pool Bar, which serves light meals and aperitifs amidst a lush tropical garden. For something a little more substantial you might want to head to the Arts Cafe by Raffles, where an array of both Continental and Asian a la carte dishes are offered against a backdrop of Hendra Gunawan’s works.

The hotel also boasts the newly-opened Raffles Patisserie, home to delicious cakes, macaroons and pastries, many featuring  Indonesian ingredients sourced directly from local farmers.

Meetings

The hotel also features a total of 3,600sqm of meeting space, located on the 11th and 12th floors, catering to all types of events and gatherings. These range from private boardrooms through to the impressive 2.500sqm Dian Ballroom. Each venue is a unique experience, featuring innovative meeting space as well as cuisine with glimpses of local art and culture.

Wellness

Be sure to take that dip in the hotel’s outdoor swimming pool but after a long day at the corporate coalface, you can’t go past treatment at the signature Raffles Spa, a calming urban oasis that boasts six treatment rooms and a comprehensive menu of indulgent holistic treatments, including facials from Gaylia Kristsensen. A hydrotherapy space includes a steam room, experience showers, vitality pools, and an ice fountain. There’s also a dedicated yoga terrace, tennis courts and a jogging track that weaves its way through the Hendra Gunawan-inspired gardens on level 14, as well as a modern fitness centre.

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