SD › Jakarta Family Hotels
Updated: December 28, 2021
The 3 Best Hotels for Families in Jakarta, Indonesia
1. Hotel Borobudur
Immense gardens and great for families. Certainly not another modern, bland and ugly high-rise, this extraordinary hotel offers 11 types of rooms and suites. The furnishings in some are a little outdated, but the décor is always tasteful, with plenty of Indonesian arts and crafts. Many rooms seem to cater more for business than pleasure, and, despite views of the hotel gardens or tree-studded park over the road, windows are limited. Most have space for an extra single bed, sometimes even 2, while some suites have 2 or more bedrooms. With ponds, creeks and ancient banyan trees, the magnificent gardens are also home to a butterfly dome, charming café and miniature replica of its namesake temple. Amazingly, there is also space for 3 tennis courts, an undercover basketball court, and yes, an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The young ones would also love the children’s pool, playground on the lawns, and futsal pitch. A world away from chaotic Jakarta, it’s in a pleasant area worthy of walks past military and government buildings, including the neighbouring Presidential Palace.
2. DoubleTree by Hilton – Diponegoro
Massive grounds, resort-style pool and families welcome. With no other high-rises nearby and extensive grounds set 200m back from Jakarta’s relentless traffic, this hotel provides more views, tranquillity and fresh air than others. The spacious standard rooms feature likeable contemporary furnishings, but the swirling wallpaper above the bed is too distracting. Full-length windows offer reasonable views of the gardens, pool and/or city streets. 1 extra single bed can be squeezed into the standard rooms, and there’s enough space for 2 extra singles in the suites. Among extensive grounds, the twisting lagoon-shaped pool surrounded by palms is reminiscent of Bali. Families are welcome with good-value packages and special menus for the young ones. The children’s pool is sizeable and shady, and has plenty of lounge chairs for doting parents, while the colourful indoor kids’ club organises some activities, but is mostly unsupervised and for those under 10. Among streets of stalls selling antiques, it’s close to a long-distance train station, but for a better range of cafés and shops, jump in a taxi.
3. Shangri-La
Classy, fab for families, but a little distant. Perfectly combining modern facilities with Indonesian charm – e.g. a lobby of gamelan music players and corridors of wayang kulit puppets – the Shangri-La is instantly likeable. The spacious and stylish Deluxe Rooms feature plenty of Indonesian art, a gorgeous carved desk, and full-length windows. Most rooms can squeeze in an extra bed, while some suites have 2 or 3 bedrooms. The lagoon-shaped pool is reminiscent of a Bali resort but predictably flanked by looming office blocks. With lawns, palms and cabanas, the heavenly gardens can also be enjoyed from the nearby breakfast café. The splash pool is surrounded by lounge chairs for watchful parents, and in the unique Aqua Playground, under-12s can slide along tunnels and scream with delight while dumped with buckets of water. The tennis court is also welcome. A tad isolated, with no shops or cafés within walking distance, it’s a short taxi trip to the malls around the ‘Golden Triangle’.
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