The golden flame of Indonesia’s 132-metre National Monument and the capital's dramatic skyline formed the impressive view from my 29th-floor room in the Park Hyatt Jakarta.
The Indonesian capital may be infamous for its air pollution and heavy traffic, but this hotel gave me another perspective, showing how thriving, exciting and fast-paced this city of more than 10 million people is.
This summer, I checked in for two nights to experience what's on offer for business travellers and tourists alike.
The neighbourhood
Indonesia’s first Park Hyatt property opened in July 2022 and occupies the top 17 floors of the 37-storey Park Tower. It is in the centre of the country’s business hub, in the upscale Menteng area of Jakarta, and conveniently close to the city's main sites. The National Monument, or Monas, which marks Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch, is about 2km away.
It is also close to the Istiqlal Mosque, South-east Asia’s largest mosque. Nearby sits the neo-Gothic Jakarta Cathedral – a Catholic place of worship in the multi-faith country.
For those visiting on business, the Park Hyatt Jakarta is near the Merdeka presidential palace, the trade ministry, and other prominent government and private institutions.
If you are aiming to explore more of Java, Indonesia’s most populous island, the Gambir train station is also nearby.
The welcome
In Park Hyatt Jakarta’s lobby – on the 23rd floor – a 3D ceramic map of the Indonesian archipelago illustrates the span of the country, with 38 provinces connected by more than 17,000 islands.
The hotel's design, by Conran and Partners, incorporates the idea of a rainforest, a team member told me. The lower the floor, the darker the colours, which then get brighter the higher you go. Black, brown, white, grey, gold and copper shades are featured.
Christian Wurm, Park Hyatt Jakarta’s general manager, greeted me at the lobby and wished me an enjoyable stay before I went to my room.
The room
I stayed in a 85-square metre Park Deluxe Room, one of 220 rooms and suites in the hotel.
The decor includes a wood carving, blending elements of Java and Bali with layered circular forms and floral shapes, and traditional headdresses from North Sumatra and West Sumatra.
There are bottles of Le Labo Bergamote 22 shower gel, shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom, with the high-end brand’s soap bar and body lotion by the basin.
Nordaq water is provided in a refillable glass bottle. It is the first time I have seen this sustainable feature, despite having stayed at several hotels in Indonesia.
The food
I dine at Observatory, on the 23rd floor. I have a pan-seared Norwegian salmon (415,000 rupiah, Dh94) with gnocchi and beurre blanc, as well as trying black ink spaghetti (275,000 rupiah, Dh62) with garlic, dried chilli and prawns.
But what stands out is the tiramisu (130,000 rupiah, Dh29.5) – made with coffee and mascarpone cream and containing grass jelly cubes.
The next day, lunch is at Japanese eatery Kita, on the 37th floor. I opt for teppanyaki dry-aged salmon and shrimp (355,000 rupiah, Dh80.5) with garlic fried rice, miso soup, silken tofu and grilled chicken.
Breakfast scene
Breakfast is served at Dining Room on the 22nd floor, with buffet and a la carte options.
Choices include a chia seed pudding – served with coconut yoghurt, granola and mixed berries. For those who prefer something savoury, there is mushroom toast with scrambled eggs, truffle paste and feta cheese on top.
The service also offers popular Indonesian dishes such as Jakartan favourite nasi uduk (coconut milk rice with various toppings) and batagor (fried fish tofu dumplings).
Hotel facilities
The hotel has a covered rooftop pool with uncovered seating on the 35th floor, where you can swim while enjoying skyline views. A cold plunge pool, a hot tub, a Jacuzzi and a dry sauna are inside.
A fitness centre, with a wide range of weightlifting and cardio machines, is open 24 hours.
The bottom line
Room rates depend on the season, with deluxe rooms starting at about 3.1 million rupiah (Dh703) per night. Check-in is from 3pm and checkout is by 12pm.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future
