Where to Stay in Jakarta
Part of the Jakarta travel guide — see every topic in All Jakarta Guides.
Jakarta's accommodation is excellent value — international five-star hotels at 1–2.5 million rupiah, good four-stars at 600,000–1.2 million — and choosing between them matters far less than choosing where. In a metropolis of thirty million with the traffic Jakarta has, being on the MRT's North–South corridor or within walking distance of what you want to see is the difference between a productive day and an hour and a half in a car.
The central corridor
Thamrin and Sudirman, running from Bundaran HI south, is the business and hotel spine and sits directly on the MRT. It puts you next to Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia, walking distance from the National Museum, Monas and Menteng, and one train ride from Senayan and Blok M. Almost every international chain is here. It is also where Car-Free Day happens on Sundays. For a two-day visit this is the obvious and correct choice.
The southern districts
SCBD and Senayan are the newer business districts, with polished hotels, the best restaurants and the main nightlife, on the MRT and a little quieter than Thamrin. Kemang, further south, is the long-established expatriate district with boutique hotels, guesthouses and a relaxed bar and restaurant scene, but it is not on the MRT and the traffic in and out is significant. Menteng has a handful of heritage and boutique properties on the city's nicest streets.
Budget and the airport
Hostels and budget hotels cluster around Jalan Jaksa, the old backpacker street near Thamrin, and around Kota Tua — both convenient, both basic, from 100,000–350,000 rupiah. Chain budget hotels are everywhere and reliable at 250,000–500,000. For an early flight, hotels near Soekarno-Hatta exist but the airport train from BNI City runs from early morning and central hotels are usually the better answer. Halim, the second airport, is closer to the centre.
Practicalities
Rates are lowest at weekends, because Jakarta hotels serve business travel — the reverse of most destinations. Book ahead around major conferences and Idul Fitri. Almost all hotels add service charge and tax of around twenty-one per cent. Check the walk to the nearest MRT station rather than trusting a map, since Jakarta's pavements are unreliable and crossing a main road can require a footbridge several hundred metres away. And a pool matters more here than in most cities.
Where to Stay at a glance
| The one rule | Stay on the MRT North–South corridor |
|---|---|
| Best area | Thamrin / Sudirman — central, on the line |
| Newer and quieter | SCBD and Senayan |
| Budget | Jalan Jaksa and Kota Tua, IDR 100,000–350,000 |
| Four-star / five-star | IDR 600,000–1.2m / IDR 1m–2.5m |
| Unusual | Rates are LOWEST at weekends — it is a business city |