Kemang Icon Jakarta — Hotel in Jakarta

First comment: Be cautious lately about any reviews of Jakarta Hotels. From my feeling most of them are fake and asked for by the reception staff. It is easy to spot as most write exactly the same content. ||The hotel is located more to the South of Jakarta. ||Check in at the hotel was pleasant and hassle free. ||The only issue was that the pictures on the forums looked different to the room I got. ||The hotel staff was very helpful to accommodate me. After viewing other rooms I stayed at that initial room. ||While it might not be the real 5* hotel, however, housekeeping is very prompt and any issues are addressed very expeditiously also. ||If you take the option with breakfast, it is just a Western or Indonesian option, but not buffet style but food is sufficient for breakfast. ||During my stay pool was closed for a function on one day as the hotel roof seems to be a favourite spot for parties, but actually, the pool is quite small, so not of any much distraction anyway. ||The place has a bar at the roof also, alcoholic drinks are at just 7.50 USD (affordable). ||Cons: |- TV screen is quite small compared to the room space. also cannot be watched at the seating area. |- Bathroom has an totally open concept|- Certain housekeeping items have to be ordered by phone|- Not all Towels are on 5* level| - Water kettle should be replaced by non plastic type|- Front rooms nearer to the main street may be noisier from traffic and bars||Pros: |- Room design is different in every room and packed with arts and accessoires |- Rooms are spacious |- Bed was comfy fitted with one thinner and one harder pillow|- Room make up is excellent and place really cleaned up. |- Wifi worked for me, each rooms have an own wifi spot|- The room has some sound speakers to listen to music or for tv|- Rooms are fitted with two aircons, which you can control temperate just like at home. ||You don't get the branded 5* night rates but still the rooms and service level are on an upper level. ||While people complained in earlier reviews that there is only one lift, but the hotel just has about 20 rooms on 2 floors, so for me it wasn't an issue. ||I would though recommend the hotel to close the bathroom with some nice wooden wall and just leave a small part open. ||Nearby the hotel are many fancy restaurants and bars, one shopping mall (Lippo Mall) is around 800m away (with a Hypermarket). Pagi Sore (Nasi Padang) and Sawaregmoe Resto (inside at Kemang 10 "mall") has good Indonesian fare. There are many fancy coffee places for coffee lovers... and many more restaurants from $ to $$$ also in the area.||Overall, on a working trip, I had a pleasant enjoyable stay at the hotel. But note that the area is much in the South of Jakarta, so for first time tourists or Jakarta sightseeing interests the Kemang Icon might not be the most suitable location. If you need huge shopping malls with fancy brand stores around you, then it wouldn't be...

First comment: Be cautious lately about any reviews of Jakarta Hotels. From my feeling most of them are fake and asked for by the reception staff. It is easy to spot as most write exactly the same content. ||The hotel is located more to the South of Jakarta. ||Check in at the hotel was pleasant and hassle free. ||The only issue was that the pictures on the forums looked different to the room I got. ||The hotel staff was very helpful to accommodate me. After viewing other rooms I stayed at that initial room. ||While it might not be the real 5* hotel, however, housekeeping is very prompt and any issues are addressed very expeditiously also. ||If you take the option with breakfast, it is just a Western or Indonesian option, but not buffet style but food is sufficient for breakfast. ||During my stay pool was closed for a function on one day as the hotel roof seems to be a favourite spot for parties, but actually, the pool is quite small, so not of any much distraction anyway. ||The place has a bar at the roof also, alcoholic drinks are at just 7.50 USD (affordable). ||Cons: |- TV screen is quite small compared to the room space. also cannot be watched at the seating area. |- Bathroom has an totally open concept|- Certain housekeeping items have to be ordered by phone|- Not all Towels are on 5* level| - Water kettle should be replaced by non plastic type|- Front rooms nearer to the main street may be noisier from traffic and bars||Pros: |- Room design is different in every room and packed with arts and accessoires |- Rooms are spacious |- Bed was comfy fitted with one thinner and one harder pillow|- Room make up is excellent and place really cleaned up. |- Wifi worked for me, each rooms have an own wifi spot|- The room has some sound speakers to listen to music or for tv|- Rooms are fitted with two aircons, which you can control temperate just like at home. ||You don't get the branded 5* night rates but still the rooms and service level are on an upper level. ||While people complained in earlier reviews that there is only one lift, but the hotel just has about 20 rooms on 2 floors, so for me it wasn't an issue. ||I would though recommend the hotel to close the bathroom with some nice wooden wall and just leave a small part open. ||Nearby the hotel are many fancy restaurants and bars, one shopping mall (Lippo Mall) is around 800m away (with a Hypermarket). Pagi Sore (Nasi Padang) and Sawaregmoe Resto (inside at Kemang 10 "mall") has good Indonesian fare. There are many fancy coffee places for coffee lovers... and many more restaurants from $ to $$$ also in the area.||Overall, on a working trip, I had a pleasant enjoyable stay at the hotel. But note that the area is much in the South of Jakarta, so for first time tourists or Jakarta sightseeing interests the Kemang Icon might not be the most suitable location. If you need huge shopping malls with fancy brand stores around you, then it wouldn't be...

Kemang Icon by Alila was one of our favourite hotels and I have stayed here many times years ago. Today is my first visit here again after maybe 4 or 5 years. I was very excited for the great experience again. Then, we are shocked to see what we see today.

First of all, the furniture and the fixtures inside the room are not in good condition anymore. We can understand that for a hotel that is more than 10 years old. But what really upsets us is the broken elevator on our second day which has forced us to walk up the stairs to our room on the 3rd floor. I can handle this ‘exercise’ but we have our 75 years old mother with us and it is very hard for her to do that. What frustrating is the problem cannot be fixed promptly by the hotel. And there is no duty manager available on the premises!

Unfortunately the bad experience does not stop there. When we had our dinner at the edge restaurant, our tenderloin steak and rib eye steak were very dry and hard. It was far from juicy and soft meat that I remember when I ate here years ago. This time it really taste like a frozen meat that has been kept for days and not cooked properly at all.

I am very disappointed because I really liked this hotel before. Apparently, the hotel is not part of Alila anymore. Is this the reason of such a downgrade in quality? Current management of the hotel MUST do things right urgently if they still...