Wyndham Casablanca Jakarta — Hotel in Jakarta

This is a warning. A scam alert. Writing this because i would have needed to read it myself before booking. They claim to be 5 star but is at best 2 or 3 stars. Very old and worn down, with stained counters, moldy walls in the bathroom and a distinct smell of moisture. We booked this hotel for our mandatory 5 day quarantine on our way to Bali. Our journey started of quite badly with a very scammy feel to it, and it only got worse. Not only did the hotel claim to be 5 stars, but served the cheapest possible food for all meals. Every dish was “lots of rice in a cardboard box with a little bit of gross sides”. Not very 5 stars. Day 5 they claimed that the 2 girls in our group had tested positive for covid. This seemed completely fabricated as we had been isolated for several days with 2 pcr tests and the girls had both had covid previously. Doing yoga and chillling, not a hint of a symptom. They got picked up promptly by people in space suits, police and ambulance and transported to another hotel that requires a review of its own - Harris Hotel Kalapa Gading. They refused to let us take a secondary test to confirm the result “it’s the regulation” and they also refused to answer any questions about the procedures, routines, etc. Basically we were left in the dark with lots of upcoming costs at their whim. No clarity whatsoever. Like some bad prison movie in a third world country. For the rest of us who had isolated with them for several days, we were released and somehow considered no contagion hazard whatsoever. This obviously makes no sense. What followed was a series of strange lies that all had one specific thing in common: They all transferred money from us to them. Example 1. We called Harris Hotel to book a nice room for the girls who were devastated. The reply was that they would need to be isolated for 14 days, alone in separate rooms, although they’ve been living together for days. Standard response “it’s the regulations, it’s the regulation”. So we found the chat group for the people currently locked up in Harris. We found out that several people were sharing rooms. We showed this to the reception and then they swiftly said - Ok, they can share a room. A 180 degree turn on unbendable regulations it would seem. Example 2. People in the chat said to make sure to only pay day by day because they refuse to refund in case you get out early. Again the reception got back to the mantra: “it’s not possible, it’s the regulation, it’s the regulation”. Once more we showed them online evidence tha several people paid by the day and then they said “ok then, pay by the day.” Uopn arrival the hotel did not check their identities, ask them to remove the mask, nor to show the passport. They did not check if they had a fever. They did not check oxygen levels. The only thing they did was require them to pay. A few days later almost all people in the hotel were tested, as practically no one had any symptoms and all were convinced that it was all a scam. Practically everyone tested negative. Pretty much no one was released. As predicted the girls tested negative as they did several times afterwards. We had to pay for several empty hotel nights which we would not use, like some kind of bribe. Approximately 30m IDR. After checking with chat groups we found that several other guests were forces to pay for a bunch of services they had not requested in order to be released. So overall this is a money grabbing scam where they keep your liberty hostage in exchange for hotel nights paid. Outrageous prices by Indonesian standards. Each time they test you they put arbitrary thresholds on their testing devices, so called CT levels. For us the limit was different each time. Should they choose to adjust the limit, you could test positive again and again, and they could keep you for another 14 days at your expense, supported by the government. Staff was very kind and polite though...

Update: Was upgraded to the Executive Club room on one of my stays, and I added more of the club floor facilities, with double window corner room.

One thing that I noticed to become the superstar on most of Wyndham properties was; the bed. Their bed were always so comfortable, that includes the pillows. And I've stayed at most 5 stars hotels in many countries. I can safely say, their bed and beddings are superior. Afterall, the very two things that we all need from a hotel are; a good comfy bed and a clean room.

The interior style of the hotel was pretty old, the bathroom still use a shower on top of the bathtub. But it was well maintained and compensated with their attention to the details, such as clean, nice, and thick new towels, nice bathrobe, clean carpet, modern touch on the wardrobe racks, and all of the little details that changed the vibe from "old" to "classic".

The location was also good, walking distance to Mall Kota Kasablanka and pretty much to everywhere in the city. The breakfast was good as well. Enough varieties and good taste for the price offered. The people and service were good. They tried their best to work fast and cater your needs. The pool was big enough and pretty well maintained.

The only problem and need some improvement is the parking area. It was almost always full, while I believe the occupancy was not at the very peak. We had a problem at parking area after the check out process, we couldn't go out because our car was blocked by another car that parked on a spot that wasn't supposed to be used. And it seemed that the parking staff allowed the guest to park there, because the parking area was full.

We had to wait for around 20 minutes until the guest went down to move the car. There was supposed to be another parking spot on one level down or B3, but I didn't ask furthermore. The hotel staffs and parking staffs were doing theie best to solve it fast, which I appreciated, but it would still be an annoyance for that kind of thing to happen in the first place.

Overall, I can safely say, this is a good hotel with a value that matched the rate offered. A good, economical, and valuable...

My husband and I are loyal guest of this hotel, we’ve been staying at Wyndham since their name was still Park Lane. It’s a dear home for us whenever we’re in Jakarta.

The breakfast is getting worse. They used to serve smoked salmon, beef & pork bacon, Swiss cheeses, Brie cheese, great salads, and amazing pastries. The main food was always scrumptious as well, but our last stay was a real disappointment. We stayed there for a week.

It is with deep disappointment that I must express my dissatisfaction with the quality of the breakfast served at this supposedly 5-star hotel. My experience at this establishment was marred by the low-quality and unappetizing food that was presented to guests.

Upon arriving at the dining area, I was greeted by a selection of unappetizing dishes that looked like they had been sloppily thrown together without any care for presentation or quality. The taste of the food was equally disappointing, with undercooked and overcooked elements in the same dish, and an overall lack of flavor and seasoning.

As a guest for the luxury of a 5-star hotel, I expected a much higher level of culinary expertise and attention to detail. The lack of effort and skill in the preparation of the breakfast dishes was unacceptable and left a bad taste in my mouth, both figuratively and literally.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend this hotel to anyone who values a high standard of cuisine. The low-quality and unappetizing food, indicate a lack of commitment to providing a true 5-star experience. It is my sincere hope that this hotel takes immediate steps to address these issues and improve the quality of their food and service before any further damage is done to their reputation. (I rather they charge more for the breakfast and return it to its former standard).

However, the room is still great and the staff is still very...