Escape to Paradise: Hotel Laweyan, Surakarta's Hidden Gem
Escape to Paradise: Hotel Laweyan - My (Mostly) Ravishing Review of Surakarta's Hidden Gem (and Why You NEED to Go!)
Okay, so I just got back from Hotel Laweyan in Surakarta, and let me tell you, it wasn’t the pristine, perfectly curated experience you see in those glossy travel brochures. Nope. It was REAL. And surprisingly, that’s exactly what made it so… amazing. Let's dive in, shall we? Buckle up, buttercups. This is gonna be a bumpy ride.
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Accessibility: (Because, let's be real, everyone deserves a good vacation!)
Right off the bat: Accessibility. This is important, people. I’m happy to report, mostly good news. The website hinted at facilities for disabled guests, and on the ground, there's an elevator (thank the travel gods!). It's a little slow, but it works! You might want to double-check specific room accommodations if mobility is a major issue, just to be sure. I'd call ahead and be super specific. Because let's be honest, “facilities for disabled guests” can mean anything from a slightly wider doorway to a full-blown accessible suite.
Rooms (The Heart of the Matter):
Okay, let's get into the nitty-gritty of the rooms. I snagged a (non-smoking, thank goodness) room with… well, a lot of features. Let’s list them out because, like, there's a LOT.
- Air Conditioning: Phew. Necessity in this climate.
- Alarm Clock: Ugh. The bane of my existence. But, you know, helpful for some.
- Bathrobes: Soft. Comfy. Essential bathrobe life.
- Bathroom Phone: Never used it. But there.
- Bathtub: Yay! A soak after a long day of navigating markets and temples = heaven.
- Blackout Curtains: Absolutely crucial. SLEEP IS SACRED.
- Closet: Standard.
- Coffee/Tea Maker: YES. My mornings would've been a tragedy without it.
- Complimentary Tea: Nice touch.
- Daily Housekeeping: My room was always immaculate. No complaints here!
- Desk: For when you have to… you know… work. (Shudder).
- Extra Long Bed: I'm tall-ish and I slept great.
- Free Bottled Water: Again, a must-have in the heat.
- Hair Dryer: Essential for my mane.
- High Floor: Got a decent view!
- In-room Safe Box: Secure.
- Internet Access – LAN: Checks notes. Did not try. Don’t judge me!
- Internet Access – Wireless: Okay, THIS IS IMPORTANT. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! And it actually worked! (Unlike some hotels where the Wi-Fi is more of a vague suggestion.)
- Ironing Facilities: I don't iron, but appreciate the option.
- Laptop Workspace: Useful.
- Linens: Clean, fresh, and smelled nice. (I'm a sucker for good linens).
- Mini Bar: Expensive, but convenient for a late-night snack.
- Mirror: Check.
- Non-smoking: Bliss.
- On-demand Movies: Never used. Too busy exploring!
- Private Bathroom: Always a plus.
- Reading Light: Appreciated!
- Refrigerator: Useful for keeping drinks cold.
- Safety/security feature: Good.
- Satellite/cable channels: Did not watch.
- Scale: I… definitely didn't use it. (Denial is a powerful thing).
- Seating Area: Nice for relaxing.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Luxurious.
- Shower: Good water pressure.
- Slippers: Another great touch.
- Smoke Detector: Good.
- Socket near the bed: Crucial for charging your phone.
- Sofa: Cozy.
- Soundproofing: Seemed pretty good.
- Telephone: Still used.
- Toiletries: Adequate.
- Towels: Plenty of them.
- Umbrella: Luckily, didn't need it.
- Visual alarm: Good to have.
- Wake-up service: Didn’t test it.
My biggest complaint? The room decor was a little… beige. But hey, it was clean, comfortable, and functional. And who spends that much time in their room anyway, when you're in Surakarta?!
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: (FOOD! My Favorite Subject!)
Oh, the FOOD. This deserves its own chapter.
- Restaurants: Plural! Yes!
- Asian Breakfast, Asian Cuisine, Western Breakfast, Western Cuisine: You get options! They had this AMAZING nasi goreng at breakfast. Amazing. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
- Breakfast [buffet]: Always a good start to the day
- A la carte in restaurant: Good if you want something after breakfast
- Bar, Poolside bar: Happy hour was a lifesaver after trekking around town.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Needed for the caffeine addict that I am.
- Bottle of water: Hydration is key!
- Happy hour: Yes, please.
- Desserts in restaurant: I'm a sucker for a good dessert.
- Room service [24-hour]: Perfect for those late-night cravings.
- Snack bar: Great for quick bites.
- Salad in restaurant: To balance out all the deliciousness.
- Vegetarian restaurant: I don't see myself visiting but great.
- Soup in restaurant: Comfort food alert.
The food was generally excellent, and the staff was incredibly friendly. I had a long chat with one of the waiters, who gave me some amazing local food recommendations. This isn’t just a hotel; it's a portal to the culture.
Ways to Relax: (Spa, Pool, and Pure Bliss)
Okay, this is where Hotel Laweyan truly shines.
- Pool with view: YES. The pool is gorgeous, though it can get a bit crowded at peak times.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Clean, refreshing, and the perfect antidote to the Surakarta heat.
- Spa: Got a massage. Absolutely divine. Like, melted-into-the-table divine. Do it.
- Massage: See above.
- Sauna, Steamroom, and Spa/sauna : All the relaxation options!
- Foot bath: They had one. So relaxing!
- Body scrub, Body wrap: Didn't try them, but seemed tempting.
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: I didn't go. Apparently, I was too busy eating nasi goreng.
Cleanliness and Safety: (Important Stuff)
This is a tricky one, post-pandemic. I’m happy to report that Hotel Laweyan took things seriously.
- Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Professional-grade sanitizing services: They seemed committed.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Good.
- Safe dining setup: They used the contactless or cashless payment service.
- Hand sanitizer: Available.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: seemed knowledgeable
Services and Conveniences: (The Little Extras)
- Air conditioning in public area: Essential.
- Cash withdrawal, Currency exchange, Cashless payment service: Handy.
- Concierge, Doorman, Front desk [24-hour]: Always helpful.
- Daily housekeeping: Excellent.
- Elevator: Thank you, sweet baby Jesus!
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Food delivery: Drool.
- Invoice provided: Needed.
- Ironing service, Laundry service: I didn't utilize them.
- Luggage storage: Helpful.
- Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings: Good if you are there on business.
- On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events: They held a wedding when I was there.
- Safety deposit boxes: Secure.
- Smoking area: Nice to have.
- Terrace: Nice to have.
- Xerox/fax in business center: Useful, I guess.
For the Kids: (Family Friendly?)
- Babysitting service: Good to have. *
Okay, buckle up, Buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's itinerary. This is Surviving (and Maybe Thriving?) in Surakarta, Hotel Laweyan Edition. Prepare for the bumpy ride, the questionable local cuisine, and the sheer, glorious chaos that is Indonesian travel!
Hotel Laweyan: My Love-Hate Relationship (and a Timeline of My Sanity)
Day 1: Arrival and Immediate Panic
8:00 AM (Jakarta Airport - Ugh, the Travel): Swear to God, the flight was delayed. Of course. And the guy next to me kept trying to convert me to…well, let's just say it involved a lot of hand gestures and a pamphlet that smelled faintly of coconut. I needed a drink. Immediately.
11:00 AM (Surakarta Arrival - Hello, Heat): Stepped out of that crammed minivan (seriously, where did they find that thing?!) and BAM! Humidity. Like, face-melting, hair-frizzing humidity. Hotel Laweyan looked…charming. In a slightly dilapidated, colonial kinda way. Prayed to the travel gods (and the air conditioning) that my room was okay.
1:00 PM (Room Inspection - The Tiny Victory): Okay, the room wasn’t terrible. It had a fan (thank you, baby Jesus!) and a mosquito net with more holes than my sanity. The bed? Questionable. But hey, it's four walls and a roof. Moving in.
2:00 PM (First Meal - Spicy, and Possibly Poisonous): Found a tiny warung (a small, local eatery) down the street. Ordered something that looked safe. It was…well, it was fiery. My mouth is still burning, and I'm pretty sure I saw my life flash before my eyes. But the rice? AMAZING. Definitely worth risking it.
4:00 PM (Laweyan Village Stroll - "Charming" is an Understatement): Took a walk around Laweyan Village. The old batik factories were, uh, interesting. The cobbled streets? Hellishly uneven. Almost ate it three times. But the people! So friendly, so curious. Got offered a cup of tea (grateful), chatted with a batik artisan (fascinating), and almost bought a sarong with a picture of a rooster that I'm now seriously considering.
7:00 PM (Dinner Disaster - Overwhelmed: Went back to the warung. The food (same food as the afternoon), the heat made me lose my appetite. After almost throwing up I just had to leave
Day 2: Batik, Bemo, and the Battle for Breakfast
8:00 AM (Breakfast Brawl - The Food Fight): Hotel breakfast promised… something. "Toast." "Eggs." "Fruit." What I got was a sad excuse for toast, eggs that looked like they’d been run over by a truck, and fruit that was starting to ferment. Minor victory for my stomach after seeing the previous day's foods from warung. Had a cup of the strongest, sweetest coffee I’ve ever tasted, nearly blew a hole through the roof of my mouth and decided that I needed to find a REAL breakfast option. Immediately.
9:00 AM (Batik Time - A True Masterpiece): Took a batik class. I was sure that it was going to be an authentic, artsy, and enriching experience. Nope. I spent hours trying to draw a design. My attempts looked like a kindergartener had been given acid, and the wax stubbornly refused to cooperate. I'm sure I will never make a batik item as beautiful as the actual artists in that same village.
1:00 PM (Lunch - The "Safe" Bet): Found a different warung. Tried the Nasi Goreng (fried rice) - always a safe bet, right? Wrong. It had something…crunchy…in it. I'm pretty sure it was a bug. I'm choosing to deny it.
4:00 PM (Bemo Ride - Pure, Untamed Joy): Decided to experience a bema, a local public transport. It felt like being inside a washing machine, filled with people, music, and the overwhelming aroma of exhaust fumes. I was terrified. But it was also exhilarating. I felt like I was actually living in Surakarta.
7:00 PM (Dinner - The Big Mistake): The streets of Laweyan are filled with a myriad of smells and sounds. I decide to sit on a bench and watch the world go by. After I watch the many people, I choose what to order. I finally decided to try a Satay, chicken skewers. I could not bring myself to finish them. My stomach turned, and I knew I had to go back to the hotel to sit everything out.
Day 3: Temples, Tempeh, and Total Exhaustion
8:00 AM (Breakfast Reboot - Success! (kind of)): Decided to skip the hotel breakfast and found a cafe with real coffee and actual pastries. A small victory. Felt as though I could finally feel more rested.
9:00 AM (Candi Sukuh - Ancient Wonder (and Steep Stairs)): Hopped in an car to go to Candi Sukuh. Amazing! The architecture was incredible. I was very satisfied to finally get to explore a historical place.
1:00 PM (Lunch - Tempeh Triumph (Maybe)): Someone told me to try Tempeh Goreng (fried tempeh). Okay, it was actually amazing! Crispy, flavorful, and not at all like something I could imagine eating.
3:00 PM (Massage - Salvation): Booked a massage at the hotel. The perfect way to unwind after climbing stairs. The woman who massaged me was so strong, but so peaceful. She talked to me and gave me a few tips from the locals.
7:00 PM (Dinner - Back to Basics): Had a simple dinner back at the hotel. Simple rice and vegetables. I found satisfaction in simplicity.
Day 4: Departure and The Existential Dread
8:00 AM (Final Breakfast - The Aftertaste of Failure): Same sad toast, same weird eggs. Gave up and just focused on the coffee. The bittersweet taste of it makes me long to stay.
9:00 AM (Souvenir Shopping - The Panic Begins): Rushed around, desperately trying to find the perfect souvenirs. Ended up with a batik wall hanging (the rooster one! I'm not ashamed!), a few trinkets, and a lingering sense of "what did I just buy?!"
12:00 PM (Check-Out - Emotional Collapse): Said goodbye to the hotel, which was more than a place to crash. It was a bizarre, messy, and ultimately, kind of wonderful experience.
1:00 PM (Surakarta Departure - The Epilogue): Leaving Surakarta. The heat, the food, the chaos… I survived. And maybe, just maybe, I secretly loved it. The people, the culture, the utter unpredictability… it changed me. Or at least, it made me appreciate air conditioning and a good cup of coffee even more.
Final Thoughts (and a Total Mess):
This itinerary is a lie. Real life is messy. I didn't stick to anything. I got lost. I ate things I regretted. I laughed, I cried (mostly from chili peppers), and I discovered a culture that completely blew my mind. That's what travel is about, right? The imperfections, the surprises, and the memories that stick with you long after you've gone home. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a nap… and possibly a therapist.
Escape to Paradise: Your Dream Villa Awaits in Canggu, Bali!
