Keraton at The Plaza: Unrivaled Luxury in Central Jakarta

Want a taste of the high life in the Indonesian capital? Driving into the shopping district of central Jakarta, it’s hard to miss Keraton at The Plaza Hotel, which occupies the first 22 floors of a 51-storey skyscraper attached to Plaza Indonesia, one of the premier shopping malls in the city. Opened in 2011, the hotel became the first member of Starwood’s The Luxury Collection — a brand of high-end boutique properties — to launch in the country.

Taking its name from the Javanese word for “royal palace”, Keraton (pronounced kraton) evokes an understated elegance in muted neutral colors, incorporating traditional Indonesian motifs and decor such as screens and dividers inspired by batik patterns. One can see this local flair in the common areas as well as with the rooms. The double bed in my deluxe room, for example, was accented by wall decor and an embroidered bed runner from Sumatra.

Keraton at The Plaza is housed in a 51-storey skyscraper.

The hotel lobby with the 2.5-ton rock crystal chandelier.

On top of its palatial design, the hotel also excelled in its personalized service, which I already experienced a few days before my arrival at the hotel when I received a questionnaire in the email that asked my room preferences – like my preferred music, room temperature, and so on – beforehand to ensure the smoothest and most comfortable stay. Everyone in the hotel – front desk to the engineering staff who fixed my automated toilet – were all so courteous and accommodating.

Amenities

Hands down, my entry-level Grand Deluxe Room at Keraton at The Plaza Hotel was the most spacious I’ve ever stayed in. Serviced 24/7 by my personal butler Christiandes (who I can contact anytime via phone or WhatsApp), the 64-square-meter corner room had a plush king bed, office table with ergonomic chair, a sofa set, and a walk-through bathroom with a freestanding bath tub, rain shower cubicle, and automatic toilet. Large floor-to-ceiling windows – upon pulling up the motorized window shades by remote control – revealed commanding views of the surrounding shopping district.

My Grand Deluxe Room opened, via a connecting door, to a living room, kitchen and guest toilet, transforming into the Keraton Apartment, the hotel’s newest room type offering with a whopping total floor of 140 square meters!

Hotel facilities include a 24-hour gym, 24-hour business center, meeting rooms, a spa, and a 22-meter aquarium-style indoor swimming pool.

The 64-square-meter Grand Deluxe Room

A personalized welcome treat of durian coffee with a durian balloon!

The walk-through bathroom with freestanding bathtub and rain shower cubicle.

The Grand Deluxe Room may be expanded into the Keraton Apartment.

A commanding view of central Jakarta from the Keraton Apartment’s living room.

Meals

Check-in guests have the option to include daily buffet breakfast with their rooms. The hotel’s signature restaurant Bengawan at the 7th floor offers a five-star dining experience for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while the ground-level Keraton Lounge is the ideal spot for afternoon tea or evening cocktails. Bengawan’s daily breakfast buffet is a king’s feast with Western fare and Indonesian dishes like bubur ayam (chicken congee) served in a traditional wooden food cart that typically plies the streets of Indonesia’s urban areas. Other local dishes were tempe dan tahu balado (soybean cake and tofu with spicy sauce), semur tahu (tofu with sweet soy sauce), gulai nangka (young jackfruit curry), and opor ayam (chicken cooked in coconut milk). There are also breakfast items that one picks off the menu, and are made to order to the guest’s preferences. I ordered a plate of lobster eggs Benedict topped with a touch of caviar. Alternatively, there are many options to eat out at the adjacent Plaza Indonesia and other shopping centers nearby. The side streets across the entrance to Keraton at The Plaza also have several authentic food stalls.

Breakfast buffet at Bengawan Restaurant at the 7th floor.

Lobster egg Benedict from the breakfast menu.

The ground-level Keraton Lounge is perfect for afternoon tea or evening cocktails.

Room Rates

Accommodation at the Keraton at The Plaza starts at IDR 3,517,470 (PHP 13,160) for a Grand Deluxe Room, with a floor area of 61 to 64 square meters, that sleeps up to three persons (breakfast not included).
Find discounted room rates here!

How to Get There

The new SkyTrain now links Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to central Jakarta in 55 minutes (IDR 70,000 or PHP 260) . Alight at BNI City Station / Sudirman Baru Station, then take a taxi or book a ride on Grab or Go-jek (IDR 19,000 or PHP 71, Grab fare) to Keraton at the Plaza, located 1.1 km away. AirAsia now flies direct between Manila and Jakarta.