Mercure Jakarta Kota: A Classic Hotel Near The Historic Quarters of North Jakarta

Located near the historic core of Indonesia’s capital, Mercure Jakarta Kota is a great choice for those who want to explore the city’s heritage enclaves in North Jakarta like Glodok, the capital’s Chinatown, and Kota Tua, the old town where Dutch colonizers established the colonial outpost called Batavia. The 243-room accommodation – the first Mercure hotel in Indonesia – stands along the TransJakarta BRT line, conveniently linking it to the rest of the metropolis.

In terms of decor and culinary offerings, the hotel aptly takes inspiration from Chinese-Indonesian heritage, serving Chinese cuisine at its restaurant. Details like the Borobodur-inspired relief decor behind the reception (staffed by cheerful and helpful front desk officers), and the Ramadan drum and Javanese brass gong in the middle of the lobby (with an impressive stained glass dome) all exude an Indonesian flair that makes for a pleasant first impression the moment you step into the property. For all its rustic charm, I think the hotel needs a renovation to refresh its look, especially when one compares it to newer hotel properties in the city.

The grand lobby with touches of Chinese-Indonesian decor.

The cheerful and friendly receptionists!

Amenities

I stayed at an Executive King Bed Room, the largest room type, with classic furnishings. The spacious 56 square-meter room was generous with its fixtures; it had a closet, lounge chair, and dining table at the corner windows with a view of the city. On top of a toilet and bathtub, the bathroom was also equipped with a standalone bidet. My only problem with the room was that the hot water wasn’t working (although it didn’t really matter most of the time because of the tropical weather) and that the interior design was rather bare and old-fashioned. They could probably spruce up the room by bringing in some of the Indonesian or Chinese-inspired decor they used in the common areas of the hotel.

Aside from a Chinese restaurant, Mercure Jakarta Kota has a bar, a gym, meeting rooms, and a resort-style swimming pool with palm trees and an outdoor jacuzzi housed in a brick-roofed gazebo.

The outdoor swimming pool terrace, fronting the fitness center

Meals

Accommodation at Mercure Jakarta Kota comes with buffet breakfast at the 2nd floor dining area overlooking the lobby, offering both Western and Indonesian dishes.

The street down the corner from the hotel, Jalan Mangga Besar, is known as a gastronomic hotspot with its rows of restaurants and sidewalk food stalls, so it’s worth exploring the immediate vicinity, if you’re adventurous and are looking for authentic local fare.

Room Rates

Accommodation starts at USD 37.93 (PHP 1,773, VAT excluded) for the Superior Room (either with double or twin beds) , while the Executive Kind Bed Room is USD 55.23 (PHP 2,581, VAT excluded) a night. Find discounted room rates here!

Firing up the egg station at the buffet breakfast!

My spacious and cozy Executive Deluxe Room with King Bed

Bathroom has couple’s sink, bathtub, toilet and standalone bidet.

A view of Olimo Station of the Transjakarta BRT from my room.

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 to Mercure Jakarta Kota, located 7.4 km away. Alternatively, a GrabCar from the airport to the hotel would cost less than IDR 100,000 (PHP 370).

Mercure Jakarta Kota can also be easily reached via the Transjakarta BRT system. Olimo Station is located right in front of the hotel.

AirAsia now flies direct between Manila and Jakarta.