Unveiled in 2024, Mövenpick Jakarta City Centre is the brand’s second hotel in Indonesia, following Mövenpick Bali Resort, Jimbaran. While the 256-room property may appear brand new, it actually began life as the Alila Jakarta in 2001, marking the humble debut of what would later become Hyatt’s world-renowned wellness brand. The hotel remained under the brand until 2019, when Alila founder Franky Tjahjadikarta and his family sold the property, paving the way for its eventual transformation.
Curiously, however, this is something of a full-circle moment. When construction first began in 1996, the building had originally been intended to open as the Mövenpick Hotel Jakarta, only for the project to be derailed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Nearly three decades later, that original vision has finally been realised. Better still, the hotel’s original architect, Budiman Hendropurnomo, returned to oversee the complete transformation of the façade and interiors of the very building he designed almost 30 years earlier.
Booking Mövenpick Jakarta
For my one-night stay at Mövenpick Jakarta City Centre, I paid a spectacular rate of IDR 1,025,000 (~USD 57 or GBP 43) for an entry-level Classic Room without breakfast. I booked this through Agoda, which, rather oddly, offered the lowest rate of any booking platform. While the hotel typically charges a little more than this, it remains one of the most affordable international five-star hotels in Jakarta. That alone makes it an intriguing option. Even more so for me, as I was curious to see how the hotel had been transformed, having last stayed here during its Alila days.
Location
What arguably sets Mövenpick Jakarta City Centre apart is its location in one of Jakarta’s older districts, an area largely untouched by the city’s five-star hotels. Specifically, the hotel sits along Jalan Pecenongan, widely regarded as Jakarta’s street food capital. The thoroughfare is famed for its countless roadside eateries, many of which only come alive after sunset.
The hotel is also within easy reach of several of the capital’s most important landmarks, including the National Monument (Monas), the Presidential Palace, Jakarta Cathedral, and the Istiqlal Mosque. Meanwhile, Kota Tua and Glodok are both around a 15-minute drive away, making the hotel an excellent base for first-time visitors keen to explore Jakarta’s historic heart.
Check-in
We arrived at the Mövenpick at around half past one, just before the hotel’s published check-in time of 14.00. Following a security check at the entrance, we were greeted by a friendly member of staff who helped us with our bags. After parking my car, one of the security personnel directed me to the lobby.
At reception, we were assisted by Krisye, who promptly confirmed our reservations. As we had booked two rooms under different names, the hotel had understandably not allocated them on the same floor due to my oversight. As such, she explained that they would unfortunately be on separate floors.
After assuring her that this wasn’t a problem, she cheerfully issued us the keys to the first room while explaining that the second would take a little longer to prepare. To our surprise, she returned just a few minutes later with a second set of keys, meaning both rooms were ready after all. Nice!
As our bags were being sent up by the lobby staff, we headed straight for the lifts to make our way to the room. Yet, while the hotel has done an excellent job refreshing the public areas, I was surprised that the original lifts were retained. They are relatively small and rather slow, often resulting in long waits for an available lift.
Classic Room
Owing to the building’s uniform layout, all Classic and Executive Rooms at the Mövenpick measure 30 sqm (323 sq ft). While the design isn’t entirely to my taste, it represents a significant departure from the relatively spartan interiors of the former Alila. The room features wood-effect vinyl flooring, adding a welcome sense of warmth to the otherwise cool-toned grey palette.
For one, Budiman Hendropurnomo has done an excellent job reinterpreting his original 2001 design, blending Mövenpick’s contemporary aesthetic with the vibrant colours and patterns synonymous with Jakarta. Between the striking biophilic-inspired red carpet and bespoke furnishings, such as the freestanding minibar cabinet, the room feels both premium and inviting.
The hotel’s upper floors also enjoy interesting views over Jakarta’s older neighbourhoods. Rooms facing west (numbered xx01-05 and xx07-10) overlook the Gajah Mada and Hayam Wuruk thoroughfares. Personally, however, I’d recommend requesting an east-facing room (numbered xx06–16; for example, Room 2006), as these enjoy views towards the historic Jakarta Cathedral and Masjid Istiqlal, Indonesia’s largest mosque. Both are beautifully illuminated after dark.
Bedroom
The bedroom centres around two beds in a Hollywood twin configuration, each flanked by a bedside table and, importantly, universal power outlets. Small reading lights are also built-in, which can be individually switched on and off. I found these pleasantly unobtrusive. Much like my stay at Mövenpick Bali, the beds were exceptionally comfortable, with wonderfully soft linens. Facing the beds is a 65-inch television, which seems almost disproportionately large for a room of this size.
Despite its respectable footprint, I was surprised by how confined the room felt. For one, I think the design is a little overworked, with its many bold elements competing for attention and overwhelming the space. Furthermore, the lack of both a proper sofa and a dedicated desk only reinforced this sense of confinement. With seating for little more than one person, the room ultimately felt smaller than its actual size would suggest.
Additionally, despite occupying more space than perhaps necessary, I really liked the custom-designed freestanding minibar cabinet, which feels like a unique piece created specifically for the hotel. The cabinet houses the minibar and safety deposit box, alongside a compact coffee and tea station. I’ll also note that the coffee pods are sourced locally from Espresso Indonesia.
Finally, I’ll point out that the room features an open wardrobe by the entryway. While this has become something of a mainstay at midscale hotels, I found that it helped the room feel noticeably more spacious and airy. The wardrobe also includes a portable luggage rack and a clothes ironing set, thoughtful additions that complements the hotel’s added business appeal.
Bathroom
Opposite the beds is the room’s petite bathroom. Despite its compact footprint, it is functionally designed and nicely appointed for a hotel of this category. In addition to the usual vanity and toilet, it also features a walk-in shower fitted with both rain and handheld shower heads. The shower stall is accentuated by a luminous mosaic wall, adding an element of pizzaz to the space’s otherwise subdued grey palette.
Like most modern hotels in Southeast Asia, the bathroom features a bidet-equipped toilet. While otherwise unremarkable, I found the toilet paper holder to be mounted too low and too close to the bowl. As a result, taller individuals will likely find their knees brushing against it. A small design flaw, if you ask me.
I’ll also add that the bath amenities were unbranded and came in large, wall-mounted refillable bottles. Despite that, the bergamot-scented shampoo and shower gel were among the better ones I’ve encountered, both in terms of fragrance and quality. Funnily enough, I preferred them to the Mistik-branded amenities provided at The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan.
Amenities
Swimming pool
The swimming pool, along with the hotel’s other wellness facilities, is located on Level 6. After exiting the lifts, you’ll find a keycard-controlled door on the right. Rather confusingly, this first leads into a hot, greenhouse-like space, beyond which lies the beautifully refurbished pool. Like much of the hotel, it retains the shape and footprint of the original Alila pool, albeit with a comprehensive facelift that includes beautiful wooden decking.
A handful of sun loungers line three sides of the pool, accompanied by a variety of deck chairs nestled among the surrounding greenery. In addition to the modestly sized main pool, there is also a crescent-shaped children’s wading pool – a relic from the Alila days. Off to one side is what appears to be a platform for hot yoga sessions, although it was locked during my visit.
Also located on the deck is a small children’s play area, accompanied by seating for the deserted Eldoris Pool Bar. I’ll also note that the pool has its own changing facilities, in addition to the locker rooms by Le Jardin Spa. Ultimately, I found the area to be very inviting, especially after a sweltering day in Jakarta.
Fitness centre
On the opposite side of the lift lobby on Level 6, you’ll find signage pointing towards the hotel’s relatively large fitness centre, which is open 24 hours a day. As expected, a keycard is required to access the well-equipped facility, which I found genuinely impressive. Along one side is an array of modern cardio equipment and weight machines from LifeFitness and Nautilus, all overlooking the streets of Jakarta.
On the opposite side, an equally impressive selection of equipment awaits, including three fully equipped power racks alongside a comprehensive range of dumbbells and free weights. Behind them are a rowing machine and a stair climber, rounding out what is already an exceptionally well-equipped fitness centre. All in all, I was genuinely impressed.
Sauna and steam room
For a premium hotel brand without a wellness focus, I was pleasantly surprised to learn at check-in that sauna and steam rooms are available to all in-house guests free-of-charge. Much like the pool and fitness centre, these facilities are located on Level 6. More specifically, they form part of Le Jardin Spa, where guests first collect a locker key. After registering, a member of staff escorts you to the changing rooms, where you’ll find both the sauna and steam room.
As expected, the centrepieces of the locker room facilities are the sauna and steam room, both of which were in excellent shape and form. That said, each is quite compact, with signage limiting occupancy to just two people. I also appreciated the provision of ice water outside the sauna, offering some much-needed hydration after a sauna or steam session.
In addition, the locker room also features nice shower rooms and changing facilities. I imagine these would be a godsend if you’ve already checked out but still want a shower before a late-night flight from Jakarta. That said, I was a little confused by how far the changing rooms are from the pool, requiring a walk back through the lift lobby. But hey, that’s just me nitpicking.
Chocolate Hour
Held daily between 16.00 and 17.00 in the afternoon is Mövenpick’s Chocolate Hour, a brand-wide tradition offering guests complimentary chocolates and other sweet treats. A nod to the brand’s Swiss heritage, the programme is one of Mövenpick’s signature offerings and is heavily promoted throughout the hotel. Although I’ve stayed at a handful of Mövenpick hotels over the years, I’d never actually taken part, assuming it would be little more than a gimmick centred around cheap chocolates. Oh, how wrong I was.
At Mövenpick Jakarta City Centre, Chocolate Hour is held at The Creamery, located within the hotel’s indoor courtyard. Each afternoon, a surprisingly generous selection of sweets is laid out and offered to guests free of charge.
Specifically, the spread included an assortment of chocolate pralines, barks, and buttons, alongside chocolate-themed miniature cakes and cookies, chocolate and matcha soft serve, and traditional Indonesian hand-cut ice cream bars.
What impressed me most, however, was the quality of the sweets. They were genuinely excellent and far exceeded my admittedly low expectations. Better yet, guests are welcome to help themselves to seconds. Consider me sold!
Service
During my short stay, I was genuinely impressed by how friendly and proactive the staff were, especially for a non-luxury hotel of this size. Across the board, everyone was accommodating and eager to help. When someone in my travel party felt uncomfortable after noticing a dirty windowsill outside the room, the reception team were more than happy to offer us an alternative room. Granted, there was a short wait, though that was entirely understandable given the housekeeping lead time.
The duty manager, Tegar, even went out of his way to ensure our replacement rooms were on the same floor for our convenience. After we had settled in, he checked in once again to make sure we were completely satisfied. How very thoughtful! I’d also like to give a special mention to Taufik at the Spa and Fitness Centre on Level 6, who was always on hand whenever I needed assistance.
Additionally, I also have to commend the attention to detail shown by the security personnel outside the hotel. Noticing that I had been carelessly looking at my phone by the roadside, one of the guards came over to warn me. He explained that there had been an uptick in petty theft around the area, as well as Jakarta more broadly, and advised me to keep my belongings safely tucked away.
Overall
Truth be told, I arrived at the Mövenpick expecting little more than a run-of-the-mill business hotel with a quirky location. Yet between the excellent facilities, attentive service, comfortable rooms, and glorious Chocolate Hour, I left thoroughly impressed. The hotel never pretends to be something it isn’t; yet still punches well above its weight. To me, that is precisely what makes it so impressive. Frankly, if it weren’t for the slow lifts and the few minor design quibbles I had, I wouldn’t hesitate in giving this hotel a perfect score. Even so, I wouldn’t think twice about recommending Mövenpick Jakarta City Centre, especially to anyone looking for an affordable five-star hotel in the capital.
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