This trip happened due to my friend’s mileage run which was the perfect excuse to have another holiday. Yay.

Knowing our sole intention is to chill and not really wanting to mess with the infamous Jakarta traffic, we then decided that this spot is the best option we have to allow us to simply chillax. After all, it’s not everyday you come across a Ritz where all guests get club access – time for us to find out if this is a good thing!

Address – Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53. Jakarta, 12190 Indonesia. Website.

Contact – Tel: +62 21 2550 1888. Email: rc.jktrt.leads@ritzcarlton.com.

Location – directly connected to Pacific Mall, this property offers direct sheltered access to a plethora of luxury shopping options and plentiful eats including the apparently quite famous Lapis Lapis for your kueh lapis stash if need be. I didn’t head out at all so can’t comment on it’s locale nor vicinity unfortunately.

Price – IDR4.350000++ = IDR5,263,500 per night booked for a King Guest Room via Hotelux for the STARS Exclusive Rate inclusive of USD100 per stay, valid for use on hotel dining (excluding alcohol) or spa or activities. I thought it was not too bad a deal considering its a Ritz.

Pre-arrival / Getting There – there was no pre-arrival email but I was able to see that I had been a double upgrade to a Suite which was certainly nice as this is my first non-SNA Titanium Suite upgrade. Yay.

We also arranged for the hotel to pick us up from the airport for IDR590,0000 one-way. It’s useful to note that their arrangement differs from the norm in the sense that they partner with a local transport company called Silverbird and a hotel rep receives you at the arrival hall and whisks you away to a Silverbird vehicle thereafter. So it’s not a hotel-branded limo in that sense but we got a luxurious Alphard which is more than adequate for the 40mins journey through weekend traffic. Do note that they also have a disclaimer that says a queue can be expected if there are other Silverbird guests around which is fair.

Upon arrival, we were immediately assisted with our luggage and ushered to take the lift from the ground level reception area to Level 21 Club Lounge for check in.

Check In – the desks here double up as the Club Lounge reception as well as for check in / out but we were whisked away to our room directly by the super kind Kimberly who was so patient with our multiple queries and even made a list of recommendations for us.

Room – I loved loved loved my Suite, 2205! At 104SqM, it was a glorious amount of space even for 2pax! Should have taken a pic of the generous corridor space but wow. Spotless was a bonus as my routine wipes turned up nothing suspicious.

Plenty to go through but I’ll try! The Suite is set up in a rectangular shaped and the first block you see is the spacious living area equipped with a half bathroom to the right which I forgot to take a pic of. The mini bar / fridge / TV console is on the left and comes equipped with the quintessential Nespresso machine and pods, teas, cupwares, bottled water.

On the right is the super comfy sofa enough to sit perhaps 4pax, a single seater, and a good length of coffee table on which sits one of the most elaborate welcome amenity ever – choclates, fruits, nuts etc.

Right by the window is a work desk + work chair equipped with plenty charging ports and a cute ring light of sorts.

The next space is the bedroom area – almost too much but definitely appreciated space containing another TV, a long sofa, and the super comfy firm king bed equipped with generous bedside table space which comes with charging ports.

On the bed sits the cutest towel art ever accompanied any another welcome note by housekeeping – we couldn’t decide what animal it’s meant to be but perhaps a peacock?

Then there is the gorgeous double-sink bathroom, a bathtub + TV (which we did not end up using), a fully glass separate standing shower space, and an open-concept toilet (but with bidet functions). So despite the vast amount of space, the design is not meant for multi-tasking.

Unfortunately, toiletries here are the infamous pretend-Asprey version. Housekeeping switched them out for actual Asprey ones upon request but I wonder what’s the rationale since this meant they do actually have Aspreys in stock.

Connecting all these spaces is the massive walk in wardrobe which I’m sure will fit everything you have even if for longer stays. Bathrobes and slippers are decent quality too.

The Ritz Carlton Club – located on level 21, this is the gem of the property. All guests get club access which means all meals are covered, as well as alcohol in the evenings. I tried two of each session and the quality and quantity on offer will test even the best restraints!

Ascend to The Ritz-Carlton Club® Lounge and experience elevated luxury. Welcome to the city’s sanctuary in the heart of Jakarta, where comforts and services are beyond the expected. Whether you are having a meeting with your colleagues in the boardroom, or savoring the local delicacies at The Club Lounge, we are ready and waiting to create an elevated experience for you.

From its website

The space itself is an elegant classy spot with plenty of natural lighting, equipped with seating arrangements tailored to various group size. The window seats are naturally more popular but they do get abit warm / glaring in the day time.

Continental Breakfast (6:00am – 11:00am)

There is nothing continental about it at all – it’s a full-on buffet of hot and cold dishes plenty on top of the quintessential egg station, as well as thoughtful rotation of items which was something I don’t see at hotel buffet breakfast. Selected local dishes are also offered here which I thought as a nice touch.

During breakfast, the lounge also showcases an array of local teas including a butterfly tea variation which changes color as you squeeze in some acidity. So fun.

Light Lunch (12pm-2:00pm)

Light is an understatement as it’s again a full-on buffet featuring a variety of local and international options enough to satisfy any appetite.

Afternoon Tea (2:30pm-4:30pm)

This was a smaller affair but still plenty enough – scones, savory snacks, sweets etc.

Cocktails & Hors d’ oeuvre (6:00pm – 9:00pm)

This was the most elaborate of the sessions featuring live stations and quality proteins eg salmon done several ways. Indulgence is real during these three hours!

For drinks, this session sees a bartending service with no menu so you can pretty much order anything you like. I indulged in fine cocktails throughout so no comment on the wines nor beers. For bubbles, they do serve a rather delicious Wolf Blass Sparkling Brut (no champagne).

We also saw a special Jambu experience on the first night which was quite interesting – we got to try several jambu drinks from a cart which was really fun.

Choclates & Cordials (9:00pm-10:00pm)

This session presents some sweet options to end the evening with – quality chocolates stuff if you still have space for it.

Facilities –

Ritz Carlton Spa (10:00am – 11:00pm) – since food and drinks were already covered, we decided to spend our USD100 credit at the spa instead. The spa is expectedly super nicely equipped with lockers, shower rooms, dressing tables, a relaxation lounge etc – Dewi the Spa Manager was super helpful and kind enough to give us a tour of the space as well.

The spa prices were surprisingly not crazy expensive at IDR1,200,000 (USD80) for a 60-min body massage which makes for more than a reasonable rate after the credits. The experience was sublime and ended with a tea service in the relaxation lounge.

Inside the spa area are also steam room, sauna, as well as cold and hot pools which can be availed even without a treatment booked.

Swimming Pool (7:00am-7:00pm) – the pool is surprisingly small for a property of this size but seems decent enough for a dip if need be.

Fitness & Health Centre (6:00am-9:00pm) – this was a well-equipped gym despite its size and most importantly it came with a rowing machine! The gym also came with the most attentive staff ever – I was offered individually packed wet wipes when they saw the dispenser had ran out, and Faris and Ipeh brought me the most delicious fresh juices post-workout. How often does that happen?

Last but not least, a simple but thoughtful little children’s corner is set up on weekends to entertain young guests.

Service –

I will say this now – this is by far the best Ritz Carlton experience ever. The ladies and gentlemen here are a bunch of hospitality gems who are perfect examples of how all Ritz service standards should be like. Every single staff we encountered were warm, welcoming and nothing as too much trouble. Constant elite recognition (never have I been thanked for being a Titanium so many times) and thoughtful gestures all round made sure we felt we are well looked after. These moments include:

A farewell note and a gift from housekeeping on the last night:

When we casually mentioned a few local dishes we were hoping to try on one of the afternoons, the club team prepared these specials for us in addition to the evening buffet.

The kind ladies at the club also presented us with special treats to thank us for staying with them. First time ever I got these in my lifetime.

We were also presented a cute farewell gift on our last night which was completely unexpectedly and totally appreciated. What a cute token!

Special shoutout to these staff who made the stay absolutely memorable: Vinda who took such great care of us, Matthew who made sure we had quality bespoke cocktails each night, Felix who was so proud of the sparkling brut, as well as Raveena, Azzahra, Sharfina, Olive, Tata, Jane, and Karina whom we may not have much conversations with but took such great care of us nonetheless. Ritz Carlton Pacific Place must be choosing their staff right 🙂

Check Out – A little snafu where they forgot to deduct the USD100 credit from the spa bill but sorted out efficiently enough with apologies. All forgiven!

In summary,

I want to come back soon. Enough said.