Comment on Hotel Mandarin Oriental: I read the all-favorable reviews of the Mandarin Oriental - Jakarta and decided to stay there with a 50 USD higher room rate than my second alternative. And I’m glad I made the right choice. The spacey room is well arranged that I felt relaxed coming back to my room from a tiresome day. The room is not over decorated, just enough for a touch of elegance. The wall-to-wall windows exploit the magnificent view of the Welcome Monument with the classic jelly shaped fountain and the great roundabout from where the main roads stretch out all directions into the jungle of skyscrapers. Yet the soundproof room allows only whispers of the traffic just enough for me to enjoy the city atmosphere before falling asleep. The room is equipped with ample of power outlets for charging all kinds of electronic devices. The desk is big enough for me to work practically as if I'm in my own office. A wide range of tea selections and a water boiler enhances and extends my dinner inside my own room watching the wide screen LCD TV that is big enough to watch comfortably from a distance lying in bed. The bed is the best part. The generous size and the right softness of the mattress, blanket and pillows give me the delightful comfortable and cozy feeling. The big restroom with 2 basins, a big tub for 2, a wide toilet seat corner and a roomy shower room with rain shower as well as a shower hand set controlled by easy-to-operate valve set. The amenities are generously prepared for all my needs. So much for the compliments! However, it would be even greater if there are some brighter lights to do some reading in the sofa and in bed and a second chair on the opposite side of the desk so that both tenants may sit down and discuss or work at the same time. Free Wi-Fi for internet connection seems to be standard facility in more and more hotels to serve most guests' digital lifestyle. The double clothing cabinets could use some more cloth hangers and shelves for organizing the belongings. I would also suggest shuttle golf carts to/from surrounding shopping centers to avoid walking across the 10-lane busy street to and from the shopping malls. However, I think the biggest applause goes to the impressive service minded personnel. Most, if not every, staff I encountered possess the spirit to serve. The receptionist guy with a very beautiful face and eyes was able to respond to my entire immediate request for the room at check-in. I was assigned to the highest available floor with the best view I could ever expect with minimal walk of less than 20 steps from the elevator. The most impressive incidence was when I turned down to ordering any drink on my first night's dining at the Cinnamon, the lady with a smart suit dress returned in the middle of my meal with 2 bowls of coconut juice for my wife and myself. This is the kind of above-expectation service, which occurs only from genuine service-minded personnel and couldn't be taught or hardly trained. I was so happy to see her again on my last day's breakfast, just in time to ask her to accept a small gift of business card wallet as a token of appreciation for her considerateness, and not for the juice. This is the longest comment I've ever written. But it's not all. Please keep on the excellence.

I must say I was really surprised that Mandarin Oriental was such an excellent Hotel, my room and amenities were superb, breakfast offered good variety of dishes to suit all cuisines and taste, although in good position near super Malls it was hard to cross busy Jl Thamrin . I loved my stay at Mandarin Oriental and will stay there again next in Jakarta.

Very spacious room and nice ambience room. They gave me a room towards the HI roundabout (Bundaran HI) which offers a really great view over the weekend. Very convenient to go anywhere. Bathroom is nice and very well designed. One thing that they might need to improve is variety of food and beverages at breakfast. Otherwise, it is excellent.

A decent hotel in the centre of town. The bar is great.

Mandarin Hotel has a great location & the room given to me had an excellent view. Staff is very friendly, hospitable & courteous. For me it was first time in any of the Mandarin Hotels & I feel Madarin lives upto its reputation of being excellent hotel.

Hotel staff was very friendly. I enjoyed stay,eat breakfast!!

Rooms: if you like the calm panelled elegance of a London club (as you imagine it - without the creaky floors and odd plumbing of the real thing!), you'll love the Mandarin Jakarta. Rooms exude peace. Best are on 17th floor; they have a warm dark red carpet. Lighting arrangments not properly centralised but hey, it's an older hotel and you're getting excellent vlaue for money. Facilities: good without being transcendant although personally I love the breakfast buffets and Zigolini, the Italian resto is pretty good though v fully priced. Swimming pool however is small and that terrace has seen better days. Business centre functional sans plus. Service: superb among the core team of old timers, you can tell they love their hotel. Younger lot do ok. It's my favourite Jakarta hotel by far, although the CBD has "moved south" since the early 90's which was the Mandarin's heyday.. so check the location of your business meetings. The M.O. can't compete with the OTT luxury of the newer palaces, if it's bling you're after, and it's constrained by its small footprint, but it has a style and elegance all its own. Try it!

Actually, we liked the room (size and interior...) but there was 1 problem. The room was smelly. Other than that the food and service were good.