Hotel Indonesia re-opens with Kempinski added to the name

Formerly known as Hotel Indonesia, the first five-star hotel in Southeast Asia re-opened its doors to the public on Wednesday.

"I believe the revival of Hotel Indonesia Kempinski will make it the preferred hotel in Jakarta," general manager Gerhard E. Mitrovits said in his speech during the grand opening.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially inaugurated the grand opening.

"This place is a good place for anyone to visit, it will boost business, the economy and tax revenue," said SBY.

The hotel has a long-standing position in Indonesia's history, dating back to 1962 when president Sukarno inaugurated it as the tourism gateway to the country.

That year, the hotel became the information center for guests attending the fourth Asian Games. The hotel has also hosted important international guests, including the Cambodian Prince Norodom Sihanouk.

In the 1970s, the hotel was regarded as a status symbol for Jakartans, being hip back then meant plunging into the Hotel Indonesia pool with a drink from it's Nirwana Supper Club.

Sukarno was also involved in the building of the hotel. He commissioned US architect Abel Sorensen and his wife Wendy to design the 25,802-square-meter building. The couple combined a minimalist, modern aesthetic with local architecture and decor.

The 289-room hotel now boasts a bulletproof presidential suite and two ballrooms: the refurbished Bali Room equipped with LCD lighting, and the 3,000-quare-meter Kempinski Grand Ballroom, which is one of the largest function rooms in Jakarta.

Adjacent to the hotel is the Grand Indonesia shopping mall, which has been open for some time, and a newer Menara BCA office building. (dis)