H

otels for both humans and pets in Jakarta are at full capacity ahead of Idul Fitri.

Many hotels in the city are offering discounts to anticipate those Jakartans opting to stay in hotels due to their maids returning home to their towns or villages.

Some who stay in the city leave their homes and check into hotels to indulge themselves while their maids are away.

Meanwhile, other Jakartans returning to their hometowns for the holiday are looking for hotels to place their pets while they are away.

Every year, millions of Indonesians return to their hometowns to spend Idul Fitri with their families in a tradition called mudik.

This year, the annual exodus will reach its peak on July 25-27, three days prior to Idul Fitri, which is estimated to fall on July 28.

To anticipate a surge in visitors, hotels in Jakarta are offering the best Idul Fitri packages.

Sahid Hotel Group director of sales, marketing and business development Vivi Herlambang said Sahid'€™s hotels in Jakarta were ready for the Idul Fitri holidays.

'€œThe Grand Sahid Jaya on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta, for example, offers an exclusive deal for Indonesian citizens and Kitas [temporary stay permits] holders,'€ Vivi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

She said that from June 27 to Aug. 3, the five-star hotel would offer packages including pre-dawn meals or sahur, light dishes to break the fast or takjil and dinner.

'€œThe packages cost from Rp 795,000 [US$68.71] to Rp 1.05 million per day according to room type,'€ Vivi said.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta also offers a package starting at
Rp 2.18 million.

'€œIn this package, we offer a complimentary third night for those who have stayed two consecutive nights. We also offer a complimentary third room for those who have booked two rooms,'€ Mandarin Oriental communications manager Malinda Yasmin said in a statement on Thursday, adding that the package included sahur.

Malinda said the hotel also offered an Idul Fitri brunch that featured a variety of traditional Idul Fitri dishes, including opor, rendang and ketupat, as well as a delectable range of international cuisines.

The brunch, she said, was priced at Rp 315,000 per person.

Meanwhile, '€œpet hotels'€ in Jakarta are preparing for increased amounts of visitors.

Derby Winner'€™s House, a dog hotel in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, has prepared dog food and toys for incoming pets.

Founder Clara Tania said the dog hotel had set its prices at between Rp 70,000 to Rp 200,000 per dog according to size.

'€œSmall breed dogs and large breed dogs will be separated in two different houses. For the large breed dogs, we have prepared a house with outdoor facilities such as jogging tracks so they can play outside,'€ Clara told the Post on Thursday.

The smaller dogs would stay in a large three-story house where they could play freely indoors, she said.

'€œMost owners have gone to their hometowns so they have trusted us with their pets,'€ Clara said.

As of Thursday, Clara added, Derby Winner'€™s House was taking care of 40 dogs. Mocca Pet Shop in Bojong Indah, West Jakarta, which also doubles as a dog and cat hotel, has also prepared for the holidays.

Owner Claudia Nela said she had prepared dog and cat food as well as special shampoo to wash the pets.

'€œWe set a flat price of Rp 50,000 per pet,'€ she said.

Nela said she enjoyed her job, taking care of the pets.

'€œIt'€™s fun to play with the cats and dogs. I don'€™t mind if I have to take care of 10 pets at a time,'€ she said. (dwa)