P

icking prime locations in Greater Jakarta, budget hotels are meeting their customers' demands for good access and a comfortable stay.

Unlike their star-rated counterparts, budget hotels do not offer elaborate facilities such as swimming pools, fancy bars, luxurious spas and spacious lobbies. Budget hotel amenities are also limited to guests' basic needs, from hot water showers, toiletries and towels to cable TV and Internet access. However, comfortable rooms and friendly service always top the list of requirements for budget hotels.

Budget-hotel guests are often defined as smart travelers or urban explorers. However, both descriptors point to a group of people who are always on the move, be it for business or leisure, and are usually connected to their gadgets around the clock. They don't have a problem with a room's simplicity or practical service, even if they are traveling with small children.

Nydia, a South Jakarta resident, said she always chose budget accommodation when visiting her parents in Salatiga, Central Java. She is a regular guest at the Whiz Hotel Semarang, a budget hotel operated by Intiwhiz International. She usually stays there for a night and drives to Salatiga the next morning.

Despite traveling with her 4-year-old son, Nydia said that staying at a budget hotel fitted her travel needs. 'We never stay in the room for long because we are staying in the city to visit family. We need a good sleep after the long drive from Jakarta before continuing on the road the next morning,' she said. 'Besides, with a smaller room, it's easier to keep an eye on my son, as he likes to wander.'

Atri Maryanti, Intiwhiz International's corporate marketing and communications manager, said despite its low rates, a budget hotel must take customer expectations seriously, especially in providing them with a adequate night's sleep and good shower facilities.

'All the hotels in the Intiwhiz chain are equipped with top-quality mattresses to ensure comfort and good-quality sleep for our visitors, especially weary travelers,' Atri added. 'Whiz hotels also provide hot water and power rain-showers in each room. It gives our customers a nice surprise because they don't expect a budget hotel to have that sort of shower. All in all, it's a matter of providing guests with what they have paid for.'

No less important is a good location, which means many budget hotels are in close proximity to strategic commercial areas.

Whiz Hotel Yogyakarta, for instance, stands within walking distance of Malioboro, the city's most popular tourist spot. The hotel chain is building another hotel in the city, near the Tugu area. In Semarang, the chain's hotel is located right across the street from the city's most modern shopping mall, the Paragon, while in the capital, the Whiz hotel is connected to Menteng Huis in Cikini, Central Jakarta.

Atri said that locations mattered. 'We target prime areas in every city for our development plans. It's usually the city center, so as to give customers easy access to attractions.'

The Intiwhiz hotel chain, which also operates the Grand Whiz hotels, has set a target to have a total of 60 Whiz and Grand Whiz hotels within the next five years.

Surabaya, East Java; Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan, and Pekanbaru in Riau, Sumatra, as well as more places in Jakarta's prime locations including Kebon Kacang and Cipete, are already on Intiwhiz's list for upcoming projects.

Certain Jakarta neighborhoods, like Kelapa Gading, were not hotel hotspots until only a few years ago. Now the area, which has become one of the important business and entertainment centers in North Jakarta, is home to several budget as well as starred hotels.

THE BnB Jakarta Kelapa Gading, an urban budget hotel operated by PHM Hospitality, is targeting both business and leisure travelers in North Jakarta. Yulia Maria, PHM Hospitality's corporate public relations manager, said the hotel's value-conscious customers sought a comfortable stay in a good location. Answering those demands, THE BnB Hotels' first property in Jakarta commenced operations last year on Boulevard Bukit Gading Raya in West Kelapa Gading.

'THE BnB Hotels are strategically located in prime areas. Aside from being close to business districts, culinary hubs, entertainment and shopping centers, the areas provide easy access to public transportation, toll roads and airports. Kelapa Gading is the first location for THE BnB Hotel that offers all those amenities,' she said.

On top of its Urban and Urban Deluxe rooms, THE BnB Jakarta Kelapa Gading offers five rooms for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), free WI-FI connections in all rooms and public areas, as well as a daily shuttle-bus service for hotel transfers to Mall Indonesia.

Budget hotels in areas such as Kelapa Gading are also an escape for people seeking a change of scenery without having to drive too far from home.

West Jakarta resident Shinta frequently stays at budget hotels in Greater Jakarta for short breaks, now known as 'Staycations', with her husband. The couple chooses budget hotels because of their strategic locations, as they enjoy going out and exploring the area.

'We recently spent a weekend at a budget hotel in Kelapa Gading. It was close to a mall and restaurants. We wouldn't want to stay in an expensive hotel because otherwise, we wouldn't want to leave the room. That, for us, defeats the purpose of a getaway,' she said. (Ruth Ninajanty)