Hotelchain: Raffles
Location: Jakarta – Indonesia
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: raffles.com/jakarta

The Raffles Jakarta is one of the newest luxurious five star hotel in Jakarta. For me it was the first Raffles experience and truly was blown away by the top notch service and overall quality. From the beginning to the last second, everything felt right here. The Raffles Jakarta is currently rated as the #1 hotel in Jakarta out of 414 hotels and I can easily see why…

The lobby area is enormous and ultra luxurious. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when entering this hotel. The grand glass chandelier definitely is an eye catcher!

Staff was very kind and made us feel welcome. What I liked here was the personal check-in. We were immediately escorted to our room where they handled the administration.

Every room at Raffles Jakarta is luxuriously appointed and has everything I could wish for. The rooms, even the ‘standard’ rooms are very large (60m²!) and have a small foyer / dressing area with make-up mirror which leads directly to the living area with the most comfortable couch and oversized working desk. You can separate this area from the bedroom. The king sized bed was one of the best beds I have ever slept in! It was enormous and the bed linen were of an excellent quality. Bathroom was very large featuring a designer marble bath tub, very large walk-in rain shower, electronic toilet and his and hers sink. The room came with 2 HD televisions and high tech amenities. I am not lying when telling that the standard rooms at the Raffles Jakarta are the nicest rooms I have seen at any hotel! Once again, everything is so well maintained and of a high standard. I could have spent here days, even weeks!

The personal approach here is of a high level. For example, no executive lounge here… they will bring your coffee and/or soft drinks right to your room for your enjoyment. Just call your butler and they will take care of your request in a very professional and kind way.

We had a great view of the Raffles Jakarta’s garden. That is right, a garden right in the middle of hectic Jakarta. Walking in the garden was like walking in a peaceful and quiet hidden gem. Even the pool was huge and beautifully integrated in the garden. Service at the pool was great, when I went down for a swim they immediately offered towels, fresh fruit and complimentary water. You know what the best thing is … it is all done in a very kind yet professional way. You never feel uncomfortable here while staff is serving you. It feels very naturally which means the service level is of an unseen level. Let me give you another example, after my work out one of the staff members offered me a complete stretch out. This was the perfect way to relax.

In the afternoon I was pleased to experience the spa facilities at Raffles Jakarta. After all those good previous services, I realized that this experience would be one of kind as well. And it definitely was! After my ginger tea, they analyzed my face with high tech professional equipment. I was then escorted to the beautiful treatment room where the excellent therapist made me feel in heaven as she was massaging my body. The aromatic massage was excellent and what I requested before the treatment (medium pressure, etc.) was exactly done. After the massage, I thoroughly enjoyed the facial. All products she used were from the luxurious and fancy Gaylia brand. My skin felt like a baby skin after the facial 🙂 What makes this experience different from others is that the therapist actually introduces the products she is using and explains why she uses them. Those small things do make a huge difference!

At night, we first had a drink at the Writers Bar which is located on the ground floor next to the grand lobby. Since we had the executive service, several alcoholic drinks and cocktails were offered such as the dry martini, cosmopolitan and sangria. Also, red and white wine is available. The drinks came with a tower of several delicious tapas. This was the perfect way to start a nice evening. The bar itself is stylish and beautifully decorated. It is this kind of bar where you could spend hours in comfortable couches while enjoying drinks and some small bites.

Dinner was served at Arts Café where guests can enjoy a buffet style dinner or order à la carte. Since we enjoyed the tapas before, we opted for the à la carte option and ordered a ceasar’s salad which was delicious and prepared as it should be and the homemade ice cream. The ice cream was amazing, I wish we could take some home which would have been pretty difficult since it was 14 hours flight back home, but at least now I have a reason to come back J Breakfast is served here as well by the way. Since we had to leave pretty early in the morning, we really appreciated the possibility to enjoy the large breakfast buffet at 6AM!

The Raffles Jakarta is a top notch five star property which will please everyone. It is a one of a kind hotel in a very central spot. The personal approach, high standards and impeccable service are making this hotel truly unique. This is what every five star hotel should be like! Can’t wait to return to this jewel!

Hotelchain: G hotels
Location: Penang – Malaysia
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: ghotel.com.my/index2

We were happy to find out that there’s another G Hotel in Georgetown Penang, the G Hotel Gurney. This recently completely renovated five star property is the best hotel in Penang we stayed at! It is actually a five minute buggy ride away. That’s right, both G Hotels offer complimentary buggy service from/to each other. Again, you can’t beat the location. The G Hotel Gurney is located right at the sea offering stunning surrounding views. It is the perfect location to explore Penang!

This hotel is larger than its sister hotel G Hotel Kelawai, offering 312 designer rooms. The hotel lobby is large and has a trendy yet classy feeling. When I entered the hotel, it felt brand new! The award winning glass lobby is great to hang out and has Italian designer furniture such as Minotti and Porada. I knew from the beginning that this hotel is a high class five star property with all the amenities and comfort I could wish for. Check-in was efficient and of course we could enjoy their homemade ice cream again!

When we entered the room, we were just blown away… The executive duplex room, actually let’s call it a suite, was one of the nicest rooms I have seen. So chic, so stylish and oh so comfortable! I could have stayed here for weeks. The enormous windows offered amazing views over the ocean and surrounding areas. On the lower floor, I spend some comfy time in an oversized designer couch. The separate toilet was also a nice feature. On the top floor, we had a full size master bedroom with king bed, great couch and dressing area. The oversized bathroom features a free standing bath tub, large walk-in shower and toilet. It is all about the minimalistic details here, I loved the design and overall lay-out of this suite. Again, free mini bar here with complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and some candies. Luckily enough, I was glad to find out they had the Serta mattresses here too! I also visited their standard rooms and trust me, they are all of a very high level of comfort!

We had again access to the executive lounge which was located on the higher floors. The executive lounge at the G Hotel Gurney is the perfect spot to hang out, have a drink and a chat. While I was enjoying a good glass of red wine, I enjoyed the panoramic views. I was pampered here, service was top notch and they actually remembered my name. Those are small things, but do make a huge difference!

The pool area is large and very clean. It is quite a large pool and water temperature was just right! Next to the pool, is an excellent fitness facility with personal trainers throughout the day. The fitness center is large and offers great up to date fitness equipment.

Right next to the fitness center is the Danai Spa center. This spa center is operated separately from the G Hotel Gurney and as most of you know, I just LOVE spa treatments so I booked an aromatic massage there and I didn’t regret J The spa center is well maintained, very clean and I was welcomed with a smile. After choosing the aroma and filling a small form where they asked me for specific areas where they should concentrate on, I was happy to relax for 90 minutes. The therapist was excellent! She exactly knows how to make me feel at ease. I was so relaxed, I almost fell asleep! Luckily enough, I didn’t 🙂 Those 90 minutes were pure relaxation! I highly recommend booking a treatment here was the prices were very reasonable! Really good value for money! Before and after the treatment they offered some ginger tea.

We had dinner at a local food market just a few steps away from the hotel. This is a must-do when you are staying here! I think we were the only Europeans here and the overall quality of the food was just great! It is nice to eat between the locals and prices are undoubtedly low. No worries here, just relax, sit down, order some food and enjoy! You will love it!

Both G Hotels are located between two large shopping malls. After exploring the Kek Lok Si Temple and Penang Hill, which are close by, be sure to check out those great shopping malls.

I would give the G Hotel Gurney a five star rating all the way! From the delicious breakfast at Taste to the most beautiful rooms you could wish for… The G Hotel Gurney has it all! You can’t go wrong by booking a room here.

Hotelchain: G hotels
Location: Penang – Malaysia
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: ghotelkelawai.com.my/index2

Situated on the beautiful island of Penang, the G Hotel Kelawai is literally in the middle of it all and close by the major attractions. This beautiful and recently opened 5 star hotel has 208 rooms, a restaurant, an amazing roof top bar with great panoramic views of the city of George Town, an infinity pool and much more!

As I entered the G Hotel Kelawai, I was welcomed by very friendly front desk staff. Service here is always with a smile which is absolutely pleasant. The lobby area is pretty large and I loved the decoration: quite trendy, but not over the top… It is classy with a modern touch, just the way I like it! Sleek and chic yet cosy as they describe it themselves. Although the hotel was fully booked at the time I was there, you wouldn’t tell as there is this absolutely relaxed atmosphere throughout the entire hotel. One nice detail, I loved the Baxter Molly armchair which was really comfortable to relax. By the way, they have their own homemade ice cream here which every guest is able to taste upon check-in. The ice cream is just delicious and with the hot temperatures all year long, I appreciated this refreshment very much 🙂

I stayed at one of their “Executive Premier rooms” and was impressed with the room! It was very nicely laid out with a queen bed, large bathroom with a very good rainshower, separate tub at the window and all the nice amenities to go with the room. There is a large leather design couch and a large working desk. Actually, the G Hotel Kelawai is a business hotel and the working desk chair in their rooms is one of the best I have ever seen in any hotel. They are that comfortable that you should not feel any pain wherever in your body for at least 24 hours. The large 55 inch smart television was a nice touch. All rooms come with high speed internet and a complimentary mini bar with several soft drinks and some candies.

On the top floor you will find the rooftop bar Gravity. The cocktails are fantastic and views are amazing! Be sure to check that bar out while you are in Penang! On the same level of the executive lounge and Gravity, is the infinity pool with again, a really nice view. You can even see the iconic Penang Bridge from up here.

Staying in one of the executive room allows you to enjoy the very comfortable executive Lounge offering complimentary drinks all day long. During the night a small buffet with appetizers is presented in a very nice way. The small bites were pretty good. I could also enjoy several alcoholic drinks at no additional charge. The lounge itself is just beautifully decorated with impressive panoramic views of Penang. I highly recommended upgrading your room with access to the lounge. The food is fantastic and together with the complimentary drinks, it is a great value for money!

The large fitness center is also a great feature of this hotel. It is pretty big and you can enjoy the surrounding views of Penang while you are working out! The entire place was very clean and well maintained. Most of you know that I like to work out before going to bed 🙂

After a wonderful night’s sleep (I was spoiled as they have Serta mattresses in every room which are of one of the best quality you will ever find) we had breakfast at the Spoon Café. The buffet style breakfast was excellent with both Asian and European food options. At night you can also have dinner here. It is a French Bistro and serves delicious food at affordable prices.

The G Hotel Kelawai is a trendy and classy five star hotel in a great spot. The rooms are very stylish and offer the comfort you would expect from a high class hotel. Although it has 280 rooms, it kind of felt like staying in a boutique style hotel. Whether it is for business or leisure, you can’t go wrong by staying here. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here and I truly believe it is one of the better hotels in the Penang area! Thumbs up, G Hotel Kelawai!