In January 2023, I checked into the Park King Monas View room at Park Hyatt Jakarta. Set within the upper 17 floors of the 37-storey Park Tower in the tranquil downtown Menteng area, the 220-room hotel is the ultra-luxury brand’s first property in Southeast Asia. Nearby attractions include the National Monument, the Indonesia National Gallery, Jakarta Aquarium, Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia.
Nearby hotels include Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, Shangri-La Jakarta and Pullman Jakarta Indonesia Thamrin CBD.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Where modern Jakarta meets the Indonesian archipelago and its rainforests.
Must Dos: Relax in the comfort of your beautifully appointed room, enjoy the hydrothermal facilities in the Spa, dine at KITA Restaurant, have an indoor cocktail at The Bar and an outdoor terrace drink at KITA Bar.
PARK HYATT JAKARTA
Designed by London-based Conran and Partners (who also designed Andaz London Liverpool Street and Park Hyatt Auckland), the hotel’s interiors pay tribute to both modern Jakarta as well as the Indonesian archipelago, with design elements such as lava stone, copper, intricate wood carvings and tribal shields, traditional crafts as well as other indigenous natural materials. The visual experience draws inspiration from Indonesian rainforests – the colours start off richer and darker on the lower levels before segueing into warmer, brighter tones on the higher floors; in the guest rooms and on the Sky Lobby, guests pass through passageways with dark stone, woods or marble textures before emerging into brighter and airier spaces; a series of hand-blown crystal installations and chandeliers in the reception area evoke images of rainfall and morning dew.
Wellness facilities are spread out across levels 34 and 35. While the outdoor swimming pool is fully roofed over, there are outdoor loungers available for those who seek a suntan as well as an open terrace with a pool bar for those who wish to have refreshing cocktails in an al fresco setting. The Spa offers aesthetic treatment and body therapies as well as hydrothermal facilities ranging from a sauna and steam room to hot and cold plunge pools as well as a heated vitality pool. Elsewhere, the fitness centre is fitted with Technogym equipment.
PARK KING MONAS VIEW
The 57sqm Park King Monas View has a unique and memorable layout which evokes the rainforest experience. As you step into the guest room, you first pass a dark central passage leading to four different functional rooms – the dressing room, the powder room, the deep soaking bathtub and the spacious walk-in rainfall shower. Each functional room is decked in dark or black textures of stone, timber and marble, and the latter three rooms all have their own vanity and sink. You then emerge from the dark central core into the bright and airy bedroom area, and are greeted by large floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Jakarta cityscape which directly face the iconic National Monument (Monas).
The interior design of the residential-style living room draws heavily from local influences and sources – think handwoven ikat textile motifs, intricate wood carvings on the wall, a copper suntiang (traditional wedding head pieces worn by brides) displayed above the standalone pantry, and an irregularly-shaped and sizeable work desk carved out of a tree trunk. The pantry features Nespresso coffee and teas from DAMMANN Frères, while the minibar is stocked with a small selection of snacks as well as canned and bottled beverages.
The bathrooms are pretty sexy. Pendant lighting and copper textures add a touch of elegant gloss, while the snazzy Kohler bathroom bidet system was rather different from the usual Toto washlet you see around. I tried the “massage” function and let’s just say I felt pulsations and rhythms in my nether ye I never thought possible. Throughout the wash, all I could hear was Sam Smith’s Grammy-winning single Unholy on replay in my head.
(During my visit, bathroom amenities were courtesy of Pharmacopia. This is apparently a temporary arrangement due to supply chain issues – the hotel is meant to offer Bergamote 22 amenities from Le Labo.)
DINING
Breakfast is served at The Dining Room, the 22nd level restaurant which serves both Indonesian and Italian cuisine in an interactive live cooking setting. The restaurant has floor-to-ceiling glass windows on all sides as well as multiple seating arrangements based on your preference, from sofa booth seating to giant communal tables. (Pro tip: get the corner window seat for that top-of-the-world feeling.)
The Dining Room serves a buffet spread with the usual stations – cold cuts and cheeses, juices, pastries, Western breakfast sides – as well as an a la carte menu comprising Indonesian dishes such as Nasi Goreng (fried rice, chicken, fried egg, chicken satay, prawns crackers), Mie Goreng Jawa (wok-fried egg noodles, squid, prawns, vegetables, sambal, prawns crackers), Mie Godog (seafood broth, chicken, egg noodle, carrot, cabbage, spring onion), Bubur Ayam (chicken porridge, turmeric broth, quail egg, shallot, soybean, spring onion), Lontong Sayur (rice cake, coconut chicken, chayote, egg, balado sambal) and Bakso (beef meatballs, egg noodle, vermicelli, chai sim, bean sprouts) as well as Western classics such as Eggs Royal (smoked salmon, English muffin, hollandaise sauce), Egg White Frittata (asparagus, spinach, sundried tomato, herbs), Eggs in Tegamino (baked eggs, pomodoro sauce, burrata, beef sausage), Avocado Toast (grilled sourdough, mashed avocado, poached eggs, watercress), Pancakes (banana, pecan and caramel praline, whipped cream) and French Toast (mango, pineapple jam, Sulawesi vanilla whipped cream).
One of my breakfasts at The Dining Room fell on a public holiday, and I observed that the team had actually reduced the a la carte menu and moved some of the dishes such as Nasi Goreng and Bakso to the buffet spread instead. It goes without saying that my experience on the non-public holiday was significantly better.
Located on the 37th level, KITA Restaurant serves Japanese cuisine in various styles – think teppanyaki, yakitori, tempura, shabu-shabu, robatayaki and sushi/sashimi – across different dedicated zones within the expansive space (although you could be seated at the robatayaki counter and still order dishes from the shabu-shabu menu). I sat at the main dining hall and ordered the vegetable Ebisu shabu-shabu set (shiitake and oyster mushrooms, leeks, daikon radish, carrot, hakusai cabbage, white onion, spinach, seasonal greens and tofu in either Japanese Dashi or Spicy Miso stock). Elsewhere, the Chicken and Leek Yakitori was juicy and smoky, the US Beef Tenderloin from the Robata menu pleased with its smoky skin and Signature Cod Fish, Scallops, Black Truffle, Claypot Rice was an earthy and luxuriously indulgent affair.
Accessible down one flight of stairs from KITA Restaurant is KITA Bar, the 36th level rooftop bar with both indoor and terrace seating which serves izakaya-inspired small plates and tipples over live DJ entertainment. The Hanabi (jasmine-infused gin, osmanthus, yuzu, soda) was breezily refreshing, while the Geisha (Roku Gin, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Mancino Bianco, white chocolate liqueur) was more assertive with its boozy agenda while being simultaneously sweet in manner of a particularly sultry perfume. However, the destination for a more comprehensive cocktail selection (as well as more spirit-forward drinks) would be The Bar on the 23rd level, which offers live music in a sophisticated setting. The menu offers both classic cocktails – think Boulevardier, Hanky Panky, Penicillin and Whiskey Sour – as well twists on classics such as Whisky Pandan Highball, Rosemary Black Pepper Cosmopolitan and Menteng (bourbon-infused tamarind candy, sweet vermouth, aromatic bitters).
Rounding up the dining concepts would be the Conservatory on the 23rd floor which comprises the stunning Library for work and office purposes; the elegant Living Room where afternoon tea and light meals are served; the Patisserie for cakes and pastries; and the open-air Veranda for unwinding with wine.
CONCLUSION
The Park King Monas View room is one of my favourite luxury hotel rooms in recent memory, and this may be the most beautiful Park Hyatt property I have ever visited aside from Park Hyatt Kyoto. Quite the wonderful sanctuary.
Park Hyatt Jakarta
Jalan Kebon Sirih 17-19
Jakarta, Indonesia, 10340
Comments are closed.