Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta

Four Seasons achieved a remarkable thing in their all-suite city hotel in Jakarta. They created a light-filled, glass-and-steel property that combines Indonesian energy with the classic European glamour — and somehow infused it all with a distinctive hallmark of true Four Seasons luxury.

Located in the Financial District of Jakarta, the Four Seasons Hotel is a perfect venue for the city’s fashionable elite to come to play. This was evident to us as soon as we arrived — as we stepped into the spectacular lobby, we found ourselves in the middle of a wedding party.

But then the staff of Four Seasons dealt with both the crowds of the chic wedding guests and with our arrival without any collisions or interruptions, and with the warm, thoughtful service synonymous with the name Four Seasons.

Game of contrasts

The lobby, giant and soaring, conveys the feeling of luxury and glamour, with a grand staircase and a magnificent crystal chandelier focus of attention. But there are softer and cozy corners too, especially the cute patisserie, Instagram-tastic with all its pastel colors and mouth-watering sweets.

Many of the hotel’s public areas are defined by the contrasts of the grand and the intimate. For example, the Palm Court restaurant is a soaring space, with a spectacular Lasvit lighting feature hung from the ceiling dominating the upper part of the room — but at the ground level, each seating is a shell-like high-back armchair covered in dark green velvet. We loved having prolonged breakfasts here.

For another kind of sensory experience, we visited the spa. Having been to a few Four Seasons spas before, we had to pop in for a massage just before our departure. We were treated to the hot poultice massage, which set us perfectly for the journey back to Europe on the same day.

Perfect balance

The Four Seasons Hotel looks into Jakarta’s history and cosmopolitan culture to create its own unique character. The European influences, especially in the guest rooms, reflect the colonial period in the country, but also the confidence of its independent standing today.

If there is some polarity of contrasts in the hotel’s public areas, the hotel’s interior designer found the perfect harmony in the guest suites. First off, they have a great size: large by any city hotel standards, and yet feel very cozy and intimate. The interior here feels sophisticated and elegant, too. The refined color palette, expensive materials, and fine furnishings, the well-designed lighting — all of it works together to create a real living space with character.

Our previous experience with Four Seasons included a stay at their Seychelles, Bali, and Koh Samui resorts. While they were obviously very different from the city hotel that is the property in Jakarta, we were struck by how much care and effort the brand put into making this hotel adhere to, and in many ways surpass, the legendary Four Seasons standards.

in our opinion

What we love

• Our guest suite made a fantastic first impression, and it only got better from there. Perfectly laid out and beautifully designed, and the size of a small apartment, it's a great space to relax and rest. We had great city views, thanks to the wall-to-wall windows, and it was the best sleep ever. The bed was incredibly comfortable: perfect firmness of the mattress, ideal softness of the pillows, and linens.
• The newly unveiled, exclusive Presidential Suite at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta is a whopping 330-square-meter living space, perfect if you want to make the stay extra special, or even throw a party.
• We felt like kids in a candy store at the gorgeous Patisserie, which is packed with specialty desserts and a range of decadent chocolates and pastries. Plus, the place is eye-pleasing too, thanks to the lovely interior that includes a gold-leaf ceiling, robin’s-egg blue walls, and a sparkling chandelier set.
• Great spa experience. The menu has a good range, from traditional Balinese treatments through Ayurvedic therapies and European skincare to the Soak & Sip sessions, which combine soothing baths with an Indonesian herbal elixir. We had the Four Seasons Hot Poultice Massage — and loved it!
• Food is a different league altogether. Dining options included a superb spread and an la carte breakfast menu at the Palm Court.

What you should know

• The hotel can arrange an airport pick up — and even though the cost is a lot higher than that of a regular taxi, we say go for it. We definitely liked being greeted just after the jet bridge, swiftly ushered through immigration, and brought to a purring limousine just outside customs.
• The traffic in Jakarta is said to be bad, but we can't say it was true for us. Maybe we were lucky!
• Small detail, maybe, but despite the generous size of our suite, there was no convenient space for both of our large suitcases (which we like to keep open, for easy access).
• We haven't spent much time at the pool (located on the 5th floor), but we certainly noticed how well attended it is. The setting is very nice too, the only thing we were wondering is if it has an adequate number of loungers.

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