Review: Alila SCBD Jakarta (Premium Room)

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Nightly rateFree (Cat 4 Hyatt free night)
Length of stay1 night
Date of staySep 2021
Membership level
(World of Hyatt)
Globalist

What to expect when you stay at Alila SCBD Jakarta as a World of Hyatt Globalist member?

Alila SCBD Jakarta opened in 2019 with a total of 68 rooms. I was told that only the 7th, 8th and 9th floors are open at the moment.

It is a Category 3 World of Hyatt property requiring 12,000 points (worth S$240) per night. I used my Category 4 Hyatt free night here as I didn’t want to use it at Andaz Bali again.

It was also a good opportunity to check out this fairly new property that looked overpriced. The typical nightly rate at this hotel is about IDR 3.5m (US$246)!

Location

This hotel is located in Jakarta’s central business district (CBD). It looks like being in this location, plays a big part in what you are paying for a night in this hotel.

  • 2 mins walk to Pacific Place mall
  • 35 mins drive to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
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Arrival

Upon arrival, we had our body temperatures taken and were assisted with our luggages before being directed to the reception.

I had booked the base King room and was upgraded to the Premium Room as a Globalist member. This was the highest room category at the moment.

When check in was completed, I asked if there are plans to have a club lounge in future and if there are any additional Globalist member benefits at the moment besides the upgrade and breakfast.

I was told that there will be a club lounge in future (no timeline). I was also offered some afternoon snacks and drinks that can be sent to the room.

Hotel building
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Lobby
Lounging area near the lobby
Corridor

Premium Room

Room 901 is 55sqm / 592sqft in size.

As mentioned above, this is the highest room category in this hotel at the moment. I also noticed that as of today, there are no suites listed for reservation 12 months ahead.

As I’ve only been to Alila resorts prior to this, I was interested to see how Alila’s minimal design language is implemented in a business hotel. I must say that it was very well done.

I loved the ultra-comfortable bath robes and the bath salt that was prepared on the tub.

I did not like the fact that there were no power ports near the bed. The USB ports are also placed at the furthest points away from the bed. Bath soaps came in unbranded dispensers and smelt nothing like the nice-smelling ones that I am used to (from other Alila properties).

I feel that it’s hard to ignore these shortfalls when a property charges over IDR 3.5m (US$246) per night. That is very close to what The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place charges. And that property offers club benefits even to any guest (without status) staying in base rooms!

Check out the video tour posted on our Instagram page.

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View from the entrance
Bedroom
Bedroom
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Bedroom
Welcome note and amenity
USB ports but “no power ports) near the bed
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View from the room
Beverage area and mini bar
Closet
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Ultra comfortable bath robes
Bathroom
Shower and bathtub
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Reversed angle of the bathroom
Bathroom amenities
Unbranded bath soaps
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Floor plan of level 9

Additional Globalist benefits

As mentioned above, I was offered afternoon snacks and drinks as a Globalist member after asking about my benefits.

I could choose 2 food items from this list (1 per pax):

Snacks

  • Eggplant Parmesan
  • Gedong Mango Salad
  • Kale Salad
  • Crispy Sushi with Tuna

Dessert

  • Cream Pate a Choux
  • Cheese Roll
  • Molten Cake

We went for Crispy Sushi with Tuna and Cream Pate a Choux. The quality of these snacks was very good!

We could also pick 2 non-alcoholic beverages and chose Passion Chilli and Kelapa Dream.

Afternoon snacks and drinks

Breakfast

Breakfast is served at Vong restaurant from 6.30 to 10.30am and is complimentary for Globalist members. We had the option of having it sent to the room and went for that option!

There were limited choices in the breakfast menu but food quality was great!

Our breakfast picks
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Breakfast menu

Swimming pool

The swimming pool is large for a property of this size.

Swimming pool
Kids pool and jacuzzi
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Gym

Like the pool, the gym is also large and well-equipped.

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Gym
Gym
Yoga / dance studio
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Cafe in the gym

Hakkasan rooftop bar

Hakkasan rooftop bar
Hakkasan rooftop bar
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Hakkasan rooftop bar
Photo credit: Hakkasan

My ratings

Breakfast9/10
Service8/10
Location9/10
Room furnishing9/10
View
(from the room)
8/10
Peace & quiet9/10
Facilities10/10
Elite member recognition9/10
Value6/10

Bottom line

The Alila brand has been hit-and-miss for me. Like Alila Seminyak, this is another grossly overpriced property offering poor value.

There is really no reason to stay here when rates are close to the nearby Ritz-Carlton. If you are a Hyatt Globalist member and do not need to stay in the CBD, you will enjoy Grand Hyatt Jakarta much more!

And if you have a World of Hyatt Category 4 free night, wait a while and use it at the upcoming Park Hyatt Jakarta.

Overpriced, overrated. This one’s only for Alila fanboys.

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