Luxury Jakarta Living: Emerald Tower Awaits in Menteng Park!
Luxury Jakarta Living: Emerald Tower… And the Chaos That Comes With It! (A Menteng Park Review)
Okay, people, buckle up. This isn't your dry, corporate-speak hotel review. We're diving headfirst into the Emerald Tower at Menteng Park, Jakarta, and frankly, it’s been an experience. A luxurious, sometimes-amazing, occasionally-a-total-clusterf*** experience. Prepare for the good, the bad, and the gloriously messy.
SEO & Metadata (Ugh, Gotta Do It):
- Keywords: Luxury Jakarta, Emerald Tower, Menteng Park, Jakarta hotel review, accessible hotel, spa, swimming pool, Menteng, Indonesia, family-friendly hotel, Wi-Fi, fine dining, reviews, concierge, (and a bunch of other keywords to make the search engines happy like "room service," "fitness center," etc.)
Category-by-category, no holds barred:
Accessibility: (Important, Let’s Be Real)
Alright, let's start with the important stuff. I was genuinely impressed here. They do seem to have put some thought into it.
- Accessibility: The website claims "facilities for disabled guests," the elevator access is good, and the lobby isn't a crazy, winding maze. But… and this is a big but… I didn’t test it exhaustively. I didn't spend time thinking, "Could someone in a wheelchair navigate this easily?" So, a qualified "seems good" for now. Rating: 4/5 (Based on initial impressions and advertised claims)
On-site accessible restaurants / lounges: I didn't personally test this, but I saw no glaring issues. The main restaurant seemed pretty open and easy to get around. Rating: 4/5 (Based on general observation)
Wheelchair accessible: Same as accessibility. Initial vibes were positive. Rating: 4/5 (Cautiously optimistic)
Internet/Tech Woes (The Modern Hotel Nightmare)
- Internet: Okay, here's where things get… interesting. They boast "Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!" and "Internet [LAN]".
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: YES! It was… available. Sometimes fast. Sometimes slow enough to make me want to throw my laptop out the window. Seriously, one moment I was streaming a movie, the next I was staring at a buffering circle of doom. The inconsistency was maddening.
- Internet [LAN]: Who the heck still uses LAN cables? I didn't even know where to plug it in (maybe it's a sign I'M the problem?). I couldn’t find it.
- Internet services: They were… there. The front desk would occasionally try to help if there was an issue.
- Overall Internet Score: 2.5/5 (Mostly because of the occasional, dramatic failure)
Things to Do (and Maybe Not Do?)
- Ways to Relax: This is where Emerald Tower shines.
- Body Scrub: (Didn't try it, but the spa smelled divine.)
- Body Wrap: (See Above.)
- Fitness Center: Okay, this wasn’t just a gym. It was a full-blown fitness complex. State-of-the-art equipment, tons of space, and enough mirrors to make you question all your life choices. I spent a solid hour there, telling myself I was building character. It’s character-building, for sure. Rating: 5/5 (For the sheer impressiveness)
- Foot bath: Now, this I DID indulge in. After a long day navigating Jakarta… bliss. Pure, simple bliss.
- Gym/fitness: See Fitness Center.
- Massage: Booked a deep tissue massage. The therapist was… incredible. I walked out feeling like a new person. Worth every rupiah. Seriously, if you do ONE thing here, get a massage. Rating: 5/5 (Hands down, amazing)
- Pool with view: The pool! Oh, the pool. Infinity edge, overlooking the city, and the perfect spot for a cocktail (see below).
- Sauna: (Didn't brave it, too hot already!)
- Spa: The spa is a world unto itself. Luxurious, calming, and probably where I'd choose to be if I ever needed to escape reality.
- Spa/sauna: See above.
- Steamroom: Didn't get a chance to enjoy, but from the outside, it looked pretty serious.
- Swimming pool: Beautiful. Seriously, a stunning piece of design against the backdrop of the city.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Yes! Right there, ready to splash.
- Overall Relaxation Score: 4.5/5 (Spa and pool make it all worthwhile)
Cleanliness and Safety (The Covid Era Edition)
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Claimed, but who can truly know?
- Breakfast in room: Available.
- Breakfast takeaway service: Yep.
- Cashless payment service: Essential these days.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: I saw them doing regular cleaning, which was reassuring.
- Doctor/nurse on call: Good to have.
- First aid kit: Present.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: They said it happened.
- Hygiene certification: Advertised.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Yay, safety!
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Mostly observed.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: They advertised that.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Didn't test, but an option.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Seemed to be the case.
- Safe dining setup: Generally, yes.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: I hope so!
- Shared stationery removed: Okay, I'll let this one go.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: They seemed to be.
- Sterilizing equipment: No idea.
- Overall Cleanliness & Safety Score: 4/5 (They try, but constant vigilance is needed in this day and age.)
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (Fueling the Adventures)
- A la carte in restaurant: Yes. Options galore!
- Alternative meal arrangement: Could be arranged.
- Asian breakfast: Delicious. I could happily live on nasi goreng alone.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: Excellent.
- Bar: Yes! And a lovely one at that.
- Bottle of water: Provided.
- Breakfast [buffet]: A sprawling, glorious, and slightly overwhelming buffet. So much variety!
- Breakfast service: Prompt and efficient.
- Buffet in restaurant: The highlight of any morning.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes. And good coffee, which is a MUST.
- Coffee shop: They had one.
- Desserts in restaurant: Amazing. Don't skip the cakes!
- Happy hour: YES! Definitely take advantage of it. The cocktails by the pool were phenomenal.
- International cuisine in restaurant: They cover a wide range.
- Poolside bar: Mentioned above! Essential for peak relaxation.
- Restaurants: Multiple options, from casual to formal.
- Room service [24-hour]: A lifesaver for late-night cravings.
- Salad in restaurant: Fresh.
- Snack bar: Something to munch on.
- Soup in restaurant: Also available.
- Vegetarian restaurant: They had some options.
- Western breakfast: The usual suspects.
- Western cuisine in restaurant: Again, they offer quite a few.
- Overall Dining/Drinking Score: 4.5/5 (Great food, lovely bar, and a solid breakfast buffet. What more do you need?)
Services and Conveniences (The Little Things That Matter)
- Air conditioning in public area: Crucial in Jakarta.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: Probably.
- Business facilities: Present, if you must work.
- Cash withdrawal: Yes.
- Concierge: Very helpful. They went above and beyond to get me directions, make reservations, and even track down a lost charger (thank goodness!).
- Contactless check-in/out: Seemed to be the case.
- Convenience store: Handy for snacks and essentials.
- Currency exchange: Yes.
- Daily housekeeping: Efficient and unobtrusive.
- Doorman: Always helpful.
- Dry cleaning: Available.
- Elevator: Essential.
- Essential condiments: Available when needed.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Mentioned above.
- Food delivery: Yes, but I'
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's perfectly polished travelogue. I'm about to give you the real, unvarnished, maybe-a-little-bit-hungover truth about my "luxury" (air quotes, people, air quotes) stay at Apartemen Menteng Park, Tower Emerald, Jakarta. Consider this a travel diary that's less Eat, Pray, Love, and more Eat, Curse, Sleep (Maybe Pray Later).
Jakarta, Indonesia: The Emerald Enigma (and My Brain)
Day 1: Arrival and the Apartment of…Promises?
- Morning (6:00 AM - Jakarta Time): The flight from (shudders) wherever was a blur of stale air and the incessant wail of a toddler. My brain feels like a scrambled egg. Arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, which, for the record, looks like a giant, slightly depressing shopping mall. Navigated the usual immigration horrorshow. My visa? Still intact! Victory!
- Mid-Morning (9:00 AM): The Grab car (bless the internet gods) to Apartemen Menteng Park. The traffic? An experience. Let's just say I gained several new gray hairs witnessing the vehicular ballet of Jakarta. We're talking scooters zipping between cars, cars honking incessantly, and a general sense of controlled chaos that I simultaneously found terrifying and exhilarating.
- Late Morning (11:00 AM): Emerald Tower. I mean, it looks impressive. Gleaming glass, imposing presence. Hello promise of luxury, I think? The lobby is all polished marble and bored-looking security guards. The apartment itself…well, let’s just say “as advertised” isn’t quite the word. The online photos were…generous. The view? Spectacular. The air conditioning? Doesn't seem to be working. Oh joy.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM): After fumbling with the lock for approximately 15 minutes, finally made it into the apartment, a decent size, albeit a little bit…tired. Dirty marks on the walls and the furniture felt a bit like it had seen some years. The promised welcome basket? Missing in action. Grrr. Okay, deep breaths. Jakarta, you are testing me already.
- Mid-Afternoon (2:00 PM): Called housekeeping. Someone came, eventually, and gave an okayish clean. The air-conditioner is still refusing to cooperate. "It's the humidity," the maintenance guy mumbled. "We'll come back tomorrow." Tomorrow. Right. I'm half-expecting the humidity to start growing limbs.
- Late Afternoon (4:00 PM): Gave up on the AC (my sweat glands are now my best friends). Found a nearby cafe. Ate nasi goreng (delicious!), and watched the world go by. The people-watching in Jakarta is a sport. The fashion? Incredible. Suddenly, the lack of a working AC felt insignificant. For about five minutes.
- Evening (6:00 PM): Discovered the rooftop pool. It was…small. But the view of the city at sunset? Utterly gorgeous. Almost made up for the apartment. Almost. Spent an hour trying to relax (failed). A mosquito then joined the party. I swear, these things are prehistoric!
- Night (8:00 PM): Ordered delivery (grab food is a godsend!) and devoured it in the (still uncomfortably warm) apartment. Ended the day with a desperate attempt to find a functioning channel on the giant TV. Found a cheesy Indonesian soap opera and watched it in a semi-comprehending daze. Crawled into bed, sweating and annoyed. Jakarta 1, Me 0.
Day 2: Food Adventures and Existential Mosquito Battles
- Morning (7:00 AM): Woke up still sweating. The AC, like my will to live, is fading. Breakfast was instant coffee and the last of my emergency granola bars. Considered going full-on feral.
- Morning (9:00 AM): decided to go to the Grand Indonesia Mall. It's HUGE. Went into a shop to try and buy an air conditioner. No luck.
- Mid-afternoon (1:00 PM): Decided to become a food adventure and try the local street food. Finding local food is a bit of a mixed blessing: I am always cautious not to fall ill. Tried some sate ayam (chicken skewers with peanut sauce) from a street vendor. Divine. Possibly the best thing I've ever tasted. Then, a local fruit shake. (Papaya, I think?) Delicious. My stomach rumbled suspiciously.
- Afternoon (3:00 PM): Back at the apartment. The air conditioning STILL isn't working. Decided to just accept the heat. Began the afternoon mosquito battle.
- Mid-Afternoon (4:00 PM): I am seriously questioning the life choices that have led me to this point. Swatting at a mosquito, sweating buckets, and wondering if I'll survive the night. Found a decent mosquito repellent and sprayed myself (and everything around me) like a madwoman.
- Evening (6:00 PM): Exhausted and defeated. Ordered more grab food to avoid stepping into the heat. Forced myself to watch another cheesy Indonesian soap opera.
- Night (8:00 PM): Managed to get a few hours of sleep. Woke up at midnight, drenched in sweat and covered in bites. Praying for the morning to come.
Day 3: The Temple and a Touch of Hope
- Morning (8:00 AM): Woke up in a slightly better mood. Decided to be positive – air conditioning is a distant memory. Took a Grab to Gereja Katedral Jakarta (Jakarta Cathedral). Holy mother of god, it’s beautiful. The architecture is stunning, a haven of calm amid the urban chaos. Spent an hour just wandering around, feeling small and insignificant in the best possible way. Needed that.
- Mid-Morning (11:00 AM): Decided to visit the Istiqlal Mosque, Indonesia's largest mosque. The sheer size and grandeur is something else, and the atmosphere of peace and serenity was palpable. Felt like I should be praying, even though I'm not usually religious.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM): Lunch at a warung (small local restaurant). The food? Amazing, again! Decided I'd try not to be a complete picky eater, and tried some tempe and tofu.
- Afternoon (3:00 PM): Back to the apartment. Tried to take a nap. The air conditioning? Still mocking me.
- Evening (6:00 PM): Ordered dinner from Grab food, after a long consideration of delivery preferences.
- Night (8:00 PM): Went to the rooftop pool. It was still hot. Watched the city lights. Maybe, just maybe, I'm starting to get a tiny bit used to this.
Day 4: Leaving? or Just Staying?
- Morning (8:00 AM): Woke up, surprisingly, not drenched in sweat or with any new mosquito bites. The AC? Well, don't ask. Did some final packing (the less said about it, the better).
- Late Morning (10:00 AM): Checked out of the apartment. Sigh. Found out the AC was broken and needed parts to arrive from a week, and was refunded a small amount. What a joke.
- Morning (11:00 AM): At the airport. Jakarta? It's…an experience. Flawed, chaotic, beautiful, and full of a kind of frenetic energy that both exhausts and exhilarates.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM): The flight back home. I'm also getting a bit used to this.
Final Thoughts (and a Warning):
Apartemen Menteng Park, Tower Emerald? It has potential. The location is great. But the lack of a working air conditioner in the Jakarta heat is a crime against humanity. The other things? Let's say they're not perfect. But Jakarta itself? That's a different story. Food, history, the people…it's a city that bites, in the most wonderful way. Would I go back? Probably. Would I stay in the same apartment? Maybe not. But hey, that's the beauty of travel, right? Embrace the mess! And bring a good mosquito repellent. You'll need it. And maybe a small personal air-conditioner. Just in case.
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So, Emerald Tower at Menteng Park... Is it *really* all that? My Instagram brain says yes, but my bank account is screaming.
Okay, let's be real. That Instagram filter that bathes everything in golden light? Yeah, it's *real*. So's the anxiety of actually *living* in a place that looks that perfect. I went for a "sneak peek" (read: desperate attempt to justify an unrealistic fantasy) and, look, Menteng Park itself is gorgeous. Lush, green, a real escape from the Jakarta chaos. And the Emerald Tower? It *is* impressive. The lobby is all marble and hushed whispers of "welcome, Madame." But… and this is a big but… it's more about the *idea* of luxury than the actual lived experience. Like, you're paying a premium for the views (breathtaking, admittedly), the location (fantastic if you love walking distance to fancy coffee shops), and the bragging rights. Is it worth it? Honestly? Probably not for *me*, but I'm a sucker for a good rooftop pool and the potential for epic sunset selfies. (Don't judge!)
Okay, let's talk logistics. What's the deal with parking? Jakarta parking is the seventh circle of hell.
Alright, deep breaths. Parking. At the Emerald Tower? Supposedly, plentiful. They’ve got basement levels galore. Which *sounds* amazing. But I actually heard a horror story from a friend of a friend who *lives* there (a real person, not just an Instagram ghost). Apparently, during peak times, it's still a free-for-all. Imagine: a Maserati and a beat-up motorbike battling for the same spot. The irony! So, yeah, they *say* plenty of parking, but Jakarta being Jakarta, I’d get a pre-emptive stress headache about it. Definitely check with the actual residents, not the sales people who'll tell you the sky is green if it gets them a commission. Because, let's be real, the view from the Emerald Tower *is* pretty close to the sky.
Amenities! What's included? I need to know if I can skip my gym membership.
Ah, the amenities. This is where the Emerald Tower really *shines*… on paper. They've got it all: a gym (probably top-of-the-line), a pool (that Instagram-worthy rooftop one!), a kids' play area (if you have kids, which I don't, but even I thought it was cute), a concierge service (imagine not having to deal with Jakarta traffic for… groceries? Ugh, sign me up already!), and maybe even a library (yes, please!). That *sounds* amazing. But here’s the thing: are you actually *going* to use all of it? I'm picturing myself, all motivated and fit, planning to hit the gym every day. But *knowing* me, I'd probably max out on the pool time with a good book and maybe take a peek at the gym before going back to the apartment. It's the feeling of having it all, not the *doing* of it all. Still, the thought of skipping the gym fee is tempting.
Menteng itself! Is it a good neighborhood? Safe? Convenient?
Menteng is, generally speaking, the bomb. Seriously. It's like Jakarta's version of Beverly Hills (minus the crazy traffic… wait, no, it still has the crazy traffic). It is safe, relatively speaking. Lots of high walls and security guards. You can actually *walk* (gasp!) to nice cafes and shops. Though, *walking* in the Jakarta heat? Requires planning. So convenience? Yes, but you'll still need a gojek or a car for the big stuff. But for the little luxuries – a fancy coffee, a spontaneous dinner – Menteng nails it. I remember walking down the street once, and I saw this charming little *warung* selling bakso, and it was right beside this mega-expensive French patisserie. Pure gold. That's Menteng in a nutshell: old-school charm mixed with modern luxury. That is, if you can afford both!
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the price tag. Are we talking "sell a kidney" price tag?
Oh, honey, yes. We are *definitely* talking about a "sell a kidney" price tag. Maybe both kidneys, and your firstborn's college fund. I didn’t actually *ask* the price. I just… looked at the brochure, saw the pictures of the infinity pool and the Italian marble, and then promptly burst into a small, silent sob. Seriously, it's expensive. Like, "will I ever eat avocado toast again?" expensive. "Can I still afford my cat's gourmet food?" expensive. It’s the kind of price tag that makes you question your entire life. So yeah, have your lawyer on speed dial and your accountant ready with a strong cocktail of financial optimism – you're going to need it. But hey, at least you'll have an incredible view while you contemplate your financial demise. (Silver linings, people, silver linings!)
Have you heard anything about the management? Are they reliable? Are they going to fix that leaky faucet before I drown?
This is the million-dollar question (or, you know, the *several* million-dollar question of how much the apartment actually costs). I've heard mixed things. Let’s just say… Jakarta management can be a bit… *spirited*. You know the drill: promises, promises, and then… crickets. I’ve heard stories of super responsive management, and I’ve heard murmurs of slow responses. It's a gamble. You're paying for the perceived luxury, but you're still dealing with Jakarta. You might get impeccable service; you might get a shrug and told to fix it yourself. The leaky faucet? Yeah, that could be a real test of your sanity. Definitely ask current residents about their experiences. But be prepared for potential disappointment and learn how to do basic plumbing yourself. Because, you know, Jakarta.
Okay, the dealbreakers. What are the biggest flaws (beyond the price)?
Beyond the price, which is a massive dealbreaker for me (and probably most people), the biggest flaws are the potential for…Jakarta-ness. The traffic getting *to* Menteng (even if you live there). The potential for unreliable management. The noise (Jakarta can be loud). The sheer feeling of being trapped in a gilded cage. Think about it: you're paying a premium to escape the chaos, but you're still in Jakarta. You're still going to have to deal with the same problems, just with a nicer view and a marble lobby. Another thing: privacy. Those big glass windows? They look amazing, but they also mean everyone can see inside. So, prepare to invest in some seriously good curtains. Or just embrace the exhibitionist lifestyle!
The absolute BEST thing about living there (if you could afford it, obvs)?
Hotel Haven Now
Apartemen Menteng Park , Tower Emerald Jakarta Indonesia
Apartemen Menteng Park , Tower Emerald Jakarta Indonesia
