Singgasana Hotel: Resort-Style Stay In Surabaya City, Indonesia

A large hotel in the busy Surabaya City

Although Singgasana Hotel is located in the center of Surabaya, this 4-star hotel is surprisingly huge and occupies 15-hectares (37.07 acre). Different from other accommodations in the city, Singgasana Hotel (formerly known as Hilton International Hotel) is one of the most serene accommodations in the city and it sits on a large area with a lush beautiful garden with big trees, beautiful flowers, and a pond with koi fish and turtles living in it.

The artsy lobby

As you arrive at the hotel, you will walk past the garden to get to the lobby for check in where you will surely be impressed with the garden. However the amazement won’t stop there. As you enter the lobby, you will find that it is styled with authentic Javanese decoration. You will even see a typical ‘Joglo’ roof, which allows you to see the structures of the roof from inside the building, as no ceiling is installed under the roof. This allows more air to circulate around the building, providing a natural air conditioning. You will also notice that the lobby is fragranced and its walls are full of wooden flowery motifs (it’s called ‘batik’ art). It’s one of the most artsy lobbies in the city!

Bungalow-style rooms

Spacious rooms with a comfortable bed and cold AC are common for a 4-star hotel. However, instead of staying in a room on a high floor of a building, at Singgasana Hotel, you don’t need to climb stairs or take the elevator to a higher floor, as all rooms are on the ground floor. You can’t find such an arrangement in any luxury hotels in the city! Rooms are spacious, surrounding the vast garden and each room has a terrace facing the garden. Staying here feels like you are staying in a bungalow.

Warm and kid-friendly swimming pool

Singgasana Hotel’s swimming pool is Olympic-size, and it may be among the biggest pools you can find in Surabaya. The water is warm throughout the day (thanks to the tropical weather of Surabaya), so it is comfortable to swim at almost any time during the day. Kids will be happy to spend all day at the hotel’s pool area. There is a children’s pool with small plastic balls in it, for children to happily play with.

Relax by the pool

If you happen to be in the hotel during the afternoon, instead of staying in your room and watching TV, you should relax by the pool. Go to the pool bar and enjoy your afternoon by having tea, coffee, or beer with some light snacks such as bread and croissants.

Other amenities

Other amenities include a free breakfast buffet in Singgasana Hotel’s restaurant named Dharmawangsa (don’t miss their spicy ‘Tom Yam’ soup and try ‘es teler’, the sweet cocktail with avocado, jackfruit and bread). You’ll also find a spa and gym, and free Wi-Fi accessible from most hotel areas, including the rooms, lobby and pool area.

If you want to work out in the hotel, but want to do something other than swimming, there is a bike rental facility where you can rent a bike to be used inside the large complex.

A great hotel isn’t really that great without excellent customer service. The staff here are friendly and they do a fantastic job in taking care of not only the hotel facilities, but also the guests. They are pleasant and helpful. Make sure you tell them if you need to leave early in the morning, as they will prepare your breakfast in boxes for you to eat during your trip.