Hotele z: bar w East Java, Indonesia

Great place, well maintained, with swimming pools, its own rice paddies!, marvelous service. We've been here for one night, but had to regret our plan did not let us stay longer. Our objective was to trek Ijen, which is just 30 minutes away from here. The frontdesk can help you with the driver, the health check, tickets and supplying breakfast in a box. However, there is much more on site and around to make a longer stay enjoyable.

Hotel is connected to a mall. Great location. Room is clean. Breakfast at Magnolia has an extensive spread. Quality of food is good, nice presentation and service by staff is excellent. Ambience at Club lounge is nice. What stands out most in this 5* hotel is the world class service rendered by all staff consistently. There is no staff that isn’t polite or helpful. Many go the extra mile to ensure that the hotel guests needs are well taken care of. Special thanks to Evan of the Club Lounge who attended to us when we checked in and Tian when we checked out, Bayu and colleagues (Conceige) who assisted us with ordering of Spikoe lapis cake and Bu Rudy, Lita and David (Magnolia) who served us at our table and Bastian and team for keeping the room clean. We highly recommend this hotel.

Pro - excellent service from the staff! - We have a baby (＜ 1 yr old), they provided us with baby cot, baby bath tub and water scoop (gayung) - View of the animals from the room is breathtaking - Can throw carrots (3 pieces were provided by the hotel) from the room to the animals - Breakfast is yummy. They have a selection of local and international buffet spread - Can take photo with giraffes if you missed the breakfast with giraffe slot - Can feed the fishes at the lobby for free - Souvenir shopping at the hotel for convenience - there was a bird (cockatoo?) available for photo taking for free too Cons - stinks of animal poops at the lobby - Giraffe, rhino and meerkat feeding are extra charge - Only rain shower head (ie, not moveable)

This is my second time here. The staff are genuinely nice and will greet you every single time. I had an issue with the aircon not being cold enough. The technician, front desk are all very patient and attentive to my request. Reaction was quick and I also had a room change. The room is very spacious with a great view of the city. Amenities aplenty and will cater to your needs. I had a good three nights rest and a wonderful stay here. Would definitely recommend this hotel.

We stayed at Grand Mercure Malang Mirama for our honeymoon for 3 nights and 4 days, and honestly, it was one of the best hotel experiences we’ve ever had. My wife absolutely loved everything about this hotel, and so did I. From the moment we arrived, the hospitality was exceptional. We were welcomed by Wike from the front office, and she truly made our stay extra special. She was always smiling, respectful, kind, and very helpful throughout our stay. She even offered us free activities and vouchers, which was such a nice touch. The biggest surprise was that we got upgraded to the Executive Suite, the highest room category in the hotel. Huge thanks to Wike for making our honeymoon unforgettable! The room itself was unbelievable. Beautiful views, a huge living room, separate bedroom, and an amazing bathroom with a bathtub overlooking the view. Everything felt luxurious and very comfortable. Since it was our honeymoon, the room was also beautifully decorated and we were welcomed with a fruit basket, which made us feel really special. Breakfast was another highlight. The variety was insane so many options that we honestly didn’t know what to choose. Everything we tried was delicious. One thing that really stood out was the staff. I’ve traveled quite a lot, but the service here felt different. Every single staff member we met smiled, greeted us warmly, checked if everything was okay, and helped immediately whenever needed. You can really feel the genuine hospitality here. We also received a complimentary photoshoot from the hotel, which was such a lovely experience. The photographer was great, and we even got a printed photo in a frame to take home as a memory. The only disappointing part during our stay was the Teppanyaki experience at the Japanese restaurant. Unfortunately, it did not meet our expectations at all. The chef only cooked in front of us without any interaction or entertainment, and when I tried making conversation, she seemed annoyed. Considering how expensive it was, it honestly felt very underwhelming. I personally wouldn’t recommend the Teppanyaki experience there. Other than that, everything was truly amazing. Even though I don’t remember everyone’s names, thank you to every single staff member who made our honeymoon so memorable. We absolutely loved our stay and will definitely come back again. And once again, special thanks to Wike you are a star ⭐

Banyuwangi truly is the ultimate ”sanctuary of stillness,” and ÉL Hotel Banyuwangi provides a beautiful, serene backdrop to experience it. I had a wonderful stay overall, and while there are a few areas where the hotel can step up its game, the foundation is absolutely there for this to become an exceptional property. 🏨 The Hardware & Facilities (Top-Notch!) On the physical side of things, the hotel completely delivers. The rooms are comfortable and well-designed, the gym is well-equipped for a holiday workout, and the swimming pool area is beautiful—perfect for soaking in the quiet energy of the region. 🍳 Food & A Soothing Morning Ritual The culinary experience was a highlight. The food quality was solid, and the local flavors were genuinely delicious. But my absolute favorite part of the morning was the outdoor breakfast area, where they offer fish feeding. Watching the fish move gracefully through the water while enjoying breakfast was incredibly calming and set a beautiful, soothing tone for the day. 🌱 Areas for Growth: Service & Sustainability To truly elevate this hotel to a 5-star luxury standard, there are two areas I’d love to see improve: Eco-Friendly Amenities: In a pristine destination like Banyuwangi, sustainability matters. Currently, the hotel is still using single-use plastic containers for bathroom amenities. Shifting toward refillable dispensers or biodegradable alternatives would align beautifully with the natural essence of the area. Staff Guidance: The young team members have incredible potential and are clearly eager, but they just need a bit more structured guidance and hospitality training. With the right leadership, this passionate young staff could easily turn good service into an exceptional guest experience. 🗺️ The Verdict Overall, I will absolutely come back! There is so much promise here, and I have high hopes that the team will take this constructive feedback to heart and continue to polish their service. If you are looking for a peaceful getaway in Banyuwangi, this is still a highly recommended spot. #ElHotelBanyuwangi #BanyuwangiTravel #SanctuaryOfStillness #WonderfulIndonesia #HotelReview #TravelBlogger

Before I begin the review, let me say that the front desk staff of the hotel have been extremely understanding and accomodating. They ensured most of my complaints were addressed. So this review isn't a reflection on them. They graciously changed my room three times due to the following issues I faced. But having said that, the hotel itself is a disaster. The walls were essentially thin cardboard and you could hear everything from the adjacent rooms - from people coughing their lungs out, sneezing, talking to ********** - literally everything. In the bathroom you hear some continuously banging noise coming from somewhere as if there is construction going on - maybe it's from the plumbing. You surely need ear plugs if you decide to get a good night's rest. There were mosquitos in the room I was given on the first night. There was also no hot water in the bathroom at night. It was at best luke-warm. The safe was not working and the sheets and pillow covers were stained. The couch was stained. The worst part about the first room was a serious hygeine issue. The commodes have a retractable bidet. It was covered in faeces. It was too disgusting to take a picture of but I showed it to the manager. After I complained they changed the room but I couldn't sleep properly because of loud neighbours in the adjacent room. You can also see from the pictures that the rooms aren't maintained well. There's water seepage and damaged furniture. I had to request a change of room again but even this room had loud neighbours and a poorly cleaned bathroom with hair everywhere. I just cleaned it myself and adjusted as this was my last night of the stay. I ended up staying in 3 different rooms during my 3 night stay. This hotel needs to be shut down and renovated. They first need to build proper walls in between rooms. Their housekeeping staff also needs proper training.

This is actually a VERY COOL hotel. As someone who LOVE vintage things, I really appriciate this place. From their historical front building, their vintage styled room, all took me back to the 90s to early 2000. The NOSTALGIA 🥺. When I was little, my grandpa and grandma used to take me travel and stayed at hotels. So hotels like these have a special place in my heart. Unfortunately, it looked like they really cut down the budget. Although they gave a very cheap price for their room (not more than IDR 250K including breakfast), on WEEKENDS?? But the towels were not white anymore and felt thin (not like other hotel towels), the sheets had tough spots, and no shower cap. But I loveddd the lemongrass soap and shampoo, and they were in dispensers so less plastic waste. The breakfast was really sad. It was nice when I stayed here around a couple of years ago. But this time it was worse. Not too many options and looked empty. Really felt like they didn't put much effort. Well, what do you expect for that price? And I understand they might be in a very tight budget. I noticed they added a ”Mini Zoo” signage. A staff warned me that there were not many animals yet. But I decided to go see it. Turned out it was located in the side of the parking road (but outdoor), there were fishes and a big avian animal (like chicken but different, I don't know what it was). And some parakeets in two separate cages, they were all dead 😭😭 I told a staff and they quickly removed the dead birds. Good idea but poor execution. But anyways, location was top. Just a few meters across the street, there was a bus stop and you can hop on the Suroboyo Bus to go anywhere. And the hotel itself was in a main street of a hot destination (Old Town Surabaya), with historical buildings complex, also with the chinatown nearby. I really hope they can survive this economy storm. I really love this hotel 🥺.

This was our second time staying at this hotel, and once again it exceeded our expectations in the best possible way. We arrived shortly after 12pm, fully prepared to leave our bags and wander around until the standard 3pm check-in time. To our pleasant surprise, the team offered us an early check-in without hesitation — a gesture that felt like an unexpected upgrade to our entire day. It’s the little things that truly make a big difference. We stayed in a Standard Deluxe room, and it was more than spacious enough for the both of us. Comfortable, clean, and well-maintained, it provided exactly the kind of restful environment we needed. It’s always a good sign when you enter the room and immediately feel like you can take a nap without questioning your life choices. Breakfast was another highlight of our stay. The spread was impressive, offering a good mix of local dishes, international options, and even Japanese selections. From savoury bites to sweet treats, there was something for every mood and every appetite. If breakfast is the “make or break” of a hotel stay, then this hotel definitely understood the assignment. I would also like to give a special mention to Rusli at the reception. His warm hospitality and professionalism helped set the tone for our stay right from the moment we stepped in. Another heartfelt shout-out goes to Igrima from the restaurant. Although she is still a trainee, her dedication, attentiveness, and genuine passion for service shone through clearly. She handled her duties with the confidence of someone who has worked in the industry for years — a true rising star in the team. Overall, our stay was memorable, comfortable, and pleasantly seamless. With consistent service and thoughtful touches like these, I’m confident that our third stay is not just likely — it’s inevitable. We’ll definitely be back again!

Like an old hotel that's been renovated. The bathroom was a bit dirty and had a very damp smell. The room also smelled damp. Breakfast was still all right though.