Hotele z: Pools w East Java, Indonesia

I stayed here for 3 nights, and this is my honest review. The hotel has recently reopened after a complete renovation and rebranding. The staff were excellent. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. Check-in took about five minutes because the staff member assisting me seemed new and was carefully following the procedures. I didn’t mind at all, and I was served a delicious welcome drink while waiting. After check-in, a staff member escorted me to my room. Pros: 1. The rooms have been fully renovated and feel modern. 2. The bed was comfortable, the air conditioning worked perfectly, even at 26°C. 3. Breakfast exceeded my expectations. Everything I tried was delicious, especially the Indonesian dishes. What impressed me the most was that, even though the hotel was still very quiet and there were only a handful of guests during my stay, they still offered a full breakfast buffet with a wide variety of options. Many hotels would simply serve a limited set menu or deliver breakfast to the room when occupancy is this low, but this hotel maintained a complete buffet from end to end. I really have to give them credit for that. 4. The location is convenient, with Superindo and Indomaret within a 3-minute walk and Pakuwon Mall only about a 9-minute drive away. 5. The lobby is spacious and looks luxurious. Cons: 1. The TV was by far my biggest disappointment. I stayed in a Deluxe Room, and the TV appeared to be left over from the previous hotel rather than replaced during the renovation. It was very small, around 32 inches, and wasn’t a Smart TV, which feels completely out of place for a hotel that claims to be five-star. The selection of TV channels was also very limited, and the picture quality was poor with noticeable static, making it quite unpleasant during my 3-night stay. The Executive Rooms have larger TVs, but based on the information I received, they are not Smart TVs either because I was told that only the Suite Rooms will have Smart TVs, and those rooms will only become available after the hotel’s grand opening. You can even notice that the hotel doesn’t include any photos of the TV in the Deluxe Room images on its booking page, which almost makes it seem like they’re avoiding showing it. Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a genuine five-star hotel still using a 32-inch non-Smart TV in its standard guest rooms. 2. Soundproofing isn’t great. I could hear noise from the next room and the nearby mosque. 3. The Wi-Fi was very slow, and mobile signal inside the hotel was also weak. 4. The shower area had no shelf or storage space for personal toiletries, and the floor was extremely slippery. I almost slipped several times while showering. This is something the hotel should address, as it could become a safety hazard. 5. The power outlet next to the bed was already occupied by the bedside lamp, so I had to unplug it every time I wanted to charge my phone. 6. Although there were plenty of power outlets in the room, about half of them didn’t work, which was frustrating. 7. I wasn’t a fan of the pillow and bed linens. While the bed itself was comfortable, the bedsheets felt rough rather than soft. I even noticed that the underside of my arms became itchy whenever they rubbed against the fabric. 8. The hotel was very quiet during my stay. It seems many people still don’t know it has reopened, and I haven’t seen much promotion or any soft opening offers on its website and Instagram account. Overall: I enjoyed my stay thanks to the friendly staff, comfortable room, excellent breakfast, and convenient location. However, the TV and Wi-Fi were major drawbacks, and there are still several details that don’t quite meet the standard of a true five-star hotel. At the moment, I would personally rate this hotel as 4.5 stars rather than a full 5-star property. It has great potential, and with improvements to the TVs, internet, room details, and overall quality control, I believe it could truly live up to its five-star positioning.

We really liked our accommodation and initially we booked it to hike mount Ijen, however pick up would be around 01:00 so we decided to skip it. Breakfast was good, would recommend including it. Rooms were nice and spacious, bathroom was a bit dated, could use some work. Staff very friendly but because of a language barrier we assumed laundry was free, at least that's what some staff member told us after we asked. However it was as seen on the booking just 2 pieces a night (f.e. 2 shirts). At the bar the sold beers that were not on the menu. Beers on the menu were advertised with a price that included service charge and tax. The Beers they actually had and sold didn't have that included. All in all we really liked our stay but these were some experience that were a tad disappointing. In the end I still highly recommend to stay here to relax.

Overall, it's the standard Aston experience... nice room, quiet location, and humble staff.

I highly recommend this hotel! The breakfast is incredibly lavish, and the staff are super friendly. The Echo Lounge offers amazing panoramic city views, and there's a pool too. If your room faces the mosque at night, you can hear the call to prayer, which is quite interesting. Instead of rushing through your trip like a 'special forces' tourist, consider staying here longer. You can hire a car from here to visit Bromo, Sewu Waterfall, the mosque, and explore the fish market and old town. Enjoy a traditional local black coffee, delve into colonial history at antique shops and the Heroes Museum, and chat with the locals (I strongly advise against shopping malls, they're so boring!). That's what real travel is all about, isn't it? (!!Breakfast staff like Ducan and Adrian were incredibly welcoming to me!!)

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.

Delicious Indonesian Javanese food specially created by the host, May, as well as the level of dedicated service is the highlight of this hotel. The menu food sounds unappealing, but all 7 lunch and dinners were so good. You have to try the chicken satay, which is soft and has white clean meat. The tuna is melted and panini is so fresh. The spaghetti cakalang is her created recipe of smoked fish and spaghetti. Her tofu and Tempe must not be missed! Her tempong chicken is yummy and fresh! Feels like it's directly from the farm. Nasi goreng must not be missed! Papayas seem to be in the season. Fried bananas covered in coconut flakes are not to be missed! In this hotel, don't expect luxury cleanliness because there are a lot of insects (bees, butterflies, moths, grasshopper, flies), spiders, millipedes, lizards, even a gecko. If you want to stay in this rustic resort you have to be okay with them. I didn't like the insects stuff in the room but the hosts immediately sent their staff to deal with them. Staff are friendly just be patient with them because not all speak English. May was a super host, who gave ALL sorts of ideas on where to go, and how to go, and gives you contacts and numbers and details. Ibnu makes the best dirty latte in Banyuwangi, most probably. The hosts are very nice and go out of the way to make their guests welcome. They even dropped us at a nearby tour site, and also gave us a short walk to the beach nearby. This level of service is almost unbeatable. Staff are always ready and welcome to greet and smile at you. I think the Indonesian and Javanese meals are better than the breakfast menu. Breakfast pancake and American breakfast normal only. They generously dropped us off at Bangsring Underwater which was 3-5 mins away, which MUST NOT BE MISSED for snorkelling beginners! (But first check out if the season is good for snorkelling) If you stay here, be prepared there's not much in the area. And not much air-conditioned cafes or restaurant or shops nearby too. The family room has a breathtaking view of the mountains but because of the attic like structure, is prone to insects and lizards and stuff. It had a resident gecko. The deluxe suite room had a flat ceiling so lesser insects! + huge verandah for drying your clothes + pink bougainvillea. There are corn fields beside the hotel. They send food to your room if you don't want to eat in the restaurant which also has a amazing view. Restaurant has rustic vibes with antique candelabras (+ spiders).

Great hotel for families with young kids - big heated pool with giant water slides. Breakfast has all kinds of Indonesian, Asian ans western choices. The stay comes with complimentary family photo session where you get one free printed photo with frame and you can pay for additional digital photos. The photographer is great with kids and very patient. Will come back!

It's a great place to spend nights, since it is located in center of the heart of Surabaya, near the largest shopping mall in the city. The breakfast is tasty n complete. The room is quite large for family with kids

Moved here from another hotel despite being paid off (there was terrible) This hotel has been very pleased with us. It is so stylish and beautiful. The room was good, clean. We were unlucky with the weather, but I represent what kind of view from the hotel pool. On 4 volcano. The whole area is detailed. Go straight and the eyes are joyful. The restaurant was delicious. Breakfast was delicious. They also have a wonderful coffee and they sell grain there. Staff is very responsive and kind. In general we are satisfied by 200% If I honestly wanted to this hotel at once, but I read the reviews and chose the one from which 🤪 escaped, so do not believe any negative reviews here. The hotel is wonderful. Maybe you will find some minus, but I think it is the best option here! We stopped to go to Ijin. Thanks to the staff. If we had more time, we would stay here for a couple more nights.

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