Jakarta's Chicest Hidden Gem: 1BR Cinere Bellevue Suite!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups! Because we're diving headfirst into a review of Jakarta's Chicest Hidden Gem: the 1BR Cinere Bellevue Suite! And let's be real, after all the hotel hopping I’ve done, I’ve become a seasoned critic… more like a grizzled veteran, honestly. So, here’s the raw, unfiltered truth, complete with questionable metaphors and my general existential dread.
First Impressions: The Great Descent (and the Not-So-Great Ups)
Accessibility? Okay, let's start with the basics. Getting to Cinere Bellevue from, say, the airport… well, it's Jakarta. Expect traffic. LOTS of traffic. That's just the way it is. No rainbows and unicorns, folks. The hotel itself should be accessible, with an elevator. I say should because I had a minor moment with a wobbly ramp near the lobby (and I’m not even in a wheelchair, just clumsy!). So, let's give them a solid B+ on that front.
Room Review: My Little Fortress (and the Great Blanket Caper)
The suite! Okay, the suite was lovely. Spacious, modern, all that jazz. Big enough to swing a cat, as they say (though I wouldn’t, the poor thing). Air conditioning? Bliss. Thank the gods. Jakarta heat is no joke. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! YES! Praise be! Because seriously, what's a girl gotta do to upload those Instagram stories? Solid signal the entire stay – bonus points.
Now, some gripes: The bed was heavenly. Seriously. Like, a cloud of marshmallows and dreams. And the blackout curtains? Chef’s kiss. Slept like a log… until the blanket situation happened. It was… thin. Like, practically see-through. I requested an extra one, and it took what felt like an eternity (and a call to the front desk that involved me sounding like a grumpy old lady). So, room cleanliness? Top notch (I always check for dust bunnies; I have standards). Linens could've been better. This is a minor issue, but it did knock a point off the initial euphoria. I need my blanket! Rating: 4.5 stars
Bathroom Bonanza: The Shower That Soothed My Soul (and the Tiny Toiletries)
The bathroom was great. Proper, clean, and with a separate shower/bathtub setup. Here’s a confession: I’m a shower person. The water pressure was excellent, hot water readily available. Pure bliss. The only tiny complaint? The toiletries. They were… a bit basic. The shampoo smelled like someone had mixed cheap conditioner and disappointment. But the provided slippers – a godsend. After pounding the pavement and dealing with the traffic, they were a perfect treat for my tired feet.
Let's Talk Cashless, Cravings and Quarantine Comfort
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: The presence of an Asian restaurant and International Cuisine is a major plus. The 24-hour room service? Lifesaver after a late flight. And they had coffee! Delicious, needed, and exactly what I needed.
Breakfast: There was a buffet (yesss!), but I'll be honest: I opted for the breakfast in room option because… well, I'm lazy. I also felt a bit weird about the buffet with the ongoing health concerns, so the breakfast takeaway service was amazing. I went with the Asian breakfast, and it was pretty good. A nice way to start the day. They even have a vegetarian restaurant and desserts. Rating: 4 stars
Cleanliness and Safety: The Sanitization Saga
Okay, let's get real. We’re living in a world where the words “hygiene” and “safety” are practically tattooed on our brains. Anti-viral cleaning products, daily disinfection in common areas, rooms sanitized between stays, hand sanitizer everywhere – Cinere Bellevue has stepped up to the plate. They've got a doctor/nurse on call, physical distancing of at least 1 meter, and staff wearing masks. I appreciated the efforts. It made me feel at least somewhat safe. Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items. Good job, Cinere Bellevue. But even still I felt a little wary, no matter what. Maybe it’s just me.
Wellness? Fitness? Spa-tacular or Spa-less?
Now, this is where Cinere Bellevue really needed to shine, and… it did! I am a huge fan of spas and workouts. They advertised fitness center, Gym/fitness, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, and Body scrub, Body wrap, Foot bath, Massage! I had to try it all! Okay, maybe not all, but mostly.
The swimming pool was great, clean, a great place to spend some time with some sun. The Pool with view was the best part, it was so beautiful at night. The sauna and steamroom were a great way to unwind.
The massage? Absolutely heavenly. I walked in a stressed-out mess, and I floated out feeling like a new person. Seriously, book a massage. Do it. You won't regret it. Rating: 4.5 stars
Services and Conveniences: The Good, the Bad, and the Honestly Baffling
The Concierge was helpful, the daily housekeeping kept up the clean standards. But some things… eh. Meeting/banquet facilities and Meeting stationery seemed a bit random in a mostly leisure setting. And the gift/souvenir shop was underwhelming. But the staff are great. They are kind, helpful, and always on hand.
Hidden Gem or Just… Gem-Adjacent?
So, is the 1BR Cinere Bellevue Suite a true hidden gem? Honestly? Close. It is a really, really good option. It's clean, comfortable, well-located (for Cinere which is a great location!), and the staff is lovely. The spa experience alone is worth the price of admission.
The Offer: Your Jakarta Getaway Awaits!
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- A complimentary massage at their award-winning spa!
- Free Wi-Fi so you can show off your amazing getaway to your friends!
- A delicious breakfast in bed on your first morning!
- Special offer for more than 3 nights stay!
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Hanoi's HOTTEST 2-Bedroom Vinhomes Gardenia Deal: Hàm Nghi Luxury Awaits!
Okay, buckle up buttercups. You're about to get the gloriously messy, unfiltered truth about a "relaxing" stay at the Minimalist 1BR Cinere Bellevue Suites By Travelio in Jakarta. Get ready for my sanity to slowly unravel… and you're welcome to join. The Cinere Bellevue Debacle: A Jakarta Jam Session (Itinerary-ish)
Day 1: Arrival and the Great Air Conditioning Conspiracy
14:00 - Arrival and the Apartment Reveal: Okay, so the pictures online? Glorified. This place looks minimalist. Realistically? It felt more like someone tried minimalist and then just ran out of steam. Beige. Beige everywhere. I swear I saw beige dust bunnies doing the tango. The "city view" was…concrete. Honestly, my expectations were unreasonably high, the fault probably lays on me. I’m already regretting this, but oh well, I'm here.
14:30 - The Air Conditioning Audit: The first thing I checked after the initial interior assessment? The air conditioning. Jakarta is a sweaty swamp. The listing promised cold! Lies! It barely wheezed. I spent the next hour wrestling with it, fiddling with the remote, muttering curses in both English and my terrible, nonexistent Indonesian. I may have also started humming my own version of "Cold as Ice" at one point.
15:30 - Grocery Run: A Jakarta Baptism: Decided I'd be brave and walk to the nearest supermarket. This was Jakarta's initiation ceremony, a baptism by scooter exhaust and the sheer, unadulterated chaos of the sidewalks. Let me tell you, crossing the road here is an extreme sport. I’m pretty sure I’ve aged a year. I think I almost got run over by the same ojek driver three times. But in the end, I survived and came back with some instant noodles, a questionable-looking mango, and an intense craving for a shower (more on that later).
16:30 - The Great Noodle Debacle: Back at the apartment, I attempted to make my instant noodles. Disaster. The water never got hot enough. My mango was hard as a rock. The air conditioning remained a lukewarm mockery of its former self. The only saving grace? Those noodles were still edible. I now had an idea of the state of how my journey would unfold.
17:00 - The Showering Nightmare: The bathroom looked clean, which was promising, but there was the tiniest bit of mold. My shower experience was fine, though the water pressure was questionable. I think I might have taken a second shower because the one I took wasn't that relaxing.
19:00 - Evening Escape (Sort Of): I was itching to get out. But the lack of air conditioning made the thought of leaving the apartment unappealing. I ended up watching the local news and I also ordered some food.
Day 2: Culture Clash (and More Air Conditioning Woes)
09:00 - Breakfast "Adventure" at a Local Warung: Decided I needed to actually experience Jakarta. Found a warung (small local eatery) a few blocks away. Ordered nasi goreng (fried rice). It was good. Actually, it was spectacular. A culinary win! I sat on this tiny plastic stool and felt like a true local, even if my face was still slightly bewildered. But the experience was authentic.
11:00 - The Mall of Misadventure: Decided to take a walk in the mall. Spent an hour wandering around aimlessly, sweating, and dodging teenagers. The mall felt like an air-conditioned cave, I didn't even want to buy anything, I just wanted to be cool for an hour or two. I have no idea why. Maybe it's the fact I was sweating so much and felt like I could melt if I walked into the sun.
13:00 - Back to the Beige, Back to the Heat: Back at the apartment. Air conditioning is still conspiring against me, it's still not cold enough. My mood? Let's just say it's somewhere between "mildly annoyed" and "ready to spontaneously combust." I tried to read a book, but the heat made my brain feel like it was slowly simmering.
15:00 - The Epic Laundry Fail: The apartment claimed to have laundry facilities. It didn't. I mean, there was a washing machine, but it didn't work. So, I spent the afternoon trying to figure out the laundry situation. Eventually, I came to the conclusion I would leave all my clothes and just buy new ones--kidding! I just came to terms with the fact that I'm going to smell like a sweaty tourist.
19:00 - Dinner Deliberation: I wanted to get out and explore Jakarta, but the humidity had me. So I ended up ordering more food, this time trying to find a restaurant that would deliver to my temporary home.
Day 3: The Great Escape (or, the End is Nigh)
09:00 - Last Chance for Redemption (Breakfast Attempt): Decided I could redeem myself if I had a successful breakfast. And I did! I found a charming little restaurant by the building. I had breakfast, and it felt nice.
11:00 - Farewell to Beige (and Relief!): Checked out. Honestly, leaving was a massive relief. I left a note for Travelio, probably a bit too strongly worded about the AC conspiracy.
12:00 - The Epilogue or The Aftermath: That's my story. Would I recommend the Cinere Bellevue Suites? If you're a fan of beige, humidity, and the occasional air conditioning disappointment, then maybe. But for me? I think I'll stick to hotels with actual working AC and a less… minimalist vibe. Goodbye, Jakarta. You were… an experience.
Jakarta's Chicest "Hidden Gem" - The Cinere Bellevue Suite: A No-BS FAQ (Because Let's Be Real)
Is the Cinere Bellevue Suite REALLY as "chic" as everyone says? My Instagram feed is starting to give me a complex.
Okay, let's be honest. "Chic" is subjective, right? And Instagram? Let’s just say filters are a thing. The Cinere Bellevue Suite *does* have its moments. The lobby? Pretty swanky, I'll give it that. Like, you could totally imagine a very well-dressed cat walking through there. But… the 'chicness' kind of evaporates when you actually *live* there. Think less Audrey Hepburn, more… well, more Jakarta. Which is to say, a delightful, chaotic mix of amazing, and… well, let's call it "character." I'd say it's more "functional with potential" than outrageously chic. You know?
What's the actual suite like? Is it spacious, or am I going to be doing interpretive dance to avoid stubbing my toe?
Alright, buckle up, because truth time! The 1BR suite? It’s… compact. Not *tiny*, but definitely not somewhere you can throw a massive house party. I actually tried to host a small dinner party once, and let's just say, the space became intimately familiar with my guests. We were basically breathing each other's air. Now, the living room isn't *completely* horrendous, furniture felt a little bit IKEA-esque. The best part? The view! Provided you're on a high floor (ask for that!) and facing the right direction, the Jakarta skyline at sunset CAN be pretty darn spectacular. I once saw a lightning storm from my window... and spent a good 20 minutes just staring at the raw power of it. Forget interpretive dance; try slow, deliberate movements. You'll survive.
The location? Is it, you know, "convenient," or am I going to need to budget for a personal driver and a week's worth of patience?
This is where things get… complicated. Cinere itself isn't the epicenter of Jakarta's glitz and glamour. The *convenience* depends on your definition. There's a mall right there (the Bellevue!), which is a HUGE plus for grabbing groceries, a quick bite, or desperately seeking air conditioning on a particularly sweltering day. Traffic, though? Hoo boy. Let me tell you about the time I tried to get to a meeting downtown. What should have been a 30-minute drive turned into an hour and a half. I almost lost my mind! So, personal driver? Not ALWAYS necessary, but definitely recommended for your sanity. Learn to love Grab/Gojek, that’s the key. Also, the local warungs (small food stalls) are a lifesaver. Seriously, the nasi goreng is AMAZING.
What about the facilities? Pool, gym, that sort of thing? Are they worth the hype?
Okay, the pool! Here's my brutally honest pool assessment: It's fine. It's clean-ish. It gets the job done. I've spent lazy afternoons there, and it's perfectly adequate. Don't expect Olympic-sized perfection, but it’s a solid choice for a refreshing dip. The gym? I went once. Just once. The equipment was… functional? Let's go with that. I think I saw a guy doing bicep curls with a bottle of water. I'm not judging! But, you know, maybe bring your own disinfectant wipes. The kids club? I have no kids, so I’m going to skip this one.
The internet? Is it fast enough to stream Netflix or will I be reliving the dial-up days?
Ah, the internet. *Sigh*. This is a mixed bag. It CAN be good. I've had days where I've binged entire seasons of a show without a single hiccup. Other times, it's like trying to send a carrier pigeon across the ocean. Expect some buffering. Be prepared to have a backup plan – maybe download some movies beforehand, or, you know, actually *read* a book. The horror! Seriously though, internet reliability is a gamble. Bring a hotspot SIM card! You’ll thank me later.
The noise? Is it peaceful (dreaming of a quiet life) or more like living inside a construction site/karaoke bar mashup (nightmare scenario)?
Alright, let's talk noise. This is also a mixed bag. You are in Jakarta, after all. There's always *some* noise. But, honestly, I found it pretty manageable most of the time. Some units, depending on their direction, have the lovely drone of the traffic below. There's the occasional motorcycle revving its engine through the night. The construction (Jakarta's national pastime) is usually happening in the daytime, but you get used to it. *Sometimes*. On one particularly memorable night, a wedding celebration went on until 3 AM. I'm not sure *WHY* it was going on so late, or what the music was, or even what was being celebrated. But, it was loud! And the next morning, I was seriously considering moving to a remote island. So, yeah, some earplugs are a good idea.
How's the overall vibe? Is it friendly, snooty, or somewhere in between?
The vibe is… Jakarta! Which means, a glorious mix. You’ll find the staff generally friendly and helpful (though language barriers can happen). The other residents? A mixed bag, really. Some are expats, some are locals, some are young professionals, some are families. I never felt any overt "snootiness," but let's just say I didn't become besties with everyone. It's a transient place. People come and go. But there's a certain "live and let live" attitude that's pretty prevalent. Mostly, people are just trying to navigate Jakarta life, just like you. And that shared struggle? It's oddly comforting. I even started saying hi to the security guards after a few months. They usually smile back, now! Progress!
So, should I move in? Give it to me straight!
Okay, here's the bottom line: the Cinere Bellevue Suite is *not* a perfect, idyllic paradise. It has its flaws. It can be noisy. The internet can be patchy. But... it's also got a certain charm. It's convenient (with caveats). It's got a nice view (if you're lucky). It's a good place to start out in Jakarta. The mall attached is a lifesaver. It's a good stepping stone. If you manage your expectations, you might find it a decent place. Just don't expect perfection. Jakarta itself isn't perfect, but that's what makes it... well, *interestingHotels With Kitchenettes
