Though I don’t consider myself as a pro backpacker, I have stayed at hostels several times. The first time was in Edinburgh, then in Ho Chi Minh, and Taipei. The latter gave me interesting experience, so I had this idea to stay at a hostel during my Jakarta trip last weekend.
My friend told me about this newly opened Hostel – Teduh Hostel Kota Tua. I googled it and it has 9.3 ratings on Booking.com and 96% on Hostelworld.com, sounds really promising, right? Plus, they offer pods instead of bunkbeds, and I figured it will be more convenient. So I gave it a try. Me and my friend each booked a pod for one night, and let me tell you my experience.
The hostel is located within walking distance from Kota Tua’s main attractions – Jakarta Kota station, Kota Tua, Museums, Pasar Asemka.. very convenient. It’s hidden inside a SOHO complex so it could get confusing but worry not, they have clear banners in front of the gate.
After I walked in, I instantly love the interior. It looks sooo comfy! We were greeted by the friendly staffs then had our bookings processed.
While waiting, I had a look around and took some pictures. The common room and kitchen area is pretty small so there’s not much to see, but it’s really neat, clean, and looks very comfortable. Like many hostels, you are free to use the kitchen, basic utensils are available so you can cook as well.
There’s also a TV equipped with Playstation and TV cable, which is located in front of a comfy sofa beds. It’s not La-Z-Boy, of course, but it’s pretty comfy for a hostel standard. In addition, the hostel also provides a separate smoking area, so the common room is smoke-free. Yay!
To my surprise, after we checked in, we were each given a (what I like to call) “starter pack” before we were escorted to the room on second floor. I’ve never received this kind of perks when staying at a hostel before! It’s a blanket, reading light, and your keys. Interesting 🙂
Now, what about the room? and the pod?
My room – room number 2 is located in second floor. When I reached second floor, this is what I saw :
Again I’ve never experienced this in the previous hostels that I’ve stayed at. Never before I had to take off my shoes before going inside the room, and sometimes it does get annoying when my room-mate has dirty shoes. This solves the problem!
And here’s what the room looks like :
Having pods instead of bunkbeds give you extra privacy. Plus, even though it’s a mixed dorm, you can be assured that you won’t ever have to feel awkward to wake up next to a stranger because each pods are covered with curtains!
And this is what my pod looks like .. comfortable, right? It was, indeed, the comfiest hostel bed I’ve ever slept in!
Moving on to the bathroom. Hehe this is a tricky one. One of the most important thing for me when choosing a hostel is the bathroom’s cleanliness. Because I like to take a shower twice a day and I got irritated when the bathroom’s not clean.. hehehe. Lucky me, Teduh Hostel’s bathroom passed my expectations. It’s very clean and the hot water works well so I could enjoy my hot shower, just like at home 😉
The next day, we got free breakfast. By breakfast I mean bread, jam, butter, and cereals. They don’t serve milk though, but you can buy a carton for Rp.5000 or bring your own. Not a problem because convenient stores are located nearby. Anyway, my breakfast that day was toasted bread with cereal. And yes, I bought the milk there. Hehe.
After breakfast, we checked out, feeling happy. Not only because I enjoyed my stay, but I met some interesting people – fellow travelers and had a chance to have interesting conversation with them despite my short stay. Now you might wonder, how much did I pay for a night? Rp.120.000 only. Definitely worth the price! Be sure to check it out when you’re in town 🙂
Teduh Hostel Kota Tua
Jalan Pintu Besar Selatan No.82M
Jakarta 11110, Indonesia
Tel: +62 21 6900939
Christa Bercerita 