The Sidji Hotel

The Sidji Hotel has a lovely cultural heritage feel, but it wasn’t quite the right regular choice for my family, since we usually stay 3-6 days. I didn’t find it especially kid-friendly, partly because the food selection was limited. Even at the end of Ramadan, I’d expect enough options for families. We were there during the holiday season, so I understand why breakfast choices for my children may have been limited. I hadn’t tried Suhoor at first, but I later did, and it was very good, with plenty of options. I really enjoyed it and recommend it. The restaurant’s smoking and non-smoking areas aren’t separated by a physical barrier, so smoke drifts across. Without a bidet hose, cleaning my young child was difficult. The built-in seat spray works for adults but wasn’t practical for kids. Noise was another issue: I could clearly hear trolleys in the hallway passing my door, and sounds from neighboring rooms came through loudly.

The location and service were good, and the suite was nice, though it’s starting to show its age, with wallpaper peeling. We stayed for two nights and skipped breakfast because we prefer trying local food outside the hotel. The bathroom needs the most work. It was generally clean, but there was sometimes a mild sewer smell from the plumbing, so we sprayed eucalyptus to cover it. The shower screen had yellowish staining at the bottom that could be cleaned with bleach. The towels were worn and grey instead of white and fluffy, which isn’t what we expected in a suite. We might stay again, but would ask for better towels and a replacement shower screen. Otherwise, we’d drive an hour to stay in Semarang.

My only suggestion is to lower the pillows, since they’re too high for me. I’ve stayed at the Sidji Hotel many times and like the good ambience. The central location makes it easy to walk around the city, and the staff are friendly and helpful. The restaurant is also a nice place to invite friends and dine together. I think the hotel is very good.

The room was modern, clean, and really comfortable, so I’d definitely come back. I spent three days here and loved the cozy, vintage feel, like ‘rumah nenek’, homey and classic with charming old touches. I’d worried before booking that it might feel eerie and old-fashioned, but it surprised me in a good way. It wasn’t like that at all.