Horison Ultima Semarang

It's a shame, because the bed was comfortable and the rooftop pool has a killer view. We were surprised a 4-star hotel was so affordable, then saw how badly it needs renovation. There were makeshift fixes to keep things working, like modified electrical cords. The gym was just a dusty room with treadmills unplugged.

The pool was great, and the room itself was nice. The TV felt dated, with one channel showing nothing but YouTube videos. Bathroom was fine, though the shower only got warm at best. We had to ask before towels were brought to the bathroom.

The staff were good, at least, but the place looked neglected and old. There was mold and damp wallpaper around the hotel and room. The water never got hot, just warm, and the towel looked like it had been used for the last five years. That's what you can expect from hotels in Indonesia, I guess.

I was only stopping here after a trip out of town because I was tired, but the stay put me in a bad mood. Getting from the parking floors to the lobby lift meant taking stairs up and down, which was a hassle with all my stuff. The parking area itself was very dark, and the elevator was unreliable with buttons that were hard to press. The room felt stuffy, the AC blew air but didn't cool much, and the towels smelled musty. I didn't find the breakfast very tasty, cutlery wasn't replenished when it ran out, and the restaurant was very hot with no AC. Even though it's in the city center, I wasn't comfortable here and won't stay again.