Phi Semesta

The staff were very polite and available, and I appreciated that they let me check in early. Still, there were several problems during my stay. The water supply and electricity were cut, and one morning there was no hot water. It also took a long time for water to come through, with cold water for about the first minute each time. The ventilation system felt old and inefficient, not like modern AC. My access card kept deactivating, so I had to go to reception every day to get a working one. The bedsheet was too short to cover the whole bed. I also missed the usual “Please make up the room / Do not disturb” sign, since the housekeeper knocked while I was just out of the shower.

For a low fare, you get a spacious room with a little fridge. The staff service was good. The bathroom was shabby, and the TV was an old tube model instead of a flat TV, with limited cable channels. I wouldn’t recommend the food based on my last meal there: some dishes were salty, some plain, and some okay.

The hotel used to be one of the best in Semarang, and it still has a comfortable feel, but there are problems that need attention. When I stayed, some guests arrived with paid reservations only to find their rooms unavailable. The place also felt quite dirty, and housekeeping was slow: I called three times for soap and waited 30 minutes for it to reach my room.

Breakfast was really good, the Wi-Fi worked great, and the cleanliness was fine by me. The building is old enough that you notice the smell as soon as you enter the room, but I actually found it a little nostalgic, haha. The staff are very friendly and greet guests with salam, something I hadn't come across at other hotels. Would I come back? Yes.