Sriwedari Hotel Yogyakarta

There’s a surprising amount of space behind the street frontage, with two hectares of cottages and gardens hidden from view. I come back to this worn old Javanese hotel often. The beds are great, the air-conditioned rooms are comfortable, and the price is low. It won’t be for everyone, especially if grey sheets and minimal cleaning, which are normal in Indonesia, bother you. For me, Hotel Sriwedari is good value at its tariff. I’d skip the food and order in or head to Plaza Ambarrukmo.

The staff were friendly to me, and someone even sprayed mosquito repellent in my room before I went to Malioboro on October 12, 2019. The hotel itself is affordable, with vintage architecture and a convenient spot near Plaza Ambarrukmo and Adi Sucipto International Airport. There are some drawbacks: the water sometimes comes out only in a small amount, the air conditioner can stop working, and there are mosquitoes and ants. The restaurant staff weren’t very user friendly.

The food was really good, and my room was clean. Staff responded quickly, though the hot water wasn’t working. It’s a budget option with distinctive traditional architecture, but the buildings are rather old. A good choice if that’s what you’re looking for.

The toilet was clean, though very old, and the food was just so-so. But there were loads of mosquitoes, I killed about 20 and still saw plenty, plus a fly and a lizard to round out the mini zoo. The room was extremely old. There was no AC remote, and the blanket felt more like a bed sheet. To slow the AC down, I had to walk about five minutes to the front office. The receptionist was friendly, but I waited from 1 pm to 2:30 pm in a waiting room with no AC just to find out they didn’t know whether the room was ready. There’s no phone in the room. Set your expectations accordingly, this is a cottage, not a hotel. I won’t be coming back.