Unbelievable RedDoorz Deal in Surabaya: Siwalankerto's Hidden Gem!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into this hotel review. Prepare for a rollercoaster, 'cause I'm not holding back. I'm going to bleed my opinions all over this thing.
SEO & Metadata, Ugh, I Guess We Have To…
- Title: Hotel Review: [Hotel Name] - A Chaotic but Charming Dive Deep (Plus All The Deets!)
- Keywords: Hotel Review, Accessibility, Spa, Swimming Pool, Dining, [City, State], Family Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible, Free Wi-Fi, Sauna, Fitness Center, Restaurants, Room Service, Covid Safety, [Hotel Chain, if applicable]
(Alright, that’s the boring part. Now the good stuff…)
Let's get this over with. I just got back from staying at the [Hotel Name], and let me tell you, it was… an experience. Not always a smooth one, mind you. Think of it as less "luxury getaway" and more "character-building adventure."
Accessibility:
First things first, because, you know, everyone deserves a vacation. "Wheelchair accessible" is listed? Well, that's a HUGE plus for some. I’m not in a wheelchair, but I did see a few folks navigating the place, and it seemed alright. Elevators were thankfully present, but the speed was a little glacial at times. You practically aged a year waiting for the doors to close.
On-site accessible restaurants / lounges: Okay, those that I had a chance to look at were actually pretty good, again, the space and access worked well.
On-site restaurants / lounges:
This is where things start to get interesting. They have a ton of options. Like, a dizzying amount. They've got a little bit of everything, everywhere.
"Breakfast [buffet]"? That's a big one. Buffet! I love a buffet. But this one? Oh, this one was… well, let’s just say I saw a woman fight another woman over the last croissant. Not my proudest moment, ducking for cover behind a pile of sad-looking scrambled eggs. Okay, look, the food was what you'd expect from a buffet, it had Asian and International cuisine, and it was all-you-can-eat, so… score?
"A la carte in restaurant" I tried the a la carte option once. I ordered a steak. It arrived at the table, looked like it had been through a war, and tasted like… well, I'm not going to say any more than it was not good. But it's there, so that's something.
"Poolside bar": The poolside bar was actually decent. Good cocktails, overpriced, sure, but the view was killer. The water was pretty cold in the outdoor pool but they had a pool with a view.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: (Prepare for a lot of opinions)
Look, if you're a foodie, this place is probably not going to blow your mind. But if you're like me and just want to fuel up, you'll find something, so:
"Room service [24-hour]" Hell yeah! My late-night, post-buffet, craving for a pizza was completely satiated, even though I felt a little guilty ordering it. Worth it.
"Happy hour" I missed it. Because I was busy… well, you'll see.
"Coffee/tea in restaurant" Standard. Not bad. Not great.
"Desserts in restaurant" They had a chocolate fountain. Need I say more? (Okay, I'll say more: it was awesome).
"Snack bar" Perfectly adequate for a bag of chips and a lukewarm soda.
Things to do, Ways to Relax… Or Try To:
"Spa/sauna" & "Swimming pool": Okay, now we're talking. This is where the hotel actually redeems itself a little. The spa was gorgeous. Really, really nice. I got a massage. It was heavenly. Pure bliss. And the "Pool with a view" was stunning. Just… stunning. I actually spent a good few hours just staring out at it, trying to melt away the… well, everything.
"Fitness center/Gym": Okay, the gym was… functional. It existed. It had treadmills. I didn’t use it. (Too busy relaxing).
"Body scrub / Body wrap": Yeah, they had that. Again, I was busy relaxing, and opted not to.
"Steamroom": Ah, yes. The steam room. I went in. It was steamy. It was… fine.
Cleanliness and Safety: COVID stuff (Ugh, here we go…):
"Anti-viral cleaning products," "Hand sanitizer," "Rooms sanitized between stays," "Staff trained in safety protocol," "Physical distancing of at least 1 meter": Right. So. They said all this stuff. Did I see it? Some of it, yeah. Did I trust it implicitly? Hmm… Look, they were trying. But it's hard to guarantee things in the current climate. They had all those things. Seemed clean, for the most part.
"Daily disinfection in common areas": Seemed to be doing that, yes.
"Sanitized kitchen and tableware items": Pretty sure.
"Individually-wrapped food options": Mostly. Though the croissant incident…
Services and Conveniences: (the boring (but necessary) bits):
"Concierge": Okay, the concierge was actually really helpful. Dude was a saint, honestly. Helped me with directions, made dinner reservations, and even got me a decent taxi.
"Daily housekeeping": Yep. Standard. Nothing to write home about.
"Laundry service / Ironing service": Used both. Convenient.
"Cash withdrawal": Convenient! They had an ATM!
"Elevator": We talked about this.
"Luggage storage": Yep, they do that.
For the Kids ("Family/child friendly", etc.):
I don't have kids, but from what I observed, the hotel seemed like it would be alright for them. There were "Kids facilities" and "Babysitting service", I saw "Family/child friendly" signage, and a few of these.
Available in All Rooms:
Okay, this is the stuff you really want to know, right?
"Air conditioning": Crucial. It worked.
"Free Wi-Fi": Another one. Which was much needed.
"Minibar / Refrigerator": Standard. Stocked with the usual overpriced snacks.
"Bathtub / Separate shower/bathtub": My room had a bathtub which was great for a long soak after a hard day of nothing!
"Hair dryer": Very necessary.
Getting Around:
"Car park [free of charge / on-site]": YES! Free parking. Always a win.
"Taxi service / Airport transfer": Yup, they arranged it. (and the messy bits…)
Okay, so, the "messy" part. The "character-building adventure."
- The Room: My room was…fine. It was clean. But. The decor? Let's just say it hadn't been updated since, oh, I don't know, the Clinton administration? I did love the blackout curtains, though. Saved me from a few early morning sunrises (especially after those late-night pizzas).
- The Soundproofing: I could hear my neighbor snoring. Loudly. I’m not sure if it was the walls or just my grumpy attitude.
- The Incident: This is where the "Proposal spot" comes in. Now, I didn't see a proposal, but I did witness a man, mid-romantic dinner, leap up from his chair, yell at a waiter, push a table over, and then storm out. I don't know what happened, but it was entertaining.
The Verdict:
Look, [Hotel Name] isn't perfect. It's a bit rough around the edges. It's got its flaws. But the spa, the pool with a view, and the sheer variety of everything make it a place I'd consider going back to. A place where you can get an adventure or a relaxing break, or both. It’s quirky, it’s flawed, it’s a little bit chaotic. But it’s got heart. And that, my friends, is what counts.
Overall:
- Cleanliness: 7/10 (Good, but not perfect)
- Comfort: 7.5/10 (Room could use an update, but the bed was comfy)
- Service: 8/10 (Concierge was a lifesaver)
- Food: 6/10 (Buffet was an experience, to say the least)
- Value: 7/10 (Price was fair for what you get).
- Would I go back? Probably. But next time, I'm bringing noise-cancelling headphones and a box of chocolates. And maybe a bodyguard for the buffet.
Alright, buckle up, buttercups! Because this isn't your average, perfectly curated travel itinerary. This is… well, this is MY attempt at tackling Surabaya, Indonesia, based from a RedDoorz @ Siwalankerto. And trust me, it's gonna be less "smooth sailing" and more "slightly-seasick-but-loving-it."
Surabaya & RedDoorz: The Unofficial Guide (aka, "Pray for Me, I'm Clumsy")
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Bed Disaster (aka, "Did I pack a sleep mask? Nope.")
- Time: Whenever the flight finally lands (pray for on-time!).
- Activity: Getting to the RedDoorz. I swear, navigating airport chaos is a sport. Hopefully, the Grab/Gojek pickup is painless.
- Initial thoughts: Okay, RedDoorz @ Siwalankerto. Fingers crossed it's not too far from the airport, and the AC actually works. My internal temperature is at 97 degrees Fahrenheit, so I need that AC to be my new best friend.
- Important Note: Gotta find a mini-mart ASAP for snacks. Travel-sized Pringles are essential survival gear.
- Afternoon: Check-in. Hopefully, the staff speaks enough English for me to stumble through the formalities. Seriously, my Indonesian vocabulary consists of "terima kasih" (thank you) and "tidak" (no). Pray for me.
- The Great Bed Revelation: Remember how I was praying for AC? Turns out, I also need to pray for a decent bed. All it is in any hotel is just a bed, but I swear I'm seeing a 4 or 5 star hotel here and there. The pictures online looked promising, but I'm prepared for the reality: potentially lumpy mattress, questionable pillows, and the distinct aroma of… well, let's just call it “hotel.” Deep breath.
- Evening: Dinner. Find a local warung (small, family-run eatery). This involves a terrifying walk in what appears to be 95% humidity. I'm channeling my inner adventurous eater. I will embrace the unknown!… as long as the unknown doesn’t involve anything that moves. Or looks like it might move.
- Midnight: Bedtime. Attempting to sleep, but my sleep mask is MIA. Curse you, unpacking process! The mosquitoes will be feasting.
Day 2: History, Food, and the Case of the Runaway Sandal (aka, "I'm pretty sure I'm going to sweat off a pound just standing still").
- Morning: Breakfast (if the hotel has it, which is a coin toss). If not, I'll find some street food. Let's hope my stomach is an iron stomach for this trip!
- Daytime: History Time! I’m hitting up the House of Sampoerna. Rumor has it, it's a cool old building. The goal here is to soak up some culture and not get lost (a recurring theme, I suspect).
- Lunch: Trying rawon (black beef soup). I heard it's a Surabaya staple! I really hope it's as delicious as everyone says. I'm also praying that I find a place with decent air conditioning. The humidity is not my friend.
- Afternoon: Exploring. I will visit an area that is suggested by the locals and people in the internet.
- The Runaway Sandal Incident: This is when everything truly went wrong. While attempting to navigate a ridiculously crowded market (a sensory overload which I have to admit, I kind of loved), my sandal…well…it left. Just vanished into the swarm of people. I swear I saw it briefly, being carried away by a child. I'm now one sandal short, which, let's be honest, sums up my life right now. This is not the moment I thought I'd be buying a replacement.
- Evening: Dinner again! I will try a seafood restaurant. I am so ready for the experience to eat something fresh.
- Night: Back to the RedDoorz. Showered in the hottest water humanly possible to cool down and collapse of exhaustion. Writing in my journal because I can't take my mind off of all the things that happened.
Day 3: Shopping, Temples, and the Emotional Rollercoaster of Travel (aka, "Is that a bird? Is that a plane? No, it's just my wallet getting lighter.")
- Morning: Some of the more ambitious people in the internet told me and people to come to a mall. I will check them out here.
- Shopping: This is where I find a replacement for my sandal.
- Afternoon: Time to make my visit at the temple! Pray for me.
- Lunch: Some people in the internet suggested me a local food. I will check them out.
- Evening: Dinner. Tonight, I'm eating at a restaurant that the staff suggested. Fingers crossed, it's not awful. Also, I will be reviewing the meal.
- Night: Back to the RedDoorz. Finishing up my packing. Then, I go to bed, ready for my next journey. I will be leaving tomorrow.
Departure:
- Morning: Last-minute packing. Double-checking, triple-checking.
- Final thought: Surabaya, you've been a whirlwind. It was messy, exhausting, at times terrifying, and yet… I wouldn't trade it for anything. The food was incredible, the people were (mostly) lovely, and even the rogue sandal incident made for a good story.
- Airport journey: Pray for a smooth ride to the airport (and that I actually make my flight)
- Goodbye Surabaya: Until next time, I hope!
This (highly subjective) itinerary is subject to change, complete with tangents, minor meltdowns, and the occasional existential crisis. Because let's be real, that's what travel's all about, right?
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