I woke up ahead of the call time and noticed the early morning light getting through the sheer drapes. As my eyes adjusted to brightness, I cocooned myself more under the comfy duvet. It took me a while before I realized that I wasn’t home, in my own bed, but at the comforts of the snuggly bed of Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers. Oh, I'm in Indonesia!, I exclaimed, then ran and prepped up some coffee.
It was the second day of Trip of Wonders 2016, a twelve-day exploration
on different key destinations in Indonesia by the Ministry of Tourism and
we’re exploring the charming city of Bandung.
We arrived at around four in the afternoon at Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers which became our home in Bandung for three days. The façade with its clean white finish was accentuated with geometric patterns. Some 40+ souls from different Southeast Asian countries filled filled the spacious lobby, they will be my tripmates for the next few days.
Located at the first level, near the pool, my Deluxe Room with its clean white finish echoed the theme from the atrium (check here for discounted rates). Splashes of cherry and pink hues perked up the whole space.
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| Deluxe Room |
Underneath the flat screen TV was a mini-bar with fridge and coffee-making facility (French press with Indonesian coffee, lovely!).
A wardrobe closet filled with ironing set and in-room safe was
opposite a full-length mirror and the door leading to the bathroom.
The bathroom with its marble-top sink was in sparkling white as with the cohesive theme of Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers.
Bathroom amenities were all provided for as well as hair dryer and the magnified
mirror. Hot and cold rain shower head was provided in its own stall.
I went to the glass door concealed in sheer drapes and pushed it aside. A mini veranda with a view of a beautifully manicured lawn was revealed. I wish though that the space was wide enough for some chair and table which will be perfect for my morning caffeine fix.
It was five in the afternoon when me and my buddy decided to check out
the pool area which is the focal point of Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers.
Lush greeneries surrounded the pool that it felt like we’re going deep into the forest and to a river as we waded our way through it. I was about to take a dip when my buddy mentioned that dinner was already served, and it was at the poolside. I dashed into my room and took out my bikinis only to learn that it wasn’t our group that would be having dinner by the poolside. Haha.
The dinner for the Trip of Wonders group was served at Feast Restaurant,
the in-house restaurant of Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers that serves authentic local dishes in a casual atmosphere.
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| Feast Restaurant |
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| tempeh |
Soft music from traditional Indonesian musical instruments were featured as a lovely singer serenaded the guests.
Our group settled on the open-air terrace where we had a wonderful night as we got to know some of the participants and their home countries. It was around nine in the evening when some went to shop (Bandung is a shopping haven!) while others looked for a nice place to hang out.
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| Immediate relatives of our rice cakes in the Philippines |
The buffet breakfast at Sheraton Bandung Hotel and Towers is served starting at six in the morning. The buffet spread was a combination of local and international breakie fares. I loved the bakso station (hot noodles) paired with keropok (prawn crackers). I also loved the chicken dishes with fried rice. I also had some fresh fruits and yogurt for dessert (I’m not a usual fan of cakes and breads).
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| My version of a healthy breakfast |
The next morning, our last, I woke up feeling great as we’re heading to
Yogyakarta for another three-day adventure. I wanted to jump out of bed and
make myself some coffee but the warmth of the morning light peeping through my
glass window was so invigorating that I stayed right where I was, in my tiniest
fetal position and lingered on until I could, it was the best morning I had
during the course of our twelve-day trip.
Sheraton Bandung Hotel and
Towers (check for discounted rates)
Jalan Ir. H. Juanda No. 390,
Bandung, Indonesia
Contact Number: (+62) 22.250.0303
Feast Restaurant
Open Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Breakfast Buffet: Rp150,000++ (6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)
Friday Night Buffet: Rp199.000++ per person (6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday Night Buffet: Rp225,000++ per person (6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
Sunday Brunch: Rp245,000++ per person (12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.)
Special thanks to Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism for making this trip possible.
As always, opinions and opinions are all mine.
Website: www.indonesia.travel
Facebook: /indonesia.travel
IG: @indtravel
Twitter: @indtravel
#WonderfulIndonesia
#TripofWonders
I must admit, while going down my Indonesian memory lane. I stumbled upon your beautiful blog and pictures. I was a long term guest on several occasions at what still reminds my favorite hotel of all time. In fact, I was the first person to stay in the towers; the suite directly next to the lounge area. I will admit, much seems to be changing since my last stay which was in 2010 and it appears they are spending quite a bit of money on improvements albeit I am quite sure the staff and food are still as great as how I remember them. In fact, I became very good friends with much of the staff and yes, I even married one of them after many years of dating. To anyone that visits Indonesia, all I can say is that while you may find more expensive hotels in Jakarta, this hotel is something special and within minutes of arriving, you will understand all the reasons . It’s not just the ambience and it’s not just the great food and no it’s not just all the special people working there. The staff is like family, people actually care and while the streets are noisy on the outside, the atmosphere on the inside is like stepping into another tranquil world. To all my old friends and family, I miss you dearly and yes, I miss all those years I spent at the Sheraton Bandung. Living in Costa Mesa, California, just isn't the same.
ReplyDeleteAwww. That's just a nice story. Thank you for sharing it. Indonesians are really nice people :)
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