The Hermitage, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Jakarta

Rooms and decor

Picture a white Art Deco building from the 1920s standing under big shade trees in Menteng, the oldest, leafiest, quietest of Jakarta's upmarket neighborhoods — that is the charm of The Hermitage, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, a 5-star boutique that brought a historic building back to life under Marriott's Tribute Portfolio brand. With only around 90 rooms and suites, the whole place feels private and calm, more like staying in an old mansion than a big hotel. The thing reviewers mention most is the room size — every room starts at around 40 square meters, clearly bigger than a lot of luxury hotels downtown. Ceilings run high, the decor is warm and classic with woodwork, parquet floors and soft colonial-era detail, and the beds get singled out as especially comfortable. The bathrooms are classic in design and well stocked. If you like a hotel with character and a story rather than the same minimalist room everywhere, you will likely fall for this one from the moment you step into the lobby.

Food and amenities

If one spot is the highlight here, it is La Vue, the top-floor rooftop bar that opens up a full 360-degree view across the Jakarta skyline. Sunset is the moment reviewers call the most romantic and the most photogenic — good for a cocktail in the cool air before or after dinner. Below it sits a compact rooftop pool with a chilled-out feel, better for a relaxed soak with a city view, plus a spa and fitness room to reset after a full day out. On the food side, an on-site restaurant serves breakfast and international dishes in a warm setting that fits the building's heritage character. And because you are in the heart of Menteng, full of stylish cafes, classic restaurants and well-known street food, a few minutes' walk from the door gives you plenty more to try. Overall the facilities are not as loaded as a giant chain's, but everything is sized to fit a boutique and leans on quality of atmosphere over quantity.

Location and getting there

The location is another part of the appeal that sets it apart from the usual downtown hotel. The Hermitage sits in Menteng, one of Jakarta's oldest and finest residential neighborhoods, laid out back in the Dutch colonial era. The streets are shaded by big trees, lined with grand old houses, and quiet and safe in a way that is rare in a city as busy as Jakarta. A short walk from the hotel brings you to Taman Suropati, a leafy park where locals come to exercise and relax, with cafes, restaurants and stylish galleries to explore around it. The business districts of Thamrin and Sudirman are not far — a Grab or taxi gets you there easily — and the nearest MRT/KRL station is about 1.5 km away, roughly a 5-to-10-minute ride. In short, if you want to stay somewhere with character, calm and shade, and to see a classic side of Jakarta most people miss, Menteng is the answer.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, getting around — the hotel is not directly on an MRT or KRL line, and the nearest station is about 1.5 km away, so reaching other areas means a Grab or taxi, and Jakarta is famous for heavy morning and evening traffic. If you plan to travel mostly by train, this will feel less handy than a hotel in Thamrin or Sudirman where you can walk to a station. Second, size and facilities — as a boutique of only around 90 rooms, the in-house dining and facilities are fewer than at a big chain, and the rooftop pool is compact, better for a relaxed soak than serious swimming, so families with young kids looking for big-pool activities may find the options thin. Third, the old-building factor — being a restored 1920s building, some reviews note small signs of age in the details, and rooms facing the street can pick up neighborhood noise at times. If you are a light sleeper, ask for a high floor or a quieter side. Come here for the heritage charm and the atmosphere, and take these small things as part of staying in a historic building.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real reviews, The Hermitage, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Jakarta is a hotel that sells the heritage charm of a 1920s Art Deco building, a spacious room whichever one you book, and a calm, leafy setting in Menteng with real personality. If your idea of the trip is staying in a classic building with a story, waking up to walk under the trees in a quiet neighborhood, coming back for a soak in the rooftop pool and closing the night with a cocktail and a 360-degree view at La Vue, this is a stay with a character you will not find at a glass-tower hotel. But if the heart of your trip is walking to an MRT station every day, or you want a big chain with loaded facilities and a large pool, the location and boutique size here may not be your match. Overall we give it 8.7/10, best for couples and atmosphere-seekers who value the building's character and the quiet over a metro-side address.