The JW Marriott Surabaya is centrally located in downtown Surabaya, and is the perfect hotel from which you can base your city and day tours from. Security was tight when I arrived, and all vehicles were subject to additional checks as a precautionary measure.
Stepping into the hotel, I could tell that the property needed some updating. Perhaps the use of warmer tones would have helped. Other than that, the counters were all properly staffed.
Check in was swift, and after the customary verification of my identity, I was issued my keys.
Heading up to my room, I was pleased to find my spacious room flooded in natural light, all thanks to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
The layout of the room was a little unconventional. The bed was positioned facing the opposite side along the length of the room, where there was a working desk and a living area. The television was placed on a chest of drawers positioned in the centre of the room. That also meant that I had to rotate the television when watching in bed.
The bathroom was spacious, but rather dimly lit, and it came with separate bathtub and shower facilities.
I was fortunate to have awesome weather during my stay, and had the luxury of lazing and wading in the huge outdoor pool, which was hardly crowded at all.
The gym was also fairly well equipped, although you would probably find newer equipment in other commercial gyms.
The JW Marriott Surabaya will definitely make for a comfortable stay. Even when you’re out of ideas, the staff will be more than welcome to provide suggestions for a day tour or two, all in the comfort of the JW Marriott’s private car fleet.