Central Java
Nestled in a 22-hectare coffee plantation, the Mesa Stila Resort is one of Indonesia’s most magical hotels. At an altitude of 900m, the forest gives way…
Must-see hotels in Central Java
Karimunjawa Islands
With a private beach, this gorgeous hillside resort offers a genuine island welcome. Rustic cottages with open-air bathrooms have magnificent sea views or…
Borobudur
Set in a magnificent garden of mature hardwoods, abundant creepers and outrageous sprigs of orchids, this boutique hotel (3km east of the monument) offers…
Yogyakarta
Right in the heart of the city, this historic hotel is easily the best in its class and is a Yogya landmark. Dating back to 1918, it’s been sensitively…
Central Java
Housed in a faded but charming art deco structure built in 1926, Vogels is a backpacker institution that's barely changed since it opened in 1978 – even…
Borobudur
Atik, owner, tour guide and author, is on a mission to preserve traditional Javanese culture at this unique guesthouse, which offers a nostalgic trip back…
Yogyakarta
Hidden away in the network of back alleys branching off Prawirotaman is this vibrant, fun lovin' hostel with an urban beach-hut vibe and done out in…
Yogyakarta
This raw, natural-wood and polished-concrete structure hung with vines is a terrific boutique hotel. The lobby is the ground floor of a dramatic atrium,…
Yogyakarta
Raising the bar in standards for Yogya's hostel scene is this popular backpacker that features a contemporary, designer aesthetic and luxurious plunge…
Borobudur
For a memorable stay, complete with world-heritage views, go for these stilted luxury cottages with transcendent outlooks over Borobudur Temple. Each of…
Solo
This beautiful historical hotel, occupying an old batik workshop, has been stylishly renovated with 14 rooms featuring wood panelling and art deco windows…
The Cangkringan Jogja Villas & Spa
Central Java
This contemporary spa and villa complex is graced by an elegant joglo lobby, beautifully landscaped garden and 19 sumptuous villas with marble-inlaid…
Central Java
This delightful guesthouse, at the top of the tiny village of Kalikuning, has three chalets with bamboo fixtures and fittings within the family acreage…
Yogyakarta
A beautiful Moroccan-style hotel, a short stroll from Jl Malioboro, complete with hand-carved wooden doorways and a delightful Moorish courtyard bristling…
Solo
A reimagined property draped with plants; there is no other hotel quite like this deconstructed lodge, where the restaurant is lit with bare bulbs and the…
Yogyakarta
About 8km south of Yogya, surrounded by rice fields, this tasteful hotel occupies traditional Javanese buildings with a lily pond in the main courtyard…
Yogyakarta
This centrally located luxury hotel is set in a tropical garden of soaring palms, mature frangipani and carp ponds. Rooms here are comfortable and…
Yogyakarta
Offering a warm welcome, this tiny, arty and original hostel is one of a kind. The communal area, which has a kitchen for guest use, straddles a small…
Yogyakarta
This stylish addition to Sosrowijayan marks the beginning of this classic budget thoroughfare. The steel and glass design maximises the light in the tall,…
Yogyakarta
Featuring an intriguing juxtaposition of colonial house and designer hotel, the facade of this elegant option is strikingly decorated with a fun…
Karimunjawa Islands
This super-friendly budget homestay works a kind of magic on guests: those who check in for a night invariably end up staying two or more. The friendly,…
Solo
Hidden down a small gang (alley) off Jl Ahmad Dahlan, this unique guesthouse, run by a delightful, charismatic owner, offers four exceptional-value rooms…
Semarang
In a good location between the old city and Simpang Lima, this smart business-oriented hotel has an outdoor pool, a gym and spa. Rooms are contemporary,…
Plataran Borobudur Resort & Spa
Borobudur
There are 21 villas comprising this elegant heritage resort, the centrepiece of which is a colonial-era pavilion with a wide verandah that functions as…
Yogyakarta
Rooms are simple and comfortable in this attractive suburban house, but the real benefit here is that Atik, the Javanese author-owner-tour-guide, is a…
Solo
Better known for its restaurant, this hotel offers a few delightful rooms in the vintage, brick Javanese building. With high ceilings, ceramic tiled…
Yogyakarta
This attractive, well-run guesthouse, on the main thoroughfare in Sosrowijayan, benefits from a greater sense of space than lodgings hidden in the lanes…
Karimunjawa Islands
A luxury tropical island escape situated on its own private island, with sea-view villas and some with private pools. The beach stretches for nearly 1km…
Borobudur
This popular, friendly guesthouse is owned by one of the founders of Jaker, so reliable local information in fluent English can be expected here. The…
Solo
Although the rooms are simple, this atmospheric old homestay, in a magnificent timbered building between Solo's two palaces, scores highly for those…
Yogyakarta
Its austere, concrete compound-like facade may appear forbidding from the outside, but past those doors it opens to a cool, arty hostel with an inviting…
Borobudur
This striking hotel, with its sprays of gorgeous orchids in the marble foyer, is worth considering as one of the few quality hotels within walking…
Yogyakarta
This fine hotel with its distinctive bamboo facade brings a sense of the rural into the heart of the city. Most of the luxurious rooms have ample…
Central Java
Just before Sukuh temple – and enjoying the same exquisite views – this rural hotel has attractive rooms and villas built from natural materials and…
Central Java
Located near the Wonosobo junction, this simple, sociable guesthouse has been hosting backpackers for years and has a certain ramshackle charm with basic,…
Central Java
At the foot of the road to New Selo, this helpful guesthouse has a number of simple but reasonably comfortable rooms arranged around a balconied terrace…
Yogyakarta
Part of the expanding Via Via empire, this guesthouse enjoys a quiet side-street location not far from its cafe-restaurant of the same name. It has seven…
Karimunjawa Islands
Owned by a well-known German footballer-turned-commentator and his brother, who were born in Indonesia, this hotel comprises a series of wooden cottages…
Yogyakarta
Located down a narrow street in an appealing neighbourhood, this popular hostel spills over two sites. The main building has a leafy courtyard that…
Central Java
Built as a retreat for Dutch planters, the Kresna dates from 1921 and retains a certain colonial charm with stained-glass windows and polished floors…
