Jakarta's HOTTEST Studio? Citra Living by Travelio Comfort Awaits!
Jakarta's Hottest Studio? Citra Living by Travelio - My Chaotic, Honest Review (and Why You NEED This Place!)
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I just survived… I mean, experienced Citra Living by Travelio in Jakarta. And let me tell you, this ain't your grandma's hotel. This is where comfort and chaos collide, and surprisingly, it works.
First off, let's be real. Jakarta is… well, it’s Jakarta. A beautiful, bustling, bonkers city. Finding a decent place to stay that doesn’t feel like you’re sleeping in a shoebox is half the battle. Citra Living? They're trying. They really are. And, more often than not, they succeed.
Accessibility: The Good, The Okay, and The "Hmm…"
- Access: Getting there wasn't a nightmare – the airport transfer (provided, thankfully!) was smooth. Finding it, however, in Jakarta traffic? That’s a whole other beast. GPS is your friend, but maybe bring a translator… just in case.
- Wheelchair Accessible: Didn't see any dedicated wheelchair-friendly rooms myself, but the elevators work, so it's a solid "maybe" (check with them directly for specifics).
- Elevator: Absolutely present and accounted for, thank goodness!
The Sanitization Situation - Because, You Know, 2024:
- Cleanliness and safety: They're taking it seriously. Anti-viral cleaning, daily disinfection, room sanitization… it’s like a microscopic warzone, but a good one. I appreciated the effort!
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Yes! Peace of mind is priceless.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere. Literally. Probably in the mini-bar too. (Just kidding… maybe?)
Internet - The Lifeline Stuff
- Internet Access – Wireless: Yes! And it's FAST. Seriously, I could actually stream a movie without wanting to chuck my laptop out the window.
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: A MUST!
- Internet [LAN]: Didn't use it, but it's there if you're feeling old-school.
- Internet Services: Pretty standard, but the speed is the real win.
"Things to do" - Beyond the Hotel Walls (And Within!)
- Pool with view: Oh. My. Goodness. The outdoor pool is GORGEOUS, trust me! The view is epic, especially at sunset. Pure relaxation.
- Fitness center: Got my workout in. Which, honestly, is a victory in itself when you're traveling!
- Spa: Didn't actually hit the spa, but it's there! And after a day in Jakarta, you'll need it. (I might have just needed to go to the gym and get active)
Dining, Drinking and Snacking - Fueling the Adventure
- Restaurants: A few! Options!
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: Okay, the Asian breakfast was… let’s just say I'm still trying to figure out what some of the ingredients were. (Good, though! Really good!)
- Coffee shop: Essential!
- Bar: Yep, and a good one for a nightcap after battling Jakarta's heat.
- Room service [24-hour]: Bless them! Because jet lag is a real monster. And sometimes, you NEED a burger at 3 AM.
- Breakfast [buffet]: It worked, but I will admit to skipping this and just sticking to my coffee, since I am not a real breakfast person.
Services and Conveniences - The Little Things That Matter
- Air conditioning in public area: YES! Crucial!
- Concierge: Super helpful. They can arrange anything.
- Convenience store: For those emergency snacks or forgotten toothbrush moments.
- Daily housekeeping: My room was spotless every day, which is a serious win.
- Laundry service: They even have a laundry! That saved me a whole lot of packing drama.
For the Kids (If You're Brave Enough to Bring Them to Jakarta)
- Family-Friendly: Yes! There will be kids
- Babysitting service: Good to know!
- Kids meal: They have the things for the kids.
Available in All Rooms - The Essentials
- Air conditioning: Check!
- Free bottled water: Lifesaver!
- Wi-Fi [free]: Woohoo!
- TV with satellite/cable channels: Well, the TV works. Sometimes. With enough patience. Then again, why are you even watching TV in Jakarta?
- Coffee/tea maker, refrigerator, mini-bar, and kettle: You have all the things!
The Okay-ish Stuff (Let's Keep it Real)
- Room Size: The "studio" part of "studio" is accurate. It’s not cramped, but it's cozy. Think efficient rather than sprawling.
- Exterior Corridor: Yup, it's an exterior corridor, but pretty safe with 24/7 security.
- Noise: Jakarta is LOUD. You'll hear some street noise.
Now, for the "Ah-Ha!" Moments (and the Imperfections)
- The Room Itself: Okay, this is where Citra Living shines. The beds are comfy. The shower pressure is surprisingly excellent. The décor is modern and clean.
- The Staff: Seriously, the staff are amazing. Attentive, helpful, and with smiles (even when I was probably a nightmare guest after a bad day).
- The "Wow" Factor: The rooftop pool is where it's at. Swimming there at sunset with a cocktail in hand? Pure bliss. Worth the price alone.
The Imperfections?
- Minor Quirks: It's not perfect. The hallways could use a little extra cleaning. There was a weird smell in the elevator once (probably the durian fruit someone was carrying). But hey, welcome to Jakarta!
My Emotional Takeaway:
I arrived worn out and a little bit grumpy. I left wanting to come back! Citra Living is a solid choice. It's not flawless, but it's got heart. It's comfortable. And most importantly, it feels like a safe haven in the glorious insanity of Jakarta.
My Honest Recommendation:
If you're looking for a comfortable, convenient, and relatively affordable place to stay in Jakarta, Citra Living by Travelio is worth it. Book it. You won't regret it.
The Offer - You Ready to Snag This?
Stop searching, start living! Book Your Jakarta Adventure at Citra Living by Travelio!
- Limited-Time Offer: Get 15% OFF your stay at Citra Living when you book directly through [Insert Booking Link Here] and use code "JAKARTAVIBES".
- Exclusive Perks: Enjoy a free welcome drink at the rooftop bar (because you deserve it after that flight!) and late checkout (because sleeping in is always a good idea).
- Why Choose Citra Living? Experience the perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and Jakarta's vibrant energy. From the stunning rooftop pool to the helpful staff, you'll feel right at home.
- Don't Miss Out: This offer is only valid for bookings made before [Date]. So grab your bags (and maybe some earplugs) and get ready for an unforgettable Jakarta experience! [Insert Booking Link Here]
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your sterile, color-coded travel brochure. This is the real deal, my slightly-less-than-perfect trip to the Best and Comfy Studio at Citra Living By Travelio in Jakarta. Prepare for tangents, opinions, and the inevitable existential crisis prompted by trying to assemble IKEA furniture.
The Jakarta Jam: A Messy, Wonderful Journey
Pre-Trip: The Anticipatory Anxiety (and the Packing Mishap)
- Two Weeks Before: Panic sets in. Jakarta! I’ve always wanted to go to Indonesia, but suddenly all I picture are crowded streets, spicy food that’ll burn a hole in my soul, and… did I remember to renew my passport? Check. Okay, deep breaths. Research. Find this "Citra Living" place. Looks cute enough in the pictures. Modern, clean. Promises of "best and comfy." Fingers crossed.
- One Week Before: The packing begins. Which, let's be honest, is really just a disorganized tornado of clothes, shoes, and a half-eaten bag of trail mix. I, of course, forget the adapter for my phone charger. Sigh. My life in 2024.
- Departure Day – Morning: The airport chaos. Ugh. So much for a "smooth" start. The queue for check-in is longer than the Nile. I'm pretty sure I see a small child weep from the sheer bureaucracy. My flight is delayed. Already. This is going swimmingly.
Day 1: Arrival, Apartment Assembly, and Jet Lag-Induced Existential Dread
Afternoon: Finally! Landed in Jakarta. The heat hits you like a wall. It’s intense. Uber ride to Citra Living. The traffic is… well, let’s just say it’s an experience. More scooters than I've seen in my entire life.
Checking In: The lobby is modern, air-conditioned (thank god). The staff are friendly and helpful, bless their hearts. Getting the keys, feeling hopeful.
The Apartment… and IKEA's Grip: Okay, so the "Best and Comfy Studio" is…cute. Small, but clean. The view from the balcony is nice. Then I see it. The dreaded IKEA flatpack furniture. Suddenly, the jet lag hits with the force of a thousand suns. This is going to be a disaster.
The IKEA Trauma: I spend the next three hours wrestling with Allen keys, incomprehensible diagrams, and the overwhelming urge to throw the entire particleboard monstrosity out the window. I swear I saw the screws laughing at me. At one point, I consider ordering a pizza and starting a new life as a nomadic wanderer.
Evening: Food, Sleep, and the Lingering Feeling of Failure: Finally, collapsing into the barely-assembled bed. I manage to order some noodles from the delivery app – thankfully, it doesn’t require an engineering degree to operate – and it’s delicious. I think the sleep I get is the best- the sleep of the victorious.
Late Night Rambles: The apartment is quiet now that the streets have quieted. The sounds of the city are still there, the buzzing. There’s something about the atmosphere, the feeling of being so far away from everything familiar, that makes you wonder. Wonder about the world, wonder about yourself.
Day 2: Markets, Monuments, and the Battle Against Boredom
- Morning: Refueled on terrible instant coffee thanks to the lack of actual coffee preparation implements in my apartment. Feeling a bit better. Determined to explore!
- The Old Town: Kota Tua: First stop, the Jakarta Old Town. The architecture is stunning. Dutch colonial buildings. The square is a bustling hive of activity. Street food vendors everywhere, selling everything from fried bananas to spicy noodles. This is the Jakarta I came to see.
- The National Museum: I try to soak in the history. The exhibits are fascinating. But I quickly realize my attention span for museums is about the same as a goldfish. I'm in and out, checking my phone, glancing at my watch. At least I can say I went.
- Afternoon: A Shopping Paradise: I get lost in the labyrinthine world of a local market. The colors, the smells, the sheer sensory overload…it's amazing. Bargaining is an art form here – and I am a novice. I probably got ripped off buying a batik scarf, but hey, it's the memory that counts, right?
- Evening: The "Almost" Disaster: Decide to try a local restaurant. The food is incredible, but then…the spice. Oh, the spice! Tears streaming down my face, desperate for water. Learn a valuable lesson: "mild" does not exist in Indonesian cuisine.
- The Hotel: I am thinking about my last minute decision to go on vacation and I think about leaving. Just leaving.
Day 3: Serendipity, Sunsets, and the Sudden Realization You're Falling for Jakarta
- Morning: A lazy morning. Not much planned. Decide to wander randomly.
- The Unexpected Gem: Stumble upon a small, hidden park. Lush greenery, peaceful. A welcome respite from the chaos. I sit on a bench, watch the locals go about their day. A group of children are playing football. Suddenly, I don't feel like a tourist anymore.
- Mid-Afternoon: The Art Scene: Decide to seek out some street art and stumbled into a district known for its art galleries – a complete accident. I see some incredible pieces, the kind that makes you genuinely feel something, the kind that the museum couldn't. This city is alive.
- Sunset at the Balcony: My view is alright. I watch the city transition to nighttime
- Evening: The Transformation: It dawns on me. I actually like this place. The chaotic energy, the warmth of the people, the insane food… Jakarta, you sneaky devil, you've won me over.
- The Night: There’s an electricity to the night in Jakarta. You can feel it pulsing through the city.
Day 4: Departure and the Lingering Sweet-Spicy Hangover of Indonesia
- Morning: Final packing. Saying goodbye to the IKEA furniture, which miraculously remained intact. I feel… oddly attached to this tiny apartment. I actually would like to assemble the bed frame.
- Checkout and Farewell: The staff at Citra Living are genuinely sad to see me go. I probably made too much of a fuss over the bed.
- The Airport: The flight home. I stare out the window, watching Jakarta shrink in the distance.
- The Final Meal: At the airport, I grab some nasi goreng that is a perfect summary of my experience: spicy, a little bit messy, and utterly unforgettable.
- Post-Trip Reflections: Back home, still a little jet-lagged. I unpack, and as I handle my batik scarf, it hits me: I'm already planning my return trip. Jakarta, it turns out, is more than just a place to visit. It's a place that gets under your skin, makes you laugh, makes you cry, and leaves you craving more. I'm already dreaming of the next adventure. And who knows, maybe next time, I'll actually conquer that IKEA furniture. Maybe. Probably not. But maybe.
Citra Living by Travelio: Jakarta's HOTTEST (Maybe?) Studio - Ask Me Anything (After That Train Wreck of a Stay)
Okay, spill the beans. Is Citra Living really as amazing as the Travelio ads make it out to be?
Alright, deep breaths... "Amazing"? Hmmm, let's just say the reality is... nuanced. You know? Kinda like that relationship you thought would be perfect but ended up… well, needing a lot of therapy. The ads paint a picture of sparkling clean, minimalist perfection. And, yeah, the *bones* are good. The building itself? Pretty slick. But the *execution*… ugh. Look, I stayed there for a week thinking, "Cozy studio life! Me, myself, and a Netflix binge!"
Instead, I got me, myself, a flickering Wi-Fi that made Netflix look like a blurry slideshow, and a growing sense of existential dread fueled by the constant hum of the air conditioning. Okay, maybe that's a *little* dramatic. But still.
So, like, what's the *real* deal with the "comfort" part? Because "Comfort Awaits" is a pretty bold statement...
"Comfort Awaits." Oh, the irony! Okay, on the "comfort" scale, I'd put it somewhere between "mild inconvenience" and "slightly stressful." The bed? Fine. Not the cloud-nine experience promised, but it didn't actively try to murder my spine, which is a win, right? The AC *eventually* worked… kind of. The first night, it sounded like a jet engine taking off. I spent a good hour trying to figure out how to turn it down. Turns out, there *wasn't* a "turn it down" button. Just… hope. Hope it eventually got quieter. It didn't.
Oh, and the towels? Thin. Like, *really* thin. Like, "am I drying myself with tracing paper?" thin. Also, the water pressure in the shower was… let's just say, a trickle. I had to stand there for a good ten minutes just to rinse out the shampoo. And I'm not talking about a voluminous mane here, people! I have the hair of a… well, a minimalist. The water heater worked, eventually, sometimes. You know what it is? It's all these tiny, little things that slowly chip away at your sanity. Tiny paper cuts that create a gaping wound on your overall stay experience.
What about the location? Is it as central and easy to get around as they claim?
The location… okay, this is where things get… *complicated*. It IS conveniently located. It’s not *lying* about that. Close to a lot of places. But… Jakarta is a city of epic traffic jams, right? So, "close" can mean a 20-minute taxi ride… or a two-hour slog depending on the whims of Jakarta’s traffic gods. So, yes, it’s central. Ish. You’re near a lot of stuff, but getting *to* that stuff is the real adventure. And not the fun, Indiana Jones kind of adventure.
I'd factor in a LOT of commuting time. And maybe some serious patience pills. Oh, and Google Maps is your new best friend, but even Google Maps occasionally throws its hands up in the air and cries. I'm not kidding. I saw it. I swear.
The amenities! What's included? The website boasts a lot of pretty pictures...
Alright, let’s break this down. The website promised a fully equipped kitchen. And, technically, it *had* a small fridge, a microwave, and a single induction hob. But the "fully equipped" part? Let's be honest... limited. I mean, you *could* cook, technically. If your idea of cooking is microwaving instant noodles. And yes, there was a tiny little pan. I did manage to scramble an egg. But don’t get any ideas about gourmet meals. And the coffee mugs? Two. That's it. Two mugs. If you are having a drinking party it's not there.
Also, the "gym" was a small, sad room with a couple of treadmills and some weights that looked like they might have been rescued from a shipwreck. I'm not kidding. And the "pool"? Yeah, it was there. I didn't go in. I was too traumatized by the AC. I was just so scared.
So yes. Amenties. But... temper your expectations. Way, WAY down.
What about the Wi-Fi? Was the connection at least reliable?
Oh, the Wi-Fi. Don't even get me started. Remember the "blurry slideshow" comment? That was *underplaying* it. It was… sporadic. Actually, "sporadic" is being generous. It was more like, "present for all of two minutes every hour, and then you're cut off while you're trying to download a movie. Or sending an important email. Honestly? Pathetic. I ended up tethering to my phone and burning through my data. Which defeats the purpose of budget travel, FYI.
Anything else that drove you crazy? Any hidden costs?
Well... there's the cleaning fee. Which is a bit of a joke, considering the state of the place. And the (lack of) cleaning provided. And, you know, you *gotta* remember to bring your own shampoo and conditioner. Oh, and a proper towel. And earplugs. Because that darn AC... And, oh yeah, and the staff. They were fine. But they weren't *super* proactive. Like, I had to *beg* them to fix the Wi-Fi. And no, there wasn't any proper welcome. More like, "Here's your key. Good luck."
Also, the elevator felt like it was about to plunge into the earth at any moment. It’s not a huge deal… until you get stuck. And I was convinced that was going to happen. Every. Single. Time.
Look, the overall impression? It needs work. It's not *terrible*. But it's a far cry from "Comfort Awaits." I'd say… manage your expectations, bring your own supplies, pack your patience, and you *might* survive. Then again, maybe not. It's a gamble, really. Your mileage -- and your sanity -- may vary. Consider yourself warned. Honestly, the only thing that truly "awaited" me was a serious dose of being annoyed. And I did, in fact, get that. But in the end, you get what you pay for. And maybe, just maybe, you get to tell a REALLY funny story about it later.
Would you stay there again?
Ugh. That'sHotel Adventure
