Langham Jakarta

There are hotels that impress you and hotels that quietly spoil you, and The Langham, Jakarta belongs firmly to the latter. From the moment I stepped into its serene, art-filled lobby high above the city’s Sudirman business district, I knew this stay would be something special. This is my Langham Jakarta review, written after a couple’s staycation spent drifting between a sky-high suite, a wonderfully indulgent club lounge and some of the most accomplished dining in the capital. If you are considering the Langham Jakarta, allow me to walk you through it, floor by floor.

Overview

Set in the heart of the city, The Langham, Jakarta embraces the brand’s traditional design cues while marrying them to a distinctly urban sophistication. It is an ultra-luxury address that feels made for an exquisite city escape, and across a long weekend it never once put a foot wrong. The hotel has 223 guest rooms, each framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that turn Jakarta’s skyline into a permanent piece of art, with smart-TV entertainment and marble bathrooms dressed with rain showers and free-standing soaking tubs.

For this Langham Jakarta review I stayed in a Deluxe Skyline room on the 59th floor, where the sunsets are spectacular and the night-time lights of the city stretch out endlessly below. That floor also grants direct access to the Langham Club Lounge, which became the anchor of the entire stay.

Location & Getting There

The Langham sits within the famous District 8 complex in the Sudirman Central Business District, placing you a short hop from the city’s major financial, cultural and entertainment hubs. The full address is The Langham, Jakarta, District 8, SCBD, Lot 28, Jakarta 12190, Indonesia. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is around 30km away, a drive of roughly 30 minutes, while Senayan MRT station is an eight-minute walk at 650m and the GBK busway station a ten-minute stroll at 750m, so getting around the city without a car is entirely doable.

The Deluxe Skyline Room

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Langham Club experience, and I have written more about it further below. The room itself is a study in calm: soft, warm tones, generous proportions and, of course, that endless sweep of glass framing the city.

The welcome was a lovely, personal touch: a beautifully presented arrangement that included an edible chocolate photograph, a hand-written greeting card and a cake waiting on arrival. It is exactly the sort of considered detail that sets a Langham stay apart.

The classic Langham ‘cellarette’ has been thoughtfully preserved and reimagined in a more Sino-oriented style, housing the mini-bar, dry goods, wines and spirits. Inside you will find a generous selection of soft drinks, sparkling water and sparkling wine, beer and milk.

The bathroom is a sublime affair in marble, with a free-standing soaking tub positioned to make the most of the view, double vanity sinks, an automated toilet and a separate rain shower. A neat row of amenities completed the picture.

The Langham Club Lounge

If you are undecided about whether to include the Club Lounge in your booking, I would recommend it without hesitation. It lays on à la carte breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails and canapés alongside fine wines and premium spirits, which makes it perfect for a couple’s city staycation.

Membership also brings private check-in and check-out, business centre services and meeting room access, and complimentary garment pressing along with a packing and unpacking service, so the upgrade genuinely earns its keep. Do bear in mind that Club access is reserved for adults aged 18 and over.

À la carte breakfast at the Langham Club

Breakfast in the Club is a leisurely, à la carte affair. Mornings began with cold cuts, freshly baked pastries and a proper bread station, before moving on to granola, a considered cheese selection and platters of fresh fruit.

Beyond the buffet spread, a selection of warm local and international dishes is cooked to order. I happily worked my way through avocado toast and the Signature Langham Breakfast on separate mornings, both beautifully done.

Afternoon tea at the Langham Club

Afternoon tea, that most Langham of traditions, is served in the Club daily from 2pm to 5pm. Expect a pretty parade of pastries and canapés alongside healthy drinks and coffee, best enjoyed slowly with the city glittering beyond the glass.

Evening cocktails and canapés at the Langham Club

As the sun sets, the Club shifts gear for evening cocktails and canapés, served daily from 6pm to 9pm. The canapés were exquisite, and the drinks list ran from a variety of cocktails to a wine selection that was especially robust.

Dining

The Langham, Jakarta makes a real statement with its dining, headlined by two celebrated restaurants that give guests every reason to stay in for the evening.

Tom’s by Tom Aikens

One of the hotel’s remarkable celebrity collaborations, Tom’s by Tom Aikens comes from a chef who has led his restaurants to Michelin Guide recognition. The kitchen turns out British and European classics from one of the UK’s most successful chefs, prepared with carefully selected local and imported seasonal ingredients. Breakfast here is a generous buffet in a handsome, softly lit room.

The buffet itself is beautifully composed, with yoghurt, cold cuts and a variety of salads laid out alongside a broad spread of hot and cold choices.

Alice

Alice is the hotel’s modern French brasserie and patisserie, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and also serving afternoon tea, coffee, Champagne and cocktails. The room is a whimsically exquisite setting, and the bar turns out a line-up of signature cocktails well worth exploring.

Dinner is where Alice really shines. The kitchen sends out serious plates of meat, and I can vouch for both the steak and the classic Tournedos Rossini, which arrived tender, flavourful, juicy and cooked to perfection.

Chuan Spa

Chuan Spa builds its treatments around the Five Elements principle. If you are unsure which therapy will suit you, there is a short guide to complete that reveals any imbalances between the five elements, and from the result you can choose the Chuan therapy best matched to your needs. The setting, high above the city, makes the whole experience feel wonderfully removed from the world below.

The Health Club

Gym and fitness

For those who like to keep up their routine while travelling, the gym lets you work out to panoramic views from the 63rd floor. It is fitted with Technogym cardio machines, a wide selection of weights and a lounge area with complimentary refreshments, so even a quick session feels like a treat.

Indoor swimming pool

The 16-metre heated indoor swimming pool and hot tub sit on the 63rd floor, perfect for a restorative dip after a session in the Health Club. Floating there with the city spread out beyond the glass is a memory that stayed with me.

Outdoor swimming pool

Down on the 6th floor, the 20-metre outdoor swimming pool is wrapped in lush greenery and framed by more of those breath-taking city views, a lovely counterpoint to the pool up in the clouds.

The Verdict

The Langham, Jakarta is an ultra-luxury city hotel that gets the details right, from the sky-high Deluxe Skyline rooms and the generous Langham Club Lounge to the accomplished cooking at Tom’s by Tom Aikens and Alice, the serene Chuan Spa and pools set both in the clouds and among the greenery. If you are weighing up the Langham Jakarta for an exquisite urban getaway, this review comes with my wholehearted recommendation: you will not be disappointed.

Plan the trip Read our Indonesia guide →