Where to stay in Jakarta

Jakarta is Indonesia's capital and largest city, a sprawling metropolis on the north-west coast of Java. Most visitors come for work, a stopover between flights or a few days of food, malls and museums before heading on to Bali, Yogyakarta or the islands. Plans to move the seat of government to Nusantara in East Kalimantan haven't changed Jakarta's role as the country's business hub.

The city is huge and its traffic is famous, so the most useful thing you can do is stay near where you'll spend your time, ideally close to a station on the MRT or the TransJakarta bus network. Central Jakarta suits sightseeing and rail travel, the south suits business and nightlife, and the old town in the north rewards history buffs.

The hotels we compare here are small and mid-range city hotels. Filter them below, or start with the area guide.

Main airport
Soekarno–Hatta International (CGK), west of the city in Tangerang; a rail link runs to central Jakarta
Getting around
MRT, TransJakarta buses, KRL commuter trains, taxis and ride-hailing apps
Intercity trains
Gambir and Pasar Senen stations, both in Central Jakarta
Wettest months
Roughly December to March, when heavy rain can cause local flooding

Places to stay in Jakarta

7 hotels

Hotel in Kota Tua & North Jakarta

Cabin Hotel

Industrial-style rooms for expo-goers in North Jakarta

  • air-conditioning
  • free parking
  • 24-hour front desk
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Hotel in Central Jakarta: Menteng, Cikini & Gambir

Cikini Hotel

A garden hotel in Cikini, close to Gambir station and Monas

  • garden
  • free parking
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Hotel in South Jakarta: Senayan, SCBD, Blok M & Kemang

UROOMS Senayan

Modern rooms on foot from Plaza Senayan and the GBK stadium

  • air-conditioning
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Hotel in Central Jakarta: Menteng, Cikini & Gambir

Hotel Grand Menteng

An established all-rounder on Matraman Raya, just east of Menteng

  • air-conditioning
  • 24-hour front desk
  • airport shuttle
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"Our order" puts hotels we have fully written up first. Commission doesn't affect the order.

Where to stay in Jakarta, area by area

Merdeka Square and the National Monument mark the centre. The old Dutch town and the port lie to the north, while the main business avenues of Thamrin and Sudirman lead south to Senayan, Blok M and Kemang.

Central Jakarta: Menteng, Cikini & Gambir

Best for sightseeing and train connections

The governmental heart of the city surrounds Merdeka Square and the National Monument (Monas), with the National Museum, Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral close by. Gambir station, for trains to Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, is on the square's eastern side.

Menteng is a leafy, colonial-era residential district with good restaurants, and neighbouring Cikini has the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts centre and a lively street-food scene. Jalan Jaksa has long been the city's budget-traveller street.

Kota Tua & North Jakarta

Best for history and Ancol

Kota Tua, the old town of Dutch Batavia, centres on Fatahillah Square and its museums, with the Sunda Kelapa harbour and its wooden schooners a short ride away. Next door, Glodok is Jakarta's Chinatown, busy with markets, temples and food stalls.

Further east along the coast, Ancol has a beach park and the Dunia Fantasi theme park, and Kemayoran is home to the JIExpo convention centre. It's a practical area for events but a longer journey from the southern business districts.

South Jakarta: Senayan, SCBD, Blok M & Kemang

Best for business trips, malls and nightlife

The office towers of the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) and Kuningan hold most of the city's corporate headquarters, with big malls such as Pacific Place and Plaza Senayan close by. Senayan is also home to the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex.

The MRT runs south from here to Blok M, a long-established shopping and eating district with a cluster of Japanese restaurants, and Kemang is known for cafés, galleries and bars popular with expats.

Airport area (Cengkareng)

Best for early flights and short layovers

Hotels around Soekarno–Hatta Airport and in neighbouring Tangerang make sense for an overnight connection or a dawn departure. There's little to see nearby, and the journey into the centre can take an hour or more by road in traffic, so this is a base for flights rather than for exploring.

Questions about staying in Jakarta

Which is the best area to stay in Jakarta for a short visit?

Central Jakarta, around Menteng and Cikini, is closest to the main sights and Gambir station. For business in the SCBD or shopping in Senayan, South Jakarta near an MRT station saves a lot of time in traffic.

How do I get from Soekarno–Hatta Airport to the city?

The airport rail link runs to stations in central Jakarta, where you can connect to the MRT or commuter trains. Official airport taxis, ride-hailing apps and DAMRI buses are the alternatives; road journeys can take well over an hour at busy times.

Is the MRT useful for visitors?

Yes. The north–south line runs from Lebak Bulus through Blok M, Senayan and the Sudirman business district to Bundaran HI near the city centre, avoiding the worst of the road traffic.

What is there to see in Jakarta?

The National Monument and National Museum around Merdeka Square, Istiqlal Mosque, the colonial old town at Kota Tua and the Sunda Kelapa harbour are the classic sights. Food is a big draw too, from street stalls to Blok M's restaurants.

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