Colonial and modern flair combine at Hotel Batang Arau

Swallows' nests have long been known as sources of income, as they are part an ingredient in some Chinese soups. These little black oscine birds (family Hirundinidae) often productively make their nests in big, dark spaces with some cooling water nearby.

Those spaces are usually available at old colonial houses, which are very expensive to preserve. Besides, their style does not correspond to the taste of many Indonesians.

It can be seen in the old Chinatown of Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, where huge colonial buildings have been ruined, due to a lack of preservation, with darkened windows and an amazing amount of these birds inside -- which earn probably around the same amount of money for the owner, as any profit there would be if the owner sold the house after renovation.

However, there is an exception. Walking along Jl. Batang Arau, right beside the harbor of Padang, not all of the old buildings are ruined. There is suddenly a white glance in between the old buildings with flaked off color. Obviously here was somebody overwhelmed by a nostalgic feeling and put all her love and energy into fix up the house at number 33.

It was in 1994, when the German woman Norma Duelfer fell in love with this colonial heritage and opened a hotel in the former Dutch Spaarbank building.

Despite all the necessary efforts, not to mention dealing with the Indonesian bureaucracy, Duelfer could not be stopped from spending a lot of time and money to start her own hotel in the big house at the riverside. Carefully, she fitted out every room in a different style to give each of them a very personal touch. It was reflected not only from the furniture but also her warm attitude of making the guests at home, which gives them an unforgettable feeling.

This spirit lives on in the Hotel Batang Arau up to the present -- even if there has been a lot of change since 62-year- old Norma left Padang last year for Bali, where she found a new home and a new love. Her successor is a 34-year-old American woman, Christina Fowler, who began working with Norma since 1999.

Hotel Batang Arau is still a small jewel among the mainly very functional and not very snug, modern hotels in Padang. With only five rooms, it is never crowded enough for one to get a sense of impersonal anonymity. And, there is a lot of space. Each of the rooms is the size of a small apartment with a big bathroom, including a bathtub and hot water. Even if a lot of the original furniture was replaced, Fowler keeps the principle that every room has its own individual character.

There is the all-in-pink room with a big four-poster bed, reminding one of the luxurious version of hotels in the old west films. Another one is in the style of Europe around 1900 with colorful window elements and a creamy-white background. There is a huge family room in the Japanese style with red and black textiles, as well as a whole suite with a half-open-air bathroom offering a beautiful view of the Batang Arau river. Or the old- fashioned, plush greenroom with a sofa, four-poster and a big balcony looking out over the riverside.

The biggest change since Duelfer left is probably the young and trendy lifestyle which moved in with Fowler's connection to Padang's surfer community. Entering the huge entrance hall with the the wall-to-wall chess-board floor, the visitors are normally welcomed by a pile of surfing equipment and modern music beats. The wide open terrace overlooking the river invites mainly expatriates and foreign surfers to spend hours and hours chatting, playing games and having a beer and a pizza or other Western food.

If one cannot find his or her favorite food on the small menu they are welcome to take over the kitchen -- while the friendly Indonesian cook will eagerly write down all recipes to remember how to do a chocolate cake or noodles with tuna sauce.

The same atmosphere of being in your own living room prevails when relaxing on the large couch in front of the television set, watching videotapes or reading one of the books other travelers left behind in the small library. At no time does the feeling of being in an official or public space hit you, like it often does in other hotels.

During the years, the Hotel Batang Arau obviously turned out to be "the meeting point" for foreigners in Padang. It is here, where the surfer groups stay before they leave or after they come from their tours to the Mentawai islands or other surfing spots.

It is here, where the expatriates who live in Padang celebrate their birthday parties. And all this without any marketing or advertising. All the promotion it needs is done by word-of-mouth.

The open secret of this success is with Fowler and her team: "Here we are all like a big family. There is no other place like that in Padang."

Hotel Batang Arau, Jl. Batang Arau 33, Padang 25118; Tel: 0751-27400; E-mail: batangarau@yahoo.com; Rates: Single room Rp 225,000, Double Rp 275,000, Extra bed Rp 75,000

-- Christina Schott