Escape urban grime, crime at Novotel

Escape urban grime, crime at Novotel

French-based hotel management giant Accor Asia Pacific recently
invited The Jakarta Post reporter Sylvia Gratia M.N to Novotel
Bogor to attend the grand final of its Miss Novotel tourism
ambassador contest 1998.

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Tired of being trapped in Jakarta's
horrendous traffic gridlock on streets where armed soldiers lurk
in anticipation of demonstrations?

Many agree on the various inconveniences of living in the
capital and other major urban centers.

Want to get away from harried urban environs, to wake up in
the morning to the finer things in life, hearing the birds sing
and watching flowers bloom from your window?

With the onslaught of the economic crisis and busy schedules,
vacations in Bali or Lombok are probably out of the question.

Closer to home is Bogor, a green and cool town about 60
kilometers south Jakarta, internationally famed for Indonesia's
first botanical garden established a century ago.

Accommodation should be no problem as the tourist sector is
developed. Among the newest choices is the Novotel Bogor.

As you arrive in Bogor from Jakarta via the Jagorawi toll
road, turn left on Jalan Bina Marga. Follow the signpost to
Novotel Bogor to find a relaxing sojourn awaiting you.

"People want to escape from the sweltering heat and high
tension of Jakarta, but not far away from the capital. Bogor is
cool and green and only 45 minutes from Jakarta by toll road,"
said Antoine Sirot, the hotel's general manager.

Novotel Coralia Bogor is low rise and features the traditional
Sundanese design of West Java throughout the hotel. Each of the
180 rooms and suites boasts views of the tastefully landscaped
garden.

Built with Accor's Coralia concept, the resort hotel stands in
the midst of an 18-hole golf course.

"Our concept for the hotel is both natural and cultural. We
want you to feel as close as possible to nature," said Sirot.

"With characteristically shaped buildings and a selection of
top-quality materials, together with unusual landscaping, the
place will give guests the instantaneous feeling of being
transported to a timeless village, equipped with all the expected
comforts and amenities of a four-star property."

All interiors have been meticulously furnished and decorated
with the predominant use of coconut wood and local crafts, such
as pottery, to reflect the touch of the nature and highlight
Sundanese cultural traditions and natural surroundings.

The hotel offers 32 standard rooms, 10 superior rooms, 44
deluxe rooms and two deluxe and duplex suites each. Each of its
deluxe rooms is complete with an outdoor bathroom.

Amenities include a uniquely designed swimming pool, elegantly
simple raised bastion which is uniquely designed to overflow on
all four sides, giving the sensation of swimming. The swimming
pool, complete with a children's pool, are located by the golf
course.

The Gecko Club, Accor's international children's club,
provides supervised care and activities for children aged five to
12 years.

Other sports and recreational facilities include a health
track, tennis court, fitness center, table tennis, and driving
range.

Those who want to complete their vacation with adventure
activities, such as trekking, mountain biking, white water
rafting and a diversion called paint ball war, may arrange it at
the KulKul tour desk. The desk can also set you on your way for
excursions and cultural visits.

The shopping arcade includes a store specializing in local
arts and crafts and a boutique.

The banquet and meeting rooms pavilion is set off by a deep
terrace lined with carved pillars. The conference center can be
used as six different meeting or function rooms, or as a combined
hall for up to 800 people. There are three supplementary meeting
rooms, each 29 square meters in size, and a well-stocked library
with books on art and culture.

The Novotel Bogor offers its guests a choice of open air
restaurants and bars harmoniously set up to enjoy the cool,
breezy atmosphere.

The Meranti Restaurant provides varied buffet breakfasts,
lunch and dinners, and international a la carte dining. The
Mahoni Cocktail bar is an airy lobby lounge, which offers two
happy hours, one before and one after dinner. The Jati Pool
Lounge is a thatch-roofed pavilion on raised pilings at the edge
of the pool, which enables the guests to quench their thirst on
fresh coconut ice and other refreshments after splashing around.

The hotel, owned by Aspac Group and managed by international
giant hotel chain Accor, was opened in June 1997.

Accor, partly owned by Paris-based hotel management giant
Accor SA, operates hotels under several brand names, including
Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis. The company operates 26 star-
rated hotels, with 4,595 rooms and five apartments with 476
units, throughout Indonesia.

Sirot said that his hotel was targeted equally at three market
segments -- business, leisure and long-staying guests.

"That's why we focus on providing a perfect blend of business
and leisure needs."

Sirot said many companies and institutions preferred to hold
their meetings and seminars outside the capital to ensure that
their activities would not be disturbed by street demonstrations.

He added that his hotel recently received many long-staying
guests afraid to stay in Jakarta. Most are foreign technicians or
executives of multinational companies whose plants are in Bogor
or nearby towns in Greater Jakarta.

Sirot said the average occupancy rate of Novotel Bogor could
be considered high amid the crisis.

"Our average monthly occupancy rate this year is over 50
percent. Last month, our occupancy rate was over 55 percent. It
sometimes reaches 100 percent during weekends."

He was optimistic business prospects would be better next year
although he admitted it was still hard to predict. "But I set a
target for Novotel Bogor's average monthly occupancy rate of at
least 55 percent next year."

Miss Novotel

Earlier this month, Novotel Bogor hosted the grand final of
Miss Novotel Bogor tourism ambassador contest 1998. The contest,
jointly organized by Accor and the Let's Go Indonesia marketing
and promotion campaign, selected a tourism ambassador to get the
message out about Indonesian tourism potential.

Accor Regional Vice President Asia Pacific Marc A. Steinmeyer
said the contest was aimed to highlight Indonesian tourism
prospects overseas, enhance awareness and revitalize the
country's tourism and travel industry.

Appointed ambassador was Aretha Aprila, a 19-year-old student
from Yogyakarta. She will be actively involved in promoting
Indonesia in France through several programs organized by Accor
and the Let's Go Indonesia campaign.

"The winner will attend a press conference and meet France's
tourist industry (representatives) in Paris to convince the
French public that not all of Indonesia is bad," Steinmeyer said.