Hotel Medan back in business

Fadli, The Jakarta Post/Banda Aceh

Once surrounded by shops, restaurants and offices, following the Dec. 26 tsunami the nearest thing to the Hotel Medan in Banda Aceh is a large wooden fishing boat that washed up from the nearby beach.

The hotel reopened on Jan. 30 after being closed for over a month, and the staff are back to their familiar routine of greeting and providing services to guests.

On Thursday, 65-year-old Yakob, who has worked at the hotel for 48 years, was busy preparing soap and towels for a guest on the second floor.

"I never had so many days off before," said Yakob, happy to be back to work.

Despite its limited facilities, 40 of the hotel's 80 rooms are occupied.

"Of the hotel's four floors, only two can be used right now. The other two are still being cleaned up, I don't know when they will be ready," said Nana, the hotel's 30-year-old receptionist.

The Hotel Medan is the first tsunami-affected hotel in the city to reopen. Several other hotels that were not affected by the tidal wave remained opened or closed only for several days.

In the lobby several guests relaxed, despite the mud stains still visible on the walls and floor.

"The facilities are limited. We still can't provide hot water, a restaurant, TV and phones. But many guests are staying here because renting a house or getting a room in another hotel is expensive," Nana said.

She said the hotel was known for its affordable prices, decent facilities and its location in the city center.

"Most of our guests are regulars, but now we also have many foreigners staying here," Nana said.

The hotel's owner, Tandiono, said the hotel reopened so quickly at the request of regular guests who found it difficult to find anywhere to stay in Banda Aceh after the tsunami.

"Since there were so many requests, I decided to reopen the business. But you can see for yourself that it's still a mess. We tell new guests about the situation and the services we can provide. If they're not happy, it's better if they don't stay here," Tandiono said.

The hotel, the second oldest in Banda Aceh, was opened in the 1950s by Tandiono's father, an ethnic Chinese Thai.

Tandiono said the earthquake and tsunami caused significant damage to the hotel. Although there was no structural damage, much of the equipment on the first floor, including the phone system, television and parabola, were ruined by the water. He estimates the losses on the first floor alone at Rp 500 million (US$55,555).

He also plans to have the fishing boat removed from the hotel's grounds soon.

"If we don't remove it the Iskandar Muda Military Command will destroy it because it disrupts traffic."

Despite its limited facilities the hotel has still raised its rates.

For a standard room, the rate is now between Rp 150,000 and Rp 175,000 per night, compared to Rp 90,000 previously. VIP rooms now cost from Rp 225,000 to Rp 250,000 per night, up from Rp 140,000.

"We have to replace many things, from bedsheets to television sets. These things cost a lot of money, but the most expensive thing is water," Tandiono said.

For water alone, he has to pay Rp 10 million per month, for which a water company sends over 12 tons of water three times daily.

"When the situation returns to normal, I'll lower the rates."