Hotels adopt various strategies for Indul Fitri
Hotels adopt various strategies for Indul Fitri
JAKARTA (JP): A number of star-rated hotels will profit from
servant-deprived families in the coming holidays, while others
will just cater for routine business travelers.
A number of requests for bookings at the Ciputra Hotel in West
Jakarta have been for the "Lebaran package", which offers 35
percent off published room rates.
"The usual thing, no servants," said Harti Hadisoemo, the
hotel's public relations officer, of the offer.
The discount off the usual rate of US$130 before the 20
percent tax does not actually make for net lower prices, because
a premium is added for various meals and extra services. Harti
argued the extra facilities make the holiday hotel stay a
bargain.
The Grand Equatorial in Central Jakarta has an month-long
discount for its rooms up to Feb. 25., charging $90 a night, but
in contrast the Mandarin Oriental doesn't feel the need to follow
suit.
"We know everyone is putting up special packages," said Diah
Permata Wulan, the hotel's public relations manager.
"But our clientele are mostly business travelers," she said.
The hotel, she added, has a year-long special rate for business
people.
"We also realize we do not have enough facilities to cater for
families. The pool, for example, is too small," Diah said.
The Borobudur Intercontinental, which is undergoing a
renovation, is also declining to offer special rates.
Uraini Oemarjadi of the hotel said as of yesterday not many
people have booked rooms at the available Garden Wing. But around
Idul Fitri the hotel expects to host families from out of town,
she said.
The nearby Dai-ichi Hotel in the Senen business area in
Central Jakarta is also being spruced up for domestic tourists.
However the public relations officer, Lira Dachlan, said
special rates are only limited to the night of Feb. 20, as the
management knows that hotels host only part of family gatherings.
"We know that people coming from Surabaya, Medan and other
cities only want to spend one night in the hotel," Lira said.
"They usually have families in Jakarta which they treat for a
night in the hotel, then spend the other night at their family's
home."
The hotel sources said current occupancy rates of at least 70
percent, are usually not as high as during the Christmas and New
Year holidays. (anr)