Local hotels, cafes gear up for World Cup soccer fiesta

By Sylvia Gratia M. Nirang

JAKARTA (JP): Can't get to France but desperate to celebrate this year's World Cup soccer fiesta in true style? Look no further, help is at hand. Hotels and cafes throughout the country are ready to take part in the soccer fun by offering special facilities to entertain their guests in a World Cup atmosphere.

Hotels and cafes in Jakarta are looking to lure soccer zealots by presenting live soccer matches on giant screens, and are decorating their buildings and their employees in the World Cup spirit.

Some Jakarta cafes will stay open until dawn to allow diehard guests watch every soccer match live.

Champions Cafe in Kemang Raya, South Jakarta will remain open until 5 a.m every day from June 10 through July 13.

"As one of the well-known sports restaurants in Jakarta, Champions is holding events with the theme of Champions France '98. This will show that even in a time of monetary crisis, we are still committed to our theme as a sports cafe," Dede Yanti, Champion's public relations manager said.

Dede told The Jakarta Post that guests would be able to watch games on five large screens and 17 other televisions.

"We will ensure that our guests experience the real World Cup atmosphere," she said, adding that her cafe would also record some of the best games on video so patrons could watch the games they missed.

Champions is also arranging games such as score contests, table soccer and World Cup pool, Dede said.

Front Row Sports and Grill, another sports cafe located in Taman Ria Senayan, South Jakarta plans to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup.

"We plan to hold a soccer quiz and lucky draws and will offer special menus from midnight to 4 a.m. We will invite some well- known soccer commentators to guide fans through the semifinal and final games," Front Row marketing coordinator Ignatia Evina said.

Planet Hollywood Jakarta will also invite soccer commentators, athletes and celebrities to watch the games with guests at their grand opening and final night of the soccer fiesta.

"We also plan a World Cup fashion show here," Planet Hollywood public relations manager Esther Lolita said.

Esther said her restaurant was cooperating with several sponsors to hold a contest on the games with a grand prize consisting of round trip tickets to England and tickets to English Soccer League matches.

Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta will remain open for longer hours during the grand final but will operate as usual during the rest of the one-month tournament.

"We're only focussing a little bit on the World Cup because we want to keep our image as a music cafe," Teges Prita Soraya, the cafe's public relations manager, said.

Nevertheless, Hard Rock Cafe is offering souvenirs such as T- shirts, mugs and posters featuring the faces of several top soccer players, including Paulo Maldini and Alessandro Del Pierro of Italy, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo of Brazil, Davor Suker of Croatia and Paul Ince of England.

World Cup mania can also be seen cropping up in hotels. There is a giant goal post and a replica of the Eiffel Tower currently set up in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza on Jl. Gatot Subroto.

Hendra Nugraha, Holiday Inn's public relations assistant manager, said the hotel is working with several companies, including Air France and Coca-Cola, for its World Cup festivities and will hold a contest on who will be the this year's champion.

"The winner will be entitled to two airline tickets to France and tickets for Euro Disney" in France, Hendra said.

The hotel has prepared its three restaurants to entertain soccer maniacs 24 hours a day, and is dressing its employees in soccer uniforms.

A World Cup flavor will be added to its new menu with top players named with various entrees, such as Brazilian "Ronaldo" Style Beef Flamenco, or Baked Salmon of Zinedine Zidane, Hendra said.

Mercure Rekso Hayam Wuruk will feature the final match of the tournament live on a 20-square-meter screen in its Rekso Grhadika Ballroom, which will be transformed into a giant soccer stadium.

Mirna A. Basalamah, public relations manager of Mercure Rekso, said the hotel's management was very enthusiastic over the games -- most of its expatriate staff being French.

"Our management thinks that (the occasion) is a good opportunity for us to restore our guests' confidence in the security of the Hayam Wuruk area which declined in the recent riots," Mirna told the Post.

The hotel is on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta, one of the areas hit worst by the riots last month.

Mirna said the hotel was also holding a drawing with various prizes, including a free room in the hotel and a vacation in Bali.

The hotel has also provided four different room package deals named after the four seeded teams -- Argentina, Germany, France and Brazil.

"But we won't hold a scoring contest for our guests. They can arrange that themselves. Besides, it is already known that people in this area are usually very fond of such contests," she said.

Sheraton Bandara, located near the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, will feature "Soccer Mania" in its Someone Else's Fun Pub, which has two big screen TVs to watch the soccer games. Each drink will come with a free glass of beer.

The Regent in Kuningan, South Jakarta, and Hotel Sari Pan Pacific on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta will also provide special menus for the whole 33-day period besides a giant TV screen.

Other cities

The Sheraton Surabaya in East Java will show soccer games in Bongo's Fun Club, which will be open from 5 p.m to 2 a.m. However, for the final match the pub will remain open until the game finishes.

The Hyatt Regency Bandung in West Java will feature every live World Cup match on big screen TV from 10 p.m. and has invited the well-known comedy group Project P to join the audience during the finals.

The Grand Bali Beach in Sanur and the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel in Nusa Dua said they would not have any special World Cup programs.

"We don't think it is necessary ... especially at a time when tourist arrivals are low," Komang Yudara, the Grand Bali public relations officer said.

The public relations manager of Le Meridien Nirwana Golf and Spa Resort in Tabanan, Lisa Halim, said the hotel would send out a regular bulletin to guests and local communities with the latest updates on the games.

"We will create an atmosphere almost as exciting as the Paris Stadium itself here in the Mondial Cafe at the Nautilus Fun Club," she promised.

"Our staff will be dressing up as soccer players and there will be special World Cup menus with food and drinks from the countries playing that day."

Lisa added that Le Meridien would also offer a special program for wives not interested in the games left stranded by their husbands as each match kicks off. The program will consist of beauty and health treatments, spas and shopping.

The main representatives of the host country here, the French Cultural Center (CCF) and the French Embassy, are not having special programs.

CCF's public relations officer Aji Yahuti said CCF and the embassy had already held their World Cup program early this year for students.

"Many French people had to return home after the riots last month," Aji said.