No domestic help, better rent a room

Evi Mariani and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hundreds, possibly thousands of families living in the metropolis whose housemaids joined the Idul Fitri exodus, spent their holiday in upmarket hotels throughout Jakarta, avoiding daily household chores and enjoying the hotels' facilities like swimming pools and fitness centers.

"Every Idul Fitri holiday our hotel is half-packed by families from Jakarta who want to enjoy the facilities here," Noni, public relation officer at Hotel Dusit Mangga Dua in North Jakarta, said on Wednesday.

She added that usually children enjoyed the hotel's swimming pool, while their fathers exercised in the fitness center and their mothers relaxed in the hotel's beauty parlor.

During the holiday, particularly on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, the occupancy rate at the hotel stood at about 65 percent with families from Jakarta accounting for 50 percent of the guests.

Middle-income to high-income families in cities here usually employ housemaids to complete daily chores, like washing, cooking, cleaning and babysitting.

During the Idul Fitri holiday, the maids, who mostly come from rural areas across Java, return to their hometowns, apparently leaving their employers quite helpless.

Benefiting from the annual habits of upmarket families, Dusit Mangga Dua, which has 350 rooms, offers the Idul Fitri package consisting of two free tickets to the Sea World sea aquarium in Ancol, North Jakarta and a gift for the children. The hotel that is located in North Jakarta's Mangga Dua shopping area also offers discounts at several nearby shops.

On Wednesday, one day after Idul Fitri, families were seen hanging around in the hotel's lobby. In one corner there was a pile of baggage including bolsters that were probably brought from home.

J.W. Marriott hotel in South Jakarta, actually a high-class hotel targeting business guests, also hosts Jakartan families during the holiday.

"Usually, they come here because there is no maid to assist with chores at home," said Mellani Solagratia, the hotel's public relations manager.

She said that on Idul Fitri the hotel's occupancy rate stood at around 30 percent, with an estimated 40 percent of the guests being families from around the city.

Sheraton Hotel claims to reap a windfall profit during the holiday as occupancy soars.

Ria Ariyanie, the hotel's public relation manager, said the occupancy rate, which normally stands at about 90 percent, is expected to reach 100 percent this weekend. Most of the guests are families seeking to enjoy the benefits and discounts offered by the hotel.

However, several hotels in Jakarta said, despite the surge in the number of families checking in, business was not as good as usual, when the city is alive with business activity and guests on work-related trips are plentiful.

Hotel Aston Atrium's occupancy rate dropped to 40 percent, from 65 percent on normal days, according to public relations officer Iin Harun.

Hotels in West Java, including North Bandung, Ciater, Subang, Puncak and Cianjur -- all major destinations for holidaymakers from Jakarta -- were fully booked throughout the holiday.

Given that not all hotels in the city recorded a high surge in occupancy rates, while those outside the town were often fully booked, it can be assumed that most Jakartans prefer to leave the city for the holiday.

Regardless, many will certainly be thankful when their household staff return later in the week.