No domestic help, better rent a room
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.