Review of Dusun Jogja Village Inn, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Review of Dusun Jogja Village Inn, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
I was really looking forward to my stay at Dusun Jogja Village Inn. When emailing the manager, Vera Susanti, to make my booking, I was particularly impressed with her friendly, polite and prompt email responses. Prior to this, when researching possible hotels in Yogyakarta, I was particularly drawn to this hotel as not only were the reviews of a high standard but I was astonished to see that Vera had individually replied to all the reviews on Trip Advisor, either apologizing for a small complaint or just simply thanking people for taking the time to post a review. It seemed customer service and satisfaction were high on their agenda and during my stay it was evident that this was the case.
Staff were extremely friendly and welcoming at all times. On our arrival we were greeted with cold towels and a refreshing glass of local fruit juice. We had a deluxe room which was located on the ground floor and had a small terrace. The hotel rooms are situated in a two-storey building around the pool. The room was of a high standard with the focal point being the iron-framed, four-poster bed. The floor was covered with decorative tiles which were cool beneath our feet. In addition to air-con there was also a large fan above the bed. All rooms come with outdoor bathrooms. Whilst I enjoyed showering closer to nature, we did have to ensure that we kept the bathroom door shut at all times to prevent mosquitoes entering our bedroom.
The location
After checking-in we decided to have a walk around the city. The historical city of Yogyakarta is situated in central Java and has a population of 700,000. With an international airport, train and bus connections ‘Yogya’, as it is often referred to, is a popular destination on the tourist trail. In addition to its tourist attractions, batik shops and many restaurants, it is also makes an ideal base to explore the nearby World Heritage Site, ‘Borobudur’, an ancient Buddhist monument which is supposedly Indonesia’s single most popular tourist attraction.
Dusun Jogja Village Inn is located towards the south of the city. From the hotel it is just a short walk to the Prawirotaman area of the city. It is here that many tourist restaurants can be found, serving both Indonesian and Western cuisine. One evening my husband even managed to convince me to try a cobra steak! Surprisingly, served with potato wedges and vegetables, it was most delicious.
An oasis of tranquility in a hectic city
After spending a few hours exploring the city, we were hot, sweaty and tired. Unable to walk any longer, we returned to the hotel on a becak, a bicycle rickshaw. Upon entering the hotel, we immediately left the hustle and bustle of the city behind and surrendered ourselves to the calming atmosphere of the Dusun Jogja Village Inn. As we left the reception area, a wooden walkway led us over a small pond where small jets created the soothing sound of trickling water and coy carp swam lazily.
Throughout the hotel, small touches here and there ensure that a tranquil environment is created. When I had arrived at the hotel that morning, I had been amazed to hear to hear the chirping of birds. Vera informed me that it is actually a CD with sound effects and over the years this has funnily enough encouraged more and more birds to visit the hotel.
Ringing the little cow bell on the table next to his sun bed, my husband summoned the waiter and ordered a large Bintang beer while I joined Vera in the restaurant to find out a bit more about Dusun Jogja Village Inn.
Facilities
Vera’s elder brother, Paul Amron Yumono, first opened the boutique-style hotel in 1995 with just 11 rooms. The hotel has slowly expanded over the years and today they have 24 rooms ranging from standard to deluxe, as well as one Junior Suite. Some of the rooms are inter-connecting, making them suitable for families. After studying in Australia, Vera, who is married with a young daughter, returned to Indonesia in 2004 to take over the running of the hotel. The hotel, with its Mediterranean style architecture and colorings, is popular with Europeans, especially Honeymooning couples.
This affordable, luxury hotel has all the usual facilities that one would expect to find at a hotel of this standard. There is a swimming pool, restaurant, spa, a tour desk, a small outdoor gym and even a movie-room, although this is seldom used these days now that the rooms come equipped with LCD TVs.
An Eco-friendly Hotel
Vera is passionate about recycling and endeavors to create an eco-friendly hotel. This is perhaps harder in Indonesia compared to the Western world where recycling and looking after our world is part and parcel of everyday life. When in Asia, I still flinch when I see people throwing their rubbish on the ground or out of the window of whatever form of transport they are on. Plastic is banned at the Dusun Jogja Village Inn. This means no straws. Water is served in glass bottles and is purified on site through a process called reverse osmosis. Recycled paper is the norm at the hotel, although Vera is still working on finding a supplier for recycled napkins.
Sun beds and breakfast – two very important factors
As I finished the last remaining bit of my watermelon juice, I thanked Vera for her time and decided it was time and decided it was time for me to join my husband at the pool. In my husband’s opinion, there are two deciding factors to consider when rating a hotel; the first being the quality of the sun beds. I found him dozing lightly on the thick mattress of his sun bed in the fading sun. Yep, they passed the test.
In addition to the sun beds, my husband’s second deciding factor for the rating of a hotel is the quality of the breakfast. At this point on our trip, we had been in Indonesia for just under two weeks and we were yet to have a decent meal to start our day. Fortunately, we were very impressed with the standard of breakfast at the Dusun Jogja Village Inn. Each morning we were welcomed into the restaurant by friendly, food and beverage supervisor, Dohri, who appeared to know all guest’s names off by heart and would enthusiastically attend to their needs.
The buffet style breakfast was served at the restaurant overlooking the pool and there was a lot to choose from. There was even an ‘egg man’ who cooked our eggs as we desired. My husband was over the moon when he discovered that bacon was on the menu and that it was decent stuff – a rare treat for Asia, not forgetting also that Indonesia is a Muslim country! I especially enjoyed the homemade strawberry jam, a new addition to the menu. Just the day before a guest had complained that the usual little jam sachets on the breakfast buffet were full of preservatives. Vera got straight on the case and tasked her chef with the job of making some himself. This is just another example of how Vera really listens to her customers and goes out of her way to make improvements to the hotel as suggested by guests.
Final Thoughts
We really enjoyed our stay at the Dusun Jogja Village Inn. The facilities are excellent and the location is superb for making the most of a visit to Yogya. We particularly liked the pool where a refreshing dip was often desired after a busy day sightseeing. Vera continually strives to listen to and act upon her customer’s ideas and suggestions and this has no doubt contributed to the success of this hotel. The good news is that it is quite affordable with prices starting at approximately 90 USD per night for a standard room including breakfast. The deluxe room that we stayed in is available at approximately 130 USD.
For more information visit their website: http://www.jvidusun.co.id/en/home/
By Joanna Nelson
