Genius and smart are two very different things. You don’t have to be a genius to be able to pick the right accommodation during a trip. Yet we have to think smart so that we don’t end up picking an affordable hotel that provides sloppy service, uncomfortable rooms and inadequate facilities. Or, in the words of Robert Kiyosaki, a famous motivator and writer, “You have to be smart. The easy days are over.”
PHOTO BY Mochamad Ramadan & Holiday Inn Express Semarang Simpang Lima
In Semarang’s Ahmad Yani road, only five minutes on foot from Simpang Lima, stands a business hotel that is both affordable and features an out-of-the-box concept. Holiday Inn Express Semarang Simpang Lima is a smart hotel from the management of InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG), a renowned hotel operator with international standard. Introducing its new brand in South East Asia, Holiday Inn Express offers several breakthrough services which are hard to come by in other hotels across Indonesia.
It is worth mentioning that after Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand and then Singapore, Semarang was chosen as the first city to host the Holiday Inn Express in Indonesia. Designed by PTI Architects, which is considered an expert in hotel and hospitality projects, Holiday Inn Express stands on a land of 1,223 sqm and features an efficient and compact design concept without leaving behind the modern touches required by IHG as the hotel’s operator. In order to support this requirement, PTI presents a continuous design style that flows seamlessly between the exterior and interior.
In order to speed up the finishing process, PTI used a precast concrete panel in the façade of the building. Taking a cue from the rectangular shape that is in line with the shape of the site, the architecture design is developed by working on the texture pattern of vertical lines, massive and transparent planes, as well as the window patterns in the guest rooms. The gradation of light gray chosen as the color scheme for the hotel’s exterior is selected because the shade is considered long-lasting and able to follow the changes of time.
Another unique trait of the hotel is the placement of the reception desk. Located on the second floor, guests have to go up by elevator to reach the reception to check in or sort out their administrative matters. This unique concept makes room for a signage with a non-standard scale which becomes the point of interest seen from the entrance of the site. Visible from various angles, the execution drafted by PTI showcases courage and shrewdness which enable guests to feel a different atmosphere when they enter the premises.
The continuity of the modern design concept is carried out into the building. The choice of contemporary furniture, the placement of artwork patterns featuring straight and dynamic lines, the minimalist-elegant look of the overall design, the placement of ergonomic chair in each room, as well as the application of vibrant colors in the interior makes the hotel appear modern, chic and smart. The dining area, dubbed the Great Room, is designed to connect to the lobby, receptionist, library room and also the buffet area. Another novel concept offered by the hotel is the choice given to the guest during their free breakfast. They can either dine in in the dining area or pick the grab & go option, which lets them take their choice of food or drink out of the buffet area and bring them to their room or even out of the hotel.
Encompassing 198 rooms, the accommodations are split into three types of living area: 194 standard rooms, 2 rooms designated for people with special needs (the disables) and 2 suite rooms which are placed on the top floor. There is also a pair of rooms designed from the 4th floor to the 11th floor with a slightly slanted orientation unlike the flat layout of the main building. This is done to provide a more expansive view for the occupants of the rooms, so that they can get a bird’s eye view look of the city of Semarang. The hotel also provides several supporting facilities including free Wi-Fi with high speed, a fitness room, 4 meeting rooms and a self-service laundry room, an innovative idea uncommonly found in other hotels with the same standard in Indonesia.
Holiday Inn Express Semarang Simpang Lima with its very strategic location in the heart of Central Java’s capital city is expected to be the locomotive of IHG to spearhead the development of thirteen other Express hotels across the archipelago. Its brilliant and cutting-edge concepts, both in the design and management as well as service has turned the hotel, a pioneer for the Express chain in Indonesia, into a truly smart choice for savvy business and leisure travelers.