Amaris Hotel Thamrin City - Jakarta

Rooms and decor

Picture a small hotel where walking out of the lobby drops you straight into a shopping mall, planted in one of Jakarta's busiest districts — that's the first bit of charm at Amaris Hotel Thamrin City, a budget hotel under the Santika group set right next to the Thamrin City mall in the heart of Central Jakarta's Thamrin area. The rooms run a smart-compact concept in the Amaris brand style: not big, but designed to make every square metre count. The tones are bright and clean-looking, the bed is comfortable, and there's a small desk for setting things down or working. The bathroom is compact but clean with the basic toiletries. Plenty of reviews agree the rooms feel cleaner and more modern than the price suggests. Anyone who travels without needing anything fancy — just a clean, tidy bed in a good spot — will likely take to the simple, well-judged character here.

Food and amenities

The heart of a stay at Amaris Thamrin City is being simple but sufficient in the way budget travelers actually want. One of the most-mentioned things in reviews is the breakfast, which many describe as a reasonable spread, good-tasting, and filling enough to start the day — a real value given it's bundled into the low room rate. The hotel has free Wi-Fi throughout, air-con that handles Jakarta's heat and humidity well, a 24-hour front desk, and in-building parking for anyone driving. As a 2-star budget hotel, the amenities lean toward essentials rather than a full set — no pool or spa. But the upside is the location, with a direct connection into the Thamrin City mall, where there are restaurants, cheap eats, and shops selling batik fabric and clothes, so you barely need to go far for food or basics. Staff are friendly too, with many reviews praising helpful service that puts you at ease from check-in.

Location and getting there

Location is the trump card here, no question. Amaris Thamrin City sits in the heart of Central Jakarta's Thamrin area, right next to the Thamrin City mall with a direct connecting passage in. What makes it so appealing is that it's only about a 10-minute walk to two big city-center malls, Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia, which pack in brand names, restaurants and cinemas. Nearby is the Bundaran HI roundabout, a city-center landmark with a fountain and the Selamat Datang statue, a popular photo spot. The Sudirman office and high-rise strip is just about 5 minutes away by car, handy for anyone here on business or for meetings. To reach other areas, MRT Bundaran HI station on the North-South line is about a 10–12 minute walk, letting you skip Jakarta's famous traffic. From Soekarno-Hatta airport you can drive straight in. If you want to be downtown within walking distance of malls and food, plus an MRT option, this location is far more than the price suggests.

Things to know before booking

To help you decide, straight talk — first, room size. This is a smart-compact budget hotel, so rooms are fairly small and compact, prioritizing function over space. Big families, anyone with lots of luggage, or anyone who likes an airy room with room to walk may find it a little cramped. Second, the amenity level. As a 2-star hotel there's no pool, spa or multiple restaurants like a larger hotel — if you expect a full amenity set, adjust your expectations to coming here mainly for location and value. Last, the building condition and noise. Parts of some rooms and the building are starting to show their age, and a few reviews note noise from inside the mall or the corridors. If you're a light sleeper, ask for a room away from the mall side or main corridor when you book. The Thamrin area also has heavy traffic, so at rush hour hailing a car can take a while — leave a little extra time.

Our take

After our team read through hundreds of real reviews, Amaris Hotel Thamrin City is a hotel that sells a hard-to-beat central location, cleanliness, a breakfast that beats the price, and a light room rate with full confidence. If the trip in your head is waking up for an easy breakfast then walking straight into the Thamrin City mall, or a few minutes' walk to shop and find food at Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia without paying high room rates, this is a very neat fit for a budget downtown Jakarta trip. But if you're after a spacious room for a big family, or want a pool, spa and the full amenity set of a 4–5-star hotel, this place's 2-star budget character may not be the best match. Overall we give it 8.0/10, best for budget travelers, solo travelers, and anyone here to sightsee, shop or run errands who just wants a clean bed in the best spot in town.