After some consideration, my boyfriend and I decided to choose Grand Dafam Ancol as our accommodation when we stayed in Jakarta. Initially, we were planning to spend our days in Jakarta to go to Dufan and Atlantis in Ancol, so we thought booking a hotel in Ancol would be easier to get around.
Long story short, except for a few strolls around Jakarta Old Town, we didn't get to Ancol at all because of the weather. It was raining the whole time we were in Jakarta, so it wasn't the ideal weather to go to either the theme park or the water park.
In the end, we spent most of our days in Jakarta staying in our Deluxe Queen Room at Grand Dafam Ancol, except for when we went out to Jakarta Old Town and visited my sister in her apartment.
In this post, I'm going to share a review of Grand Dafam Ancol as an accommodation in North Jakarta based on my firsthand experience of staying there.
But before that, I also want to share some insights on why North Jakarta is probably the best area to stay in Jakarta when traveling to the Indonesian capital city. So, here we go!
Why North Jakarta is the Best Area to Stay in the Capital City of Indonesia
If you've never been to Jakarta, never underestimate the time you will spend traveling within the city since the capital city of Indonesia is bigger than the whole country of Singapore.
Not to mention the traffic around Jakarta is super busy to the point tardiness is not only tolerated, but also appreciated by most people there.
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Because of this, it's essential to pick the best area to stay when you travel to Jakarta. Depending on the purpose of your travel, each area in Jakarta is suitable for a certain type of traveler, such as:
Central Jakarta is where most government offices, embassies, and corporate headquarters are located. If you're traveling for business, this is the best area to stay as it has direct access to all public transport including TransJakarta bus and MRT. Areas like Thamrin, Menteng, or Sudirman could be great places to consider if you're a business traveler looking to stay in Jakarta for work purposes.
South Jakarta is basically the posh area of the Indonesian capital city, where you can find various upscale neighborhoods with great dining and nightlife options in Jakarta. Kemang and Blok M are two areas that are quite popular for both domestic and international travelers, as they have both shopping malls and vibrant city life.
West Jakarta is home to two popular shopping malls in the capital city of Indonesia: Taman Anggrek Mall and Central Park. Suitable for budget-friendly shopping and entertainment options compared to the fancy ones in Central and South Jakarta.
East Jakarta is where Halim Perdanakusumah Airport is located. Some domestic flights to various destinations in Indonesia fly from this airport, so it's a great area to stay if you need to catch a flight from Halim. Other than that, it's more popular as a residential and industrial area, so it may not be worth staying unless you want to experience legitimate local life in Jakarta, Indonesia.
North Jakarta is known best for some recreational attractions, as it's a significant port area with a rich history of the past. It's where Ancol Beach is located, as well as Dunia Fantasi (Dufan) amusement park and Sea World. It's also where the Jakarta International Expo is located, the venue where the Jakarta Fair is held annually to celebrate the city's anniversary.
If you travel to Jakarta for leisure, North Jakarta is the best area to stay as it's relatively easy to get around some of the must-visit destinations in Jakarta.
When we stayed at Grand Dafam Ancol in North Jakarta, it only took us around 20 minutes to reach the hotel from Jakarta train station in Gambir.
Jakarta Old Town, which is technically located in West Jakarta, is only 15 minutes away by car. And if you want to explore more of Jakarta, you can either take TransJakarta or even the KAI commuter line from Kota station.
North Jakarta is also the closest part of the city to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang. You still need to spare around 45 minutes to an hour to get there if you book an airport transfer, but it's not too bad considering how big Jakarta is.
Alternatively, you can also check out some accommodation near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, like Starlet Hotel. Most of these accommodations are usually located in Tangerang, but they usually have a shuttle bus to the airport that can ease your travel plan.
Review: Staying at Grand Dafam Ancol in North Jakarta, Indonesia
My boyfriend and I weren't planning to spend our days staying in our hotel room at Grand Dafam Ancol when we were in Jakarta the last time. However, reality stroke us with both the weather and our physical conditions.
We stayed at Grand Dafam Ancol in February, and it was raining the whole time. We spent two nights there, and it was raining every night that we couldn't even get food delivered to us because of the weather, so we ended up having the overpriced food from room services instead.
Grand Dafam Ancol Jakarta
Even worse, my feet got super painful that I had to consult with a doctor online. She said I suffered from delayed muscle soreness as I probably got exhausted after walking around too much for 3-week non-stop after traveling around Thailand and Indonesia.
Nonetheless, I'm glad that if I had to get stuck somewhere, it was at Grand Dafam Ancol. So, here's my review of the hotel as an accommodation in North Jakarta, Indonesia!
Location & Price
Situated in Jalan Lodan Raya around the Pademangan area in North Jakarta, Grand Dafam Ancol shares the same entrance with Apartment Aston Marina Ancol. Keep this in mind since you will need to carefully check to ensure that you follow the parking directions, especially if you plan to rent a car in Jakarta.
Location-wise, it's in a busy area so expect the traffic to be pretty terrible during peak hours. The street outside the hotel isn't really pedestrian-friendly, but the hotel itself is sheltered in a quite convenient compound as there are some minimarkets and a coffee shop that you can easily walk from the hotel.
For our 2-night stay at Grand Dafam Ancol, we paid IDR 1,411,128 (around $91 USD), and I thought it was a pretty decent rate considering the hotel is quite top-notch in terms of its facilities.
Check-In Process
The only downside is that their check-in process started pretty late, since they were only open for check-in at 3 PM instead of the regular 2 PM like most hotels in Jakarta.
We arrived at the hotel at around 2.30 PM, and they said our room wasn't ready yet, so we decided to leave our bags and go to Jakarta Old Town while waiting for our room to be ready.
It was actually a good decision since Jakarta Old Town isn't really too far from there, and we managed to visit the Jakarta History Museum (or Fatahillah Museum). However, it was too late for us to visit other museums in the area, like the Wayang Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics.
After our late lunch at Kedai Seni Djakarte, we returned to the hotel to check in, and we practically didn't leave our room until the next day.
Deluxe Queen Room
To my surprise, the Deluxe Queen Room at Grand Dafam Ancol feels more like an apartment than a hotel room. The room has a partition to split the pantry/dining area with the bedroom with a small sofa in the middle, it was pretty homey.
I imagine Grand Dafam Ancol is also a great option if you're looking for family-friendly accommodation in North Jakarta. The Deluxe Queen Room where we stayed seems adequate for staying with a small kid. The room was more spacious than we expected!
As for us, there's only the two of us and we have a lot of space for ourselves. And because of this, my boyfriend could even leave me alone when I had to work.
There was a small workplace near the TV facing the bed. The wifi is also decent, making it a great place to stay for remote workers or digital nomads.
If you rely on the hotel amenities for toiletries, Grand Dafam Hotel also provides all the necessary amenities in the bathroom like toothbrush and toothpaste along with the 2-in-1 shampoo and shower gel in the soap dispenser in the shower.
We were really impressed with the accommodation that my boyfriend and I are actually planning to stay at Grand Dafam Ancol again for our next trip to Jakarta when he comes for a visit next year.
Food & Beverages
Since it was heavily raining at night during our whole stay in Jakarta, we couldn't even order Grabfood or GoFood since all the drivers refused to take orders because of the weather. As a result, we had to give up and order the room service instead.
Yes, it was overpriced, but we were too hungry even to think about it. And while there's a coffee shop nearby that also sells toasts, my Indonesian appetite just wanted some real food. LOL.
My boyfriend ordered burger, while I had a roasted oxtail with soup and fried tofu. My boyfriend, with his lack-of-taste British appetite, had no complaints about his burger, but I was really disappointed with my order.
The room service at Grand Dafam Ancol in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The oxtail and soup were cold, and the overpriced fried tofu didn't taste as good as I expected. It's almost like I was so hungry when I ordered it, but then I lost my appetite when I found out the food was cold. 🙁
Based on that, I definitely wouldn't order room service again from them if I could help it. At this point, I think even a toast would be a better choice than cold, overpriced oxtail soup.
Unfortunately, we didn't include breakfast in our booking the last time so I don't have anything to say when it comes to breakfast.
Other Facilities
Grand Dafam Ancol is more like a serviced apartment than hotels, and it offers a wide range of facilities, from gym and swimming pool, to even a rooftop bar.
Unfortunately, because of the weather, we didn't get a chance to try any of these facilities, so maybe we'll try them for our next stay (if the weather permits since it'll be in February again!).
Final Verdict: Is It Worth Staying at Grand Dafam Ancol in North Jakarta, Indonesia?
My boyfriend and I were quite happy with our stay at Grand Dafam Ancol. In fact, we're planning for his next visit to Jakarta again earlier next year and he told me he wanted to stay at the same hotel just because of how convenient it was in terms of location and facilities.
As for me, I definitely think Grand Dafam Ancol offers so much value for their guests. Their night rate is pretty decent, as for less than $50 USD per night (I'm a platinum member of Agoda, so I got a lot of discounts most of the time!), and the hotel exceeded our expectations for accommodation in Jakarta!
Grand Dafam Ancol is a family-friendly hotel near Ancol in North Jakarta, so if you want to give your kids a treat for a visit to the oldest amusement park in Indonesia, I'd definitely recommend Grand Dafam Ancol in a heartbeat!
Nonetheless, nothing's 100% perfect. So based on my personal experience, here are some pros and cons of staying at Grand Dafam Ancol in North Jakarta, Indonesia!
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The Deluxe Queen Room at Grand Dafam Ancol is quite spacious, making it one of the best family-friendly hotels in North Jakarta. It's suitable if you're traveling with a small child.
The hospitality of the staff is top-notch. They were super friendly and accommodating during our stay!
It's well located, only around 2 kilometers from the Ancol recreational area and 5 kilometers from Jakarta Old Town.
They have some great facilities with a well-equipped gym and a big swimming pool and restaurants. They even have a rooftop bar if that's something you're into.
There is a small coffee shop and minimarket around the hotel complex, which is quite convenient to avoid overpriced stuff at the hotel if you feel peckish during your stay.
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The check-in time is later than that of most hotels in Jakarta, as their standard check-in time is at 3 PM.
I'm not a fan of their room service; it was overpriced, and it didn't seem fresh either.
If you rely on public transport like TransJakarta or KAI Commuter Line, Grand Dafam Ancol may not be the best choice as it isn't close to any bus stop or train station.
alternative option for accommodation in north jakarta
Mercure Convention Center Ancol Jakarta
Mercure Convention Center Ancol Jakarta is located in the Ancol resort area, exactly next to Ancol Dreamland which makes it convenient if you want to stay your whole stay in Jakarta exploring the attractions in the area.
Family-friendly accommodation with a direct sea view from your room.
It has a kid-size pool, which will be even more suitable if you're a family traveling with young children.
Generally, I think Grand Dafam is a great option to stay in Jakarta especially if you're looking for family-friendly accommodation in the Indonesian capital city. The night rate is reasonable, and their facilities are superb!
So, that's my take on Grand Dafam Ancol in North Jakarta, Indonesia. Do you have any favorite accommodation in Jakarta? Or have you stayed at Grand Dafam Ancol with a slightly different experience? Share in the comment below, and cheerio!
Marya The BeauTraveler
I am the founder and main editor at The BeauTraveler. I spent 4 years working in the aviation industry but ironically got to travel more right after quitting the industry in 2015. Born and raised in Indonesia, I started working remotely in 2017, and while I stay at home most of the time, I also regularly spend 2-3 months living a semi-digital nomad life elsewhere every year.
