Set in one of Jakarta’s most upscale and trendsetting neighborhoods, Kemang Icon comes with a fresh concept for your dynamic urban living. With avant garde architectural designs and ultra modern facilities, you will find a peaceful haven amidst the hullabaloo of the Kemang area.

Especially designed to be a home away from home, Kemang Icon puts a strong emphasis on their residents’ privacy and comfort. As we checked in to the Icare room, we were delighted to find a handwritten welcome postcard, from the General Manager himself, on the desk. It contributed to an impressive personal touch to the feeling of home-coming. The interior of the room itself was quite extraordinary. Unlike the hotel rooms we usually encounter in Jakarta, our room was spacious and remarkably quiet. We were enthralled by the original etching on the wall above the bed, taken from the hull of the legendary Phinisi Nusantara Long Boat, and the stylish bronze statuettes on the desk. I turned on the iPod, sank into the plush sofa in the living room and perused a coffee-table book on contemporary painting while sipping tea. The fleeting scent of lemongrass also helped to create a soothing ambience in the room.

Each room is equipped with a large-screen plasma TV, iPod, broadband WIFI internet connection, comfortable bedding and l’Occitane world-class toiletries. Feel free to adjust the lighting, turn on your favourite music on the iPod, surf the internet with the Apple Airport Extreme at your convenience. With the latest technology, you can surely create an atmosphere of creativity and total relaxation at any time. Just like being at home.

However, the toilet being an open concept (no doors) one may not suit business travelers who are sharing a room. But again, one can always catch a movie at their exclusive (surround sound) theatre while the other is taking a shower. With such a system, I actually prefer my partner to take all his time in the shower...