Discover Surabaya's Hidden Gem: Teuku Umar's Exquisite RedDoorz!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the glorious, potentially chaotic, and utterly captivating world of Discover Surabaya's Hidden Gem: Teuku Umar's Exquisite RedDoorz! Prepare yourselves, because this isn't your average, sterile hotel review. We’re going to get real.
(Spoiler alert: I’m already picturing myself, probably sweating slightly, a little disheveled, and possibly covered in pool water. Just setting the stage.)
First Impressions & Accessibility (or, the Great Elevator Adventure)
Right off the bat, finding this "hidden gem" took a little longer than expected. Surabaya traffic – it’s a beast, my friends. But hey, the hunt makes the treasure sweeter, right? The exterior, well, it's a RedDoorz. You know the brand, you know what to expect – clean, functional, and likely focused on value.
Accessibility: Ok, for those who NEED to know (and you should), the website mentions facilities for disabled guests but the specifics…need some fleshing out. (Note to RedDoorz: Be very clear! Don't leave anyone guessing!) There's an elevator, which is crucial. I, thankfully, am not currently bound by wheels, but I did have a brief moment of existential dread while waiting for that elevator. It's a test of patience, like waiting for a delayed flight, or a really good cup of coffee.
"Getting Around" - The Parking Paradise (and the Occasional Taxi Tango)
Okay, parking. Free on-site parking? YES! A huge win, especially in a city like Surabaya. Valet parking? Also available, for you high rollers (or those who just REALLY hate parallel parking). Car power charging station? Another gold star! Because the future is (probably) electric. I'm more of a taxi person, personally. They're everywhere. And the staff here are happy to help you flag one down, which, let's be honest, is the sign of a truly good service. Because even a taxi can be an adventure in itself (I think I saw a chicken on one journey!).
Cleanliness & Safety – The Sanitizer Symphony
Alright, let's address the elephant in the room (the one wearing a mask): COVID-19. RedDoorz, bless their hearts, seemed to be taking things seriously, but… did it feel like they were going above and beyond? Well, let me tell you…
- Anti-viral cleaning products? Check.
- Daily disinfection in common areas? Check.
- Hand sanitizer everywhere you looked? Lord, yes. It was like a sanitizer symphony. My hands are clean enough I could perform surgery. I'm not complaining!
- Staff trained in safety protocol? Definitely.
- Rooms sanitized between stays? Supposedly.
I have to confess, I did have a tiny moment of paranoia (we all do!), but overall, I felt relatively safe. You can also opt-out of Room sanitization, which, again, is great, because it shows they are listening to their customers.
The Chamber of Delights: Your Room - What's Inside… and Some Opinions!
Okay, let's talk rooms. Because really, that's where you spend most of your time (hopefully!).
- Wi-Fi [free]? Hallelujah! Because who can live without the internet these days? (Me, sometimes. But not for work!)
- Additional toilet? Not always necessary, but always appreciated!
- Air conditioning? Essential. It's Surabaya. You'll be needing a/c!
- Desk? Essential for those of us who end up working from the room.
- Extra long bed? Sweet.
- Hair dryer? Yup.
- Refrigerator? Yes, and I LOVE a mini bar!
- In-room safe box? Useful for the valuables, and less useful when you can't remember the combo!
- On-demand movies? Awesome for those nights you don't feel like going anywhere.
- Shower? It works.
- Satellite/cable channels? Okay.
- Seating area? Yay!
- Slippers? A small, luxurious touch that always makes me smile.
- Soundproofing? A must!
- Wake-up service? Sometimes, a necessity.
Now, a few tiny observations:
- The decor: Perfectly functional, perhaps not memorable. But hey, I wasn't expecting the Taj Mahal.
- The internet speed: Decent. Not lightning-fast, but good enough for streaming and video calls. No complaints!
Dining, Drinking & Snacking - Food Glorious Food… and Maybe a Bit of Chaos!
Alright, buckle up, food lovers! This is where things get REALLY interesting.
- Restaurants? Yes! Multiple!
- Asian Cuisine in restaurant? Definitely.
- Western Cuisine in restaurant? Yep.
- Breakfast [buffet]? Yup.
- Poolside bar? Ooh, yes.
- Breakfast service? Absolutely!
The breakfast buffet… Ah, the breakfast buffet. I went in with high hopes, and I wasn't entirely disappointed. It was a classic mix of Asian and Western fare. The nasi goreng (fried rice) was a winner. Honestly, it was pretty decent. But don't expect Michelin-star quality. It's a buffet, people!
Here's my moment of truth: My biggest complaint: The buffet (and, subsequently, the restaurant) felt a little…lacking. It wasn't buzzing with atmosphere. It all felt a little bit safe. Maybe a little louder music, some more exciting options, some more…life? I don’t know!
If I could change one thing, it'd be the restaurant's atmosphere. I’d also like to see a few more adventurous menu options.
The Pool, the Spa, and the Pursuit of Relaxation (or, My Failed Attempt at Zen)
Okay, let’s get to the good stuff!
- Swimming pool? Yes!
- Swimming pool [outdoor]? Yes!
- Pool with view? Nope, sadly. Just a nice, inviting blue.
- Fitness center? Yes! I meant to use it. I really did. (Spoiler alert: I did not.)
- Spa/sauna? Not quite. No sauna.
- Massage? I saw a massage menu, which I am a huge fan of.
The pool… Oh, the pool. It was clean, refreshing, and perfect for a quick dip. It's a great spot to chill, especially after a stressful day exploring Surabaya.
Things to Do - Explore Surabaya (or, the Art of Staying Put)
Surabaya is a city brimming with things to do. Museums, shopping, historical sites… you name it! I, however, spent a significant amount of time in the hotel, and that’s okay. Sometimes, the best vacation is the one where you don't go anywhere.
- Shopping? Well, you're close to everything, so you can go to the markets and malls.
- Shrine? Nope!
- Meeting/banquet facilities? Yes, for those who want to use them..
- Gift/souvenir shop? Could not see one, but there might be!
(Emotional outburst: I realize that my review is slowly turning into a confession of sloth. I'm okay with that.)
Services and Conveniences – The Little Things That Make a Difference
- Air conditioning in public area? Yes, thank God.
- Elevator? Crucial.
- Concierge? Yes!
- Daily housekeeping? Of course.
- Room service [24-hour]? Yup. Essential for late-night cravings!
- Luggage storage? Yes!
The Big Picture – The Verdict
Okay, folks, here’s the honest truth: Discover Surabaya's Hidden Gem: Teuku Umar's Exquisite RedDoorz! is not the Ritz. But it's a solid, reliable, and affordable option in a bustling city. Is it perfectly perfect? No. But is it charming in its own way? Absolutely.
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- Superb Cleanliness and Safety: From
Okay, buckle up buttercup, because you're about to be dragged kicking and screaming (maybe literally, if the Surabaya traffic is anything like I've heard) through my idea of a "trip" to Rumah Teuku Umar Mitra RedDoorz Surabaya. Consider this less a polished itinerary and more a diary entry fuelled by lukewarm instant coffee, existential dread, and a desperate hope for good WiFi.
Day 1: Arrival & Surabaya's Embrace (or, More Likely, Its Suffocating Humidity)
- 1:00 PM (give or take an hour for lost baggage and an existential crisis at the airport): Land at Juanda International Airport. First impressions? HOT. Like, "I'm immediately regretting this decision" hot. And the air? Thick enough to chew. I swear, I could taste the pollution. Honestly, I'm a climate change denier at home, but here, I get it.
- 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM (or longer, because taxi drivers in places like this always seem to add a "convenience fee" to the fare): The Great Taxi Negotiation. This is a sport, people. You haggle. You haggle hard. I'm aiming for a win, but my emotional state usually makes me a pushover. Hopefully, I successfully find Rumah Teuku Umar Mitra RedDoorz. Pray for me… I'm usually terrible with directions.
- 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Check-in, unpack (which is, let's be honest, just tossing my clothes on the bed), and a desperate search for the AC remote. Hopefully, the room isn't a sauna. I'm already imagining the sweat stains. Ugh. I need a shower. A long, cold shower.
- 4:00 - 5:00 P.M.: The Exploration Attempt. I'll try to leave the hotel. Maybe. I'm thinking a quick stroll to find some street food. I want nasi goreng so bad. Just imagining the spicy, oily goodness is making me drool. Plus, people watching will be important for the cultural immersion. I hope it's as interesting as I imagine.
- 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Street food hunt! Pray for my stomach. I'm not particularly adventurous with food, but I'm going all out for the nasi goreng.
- 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Back at the RedDoorz (hopefully with food). I'll eat it on the bed and probably scroll on my phone. Hopefully, the Wifi is good.
- 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Okay, maybe it's a complete disaster. I'll call family and cry about the heat and being alone. Then I'll probably get over it and try to watch some Indonesian TV if I can. Hopefully, there are some good shows to watch.
Day 2: Surabaya's History (or, My Attempt at Pretending I Know What I'm Doing)
- 8:00 AM (maybe?): Wake up grumpy. The aircon will have probably betrayed me and cut out in the night. Coffee is essential. I'll attempt the hotel breakfast, though I'm not holding my breath, in the hopes there is some toast and peanut butter.
- 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (or I become overwhelmed and spend the whole time hiding under the covers): Attempt to visit the House of Sampoerna. This is a historic site, and I'm supposed to go. But I have a hard time getting up and going places. The heat will also make me not want to do anything. Hopefully, I can force myself to go.
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch! More street food? Perhaps something grilled? I'm leaning towards the grilled option.
- 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Try to visit the submarine museum. Another historical thing, and honestly a bit intriguing. I'm not a history buff, but sometimes, these things can be unexpectedly fascinating. Let's hope it's not too boring.
- 4:00 PM - End of Day: Back to the hotel. Maybe I'll go to the local grocery store and buy snacks. I'll probably spend the rest of the day watching TV and hoping I don't get too sick from the food. I am very prone to illness.
Day 3: Departure (or, the Sweet Relief of Leaving)
- 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Final desperate attempts to enjoy the breakfast. Pack. Complain.
- 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Check out, taxi-hunt-again, and head back to the airport.
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Airport time. Buy some emergency snacks.
- 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Flight back home. Relief washes over me as the wheels go up into the sky.
Messy Thoughts & Rambles:
- Food: Okay, the food is everything. I'm going in with low expectations, but I'm secretly hoping I'll find something amazing. I love street food!
- Culture Shock: I'm fully expecting it. I'm not used to the heat, the traffic, or any of the other things.
- The Hotel: I have no expectations. RedDoorz is a budget choice. I'm hoping it's clean and the AC works. Hopefully, the bed isn't too springy.
- Loneliness: I'm traveling alone. I'm both excited and terrified. Hopefully, I'll meet some interesting people along the way. If not, there's always my phone and the internet.
- Getting Lost: I'm going to get lost. I'm just accepting it. I'll probably end up somewhere I didn't intend to be, and that's okay.
This itinerary is a guideline, a suggestion, a whisper in the wind. It's unlikely to play out exactly as I envisioned. But that's part of the fun, right? The unexpected, the imperfections, the moments of pure, unadulterated human experience. Wish me luck, and pray for my stomach.
Unbelievable SHU House: Buon Ma Thuot's Hidden Gem Revealed!
Discover Surabaya's Hidden Gem: Teuku Umar's Exquisite RedDoorz! (Or, My Rollercoaster of a Stay)
So, what *is* this "Exquisite" RedDoorz anyway? Seriously, is it actually...exquisite?!
Okay, "exquisite" is maybe stretching it a *tiny* bit. Marketing, right? The Teuku Umar RedDoorz in Surabaya? It's a RedDoorz. Let's start there. Think budget-friendly, generally clean, and usually located in a decent area. This one? Well, it’s a mixed bag. I went in with zero expectations, which, honestly, is probably the best approach. You *could* call it "exquisite"... if your definition of exquisite includes a slightly questionable shower and maybe a rogue ant or two.
I showed up expecting...well, I don’t *know* what I expected. After a few budget hotels, I wasn't quite sure what it could hold. The booking made it sound promising, and the pictures were...well, they definitely took advantage of flattering angles. I got there, after the scooter ride of my life (the Surabaya traffic is something else!), and the first thing that hit me? The *humidity*. My hair instantly frizzed. I swear, I could practically *feel* the air sticking to my skin.
Is it easy to find? Because I’m useless with directions.
Finding it wasn't too terrible, thanks to the miracle of Google Maps. I, however, am directionally challenged. I am *that* person who manages to get lost in a phone booth (okay, maybe not, but you get the idea). So, if *I* could find it with minimal screaming, you probably can too. Just be *very* specific with your Gojek/Grab driver. Surabaya streets can be a glorious jumble of one-ways and sudden detours. You know, classic Southeast Asian navigation.
Alright, let’s talk rooms. What were they actually *like*?
The room... was a room. It had a bed. It had air conditioning. It had a TV. The AC was a lifesaver, let me tell you. That Surabaya heat is something fierce! The bed? Comfortable enough. I crashed pretty hard after the motorbike experience. The TV? Well, I don’t speak Indonesian, but it was a good source of white noise, which is sometimes all you need when you’re trying to adjust to new surroundings. My one *major* gripe? The bathroom. The shower... it was truly an experience. The water pressure was about as forceful as a sleepy kitten, and the drain was... well, I think it was clogged with memories. And potential inhabitants. I was pretty sure I saw something scurry under the sink. Okay, maybe it was just a trick of the light. Or the humidity messing with my vision. Honestly? I didn't want to investigate.
The breakfast! Because let's be real, that's important. Spill the beans!
Breakfast? Ah, yes, the most crucial aspect of any hotel stay, in my opinion. The "complimentary" breakfast... Let's just say it was a testament to the human spirit's ability to adapt. It was... adequate. Rice, some kind of mystery meat (I suspect it was chicken, but in the end, who knows? The spice was good though), and instant coffee that was strong enough to strip paint. Seriously, the coffee could wake the dead. But hey, it filled a hole, and that's what matters, right?
I’m not going to lie, the first morning I was staring at my plate of noodles and thinking, 'Is this it? This is my culinary experience for the day?' Then I remembered I was in Indonesia, and a street food adventure was just around the corner. I made up for it with some amazing gado-gado later on.
Service? How's the staff there? (And did you get that ant problem sorted?!)
The staff? Honestly, they were lovely. Super friendly, extremely polite, and always willing to help, even with my terrible Indonesian. Trying to communicate the lack of water pressure in the shower was, shall we say, a unique experience. They were apologetic, tried to fix it (with limited success – see above!), and smiled through it all. That's the Indonesian spirit right there. Regarding the ant situation? I mentioned it. It was deemed a "small ant," and, well, I learned to co-exist. I just kept the food locked away. I swear I saw a tiny, tiny ant in the fridge, which was a really weird vibe...but look, I didn't expect perfection. It's a budget hotel in Surabaya, not the Ritz.
Do they have Wi-Fi? Because social media waits for no one (and I need to look busy on work calls, naturally).
Yes, they have Wi-Fi! And...it worked, sort of. Sporadically. Let's be honest, it would cut out at exactly the moment I was about to book my travel out of Surabaya, or when I needed it most. You might have to wander the hallways on occasion to hit a good signal, you know, like you're on some kind of mission. This is an opportunity to get your steps in, or at least pretend like you are. But generally speaking, yes, the Wi-Fi was enough for basic browsing. If you're planning on streaming a movie? Good luck. If you're desperate, your mobile data is probably your best bet.
Location, location, location…is this a good location for exploring Surabaya?
The location is… decent. It wasn't *central* central, smack dab in the middle of everything, but there were restaurants, shops, and warungs (the glorious little food stalls) within walking distance. The famous Suroboyo Carnival Night Market was a short Grab ride away, which was an experience in itself – seriously, go! I loved it. So yeah, not bad. Plus, like I said, the traffic means you have to factor in travel time no matter where you are. It's all part of the adventure!
Would you stay again? Honestly. Be brutally honest.
Okay, brutally honest? If I was on a super tight budget and needed a place to crash for a night or two? Yeah, I'd consider it. It ticked the boxes of clean-ish, air-conditioned-ish, and not-horrifyingly-expensive. Would I *choose* it over a fancier place? Obviously not. But sometimes, you just need a place to rest your weary head (and maybe keep an eye out for small ants). It wasn't perfect, far from it. But honestly? The whole experience – the shower, the questionable coffee, the friendly staff – it’s what made the trip memorable. It was a perfectly imperfect slice of real-life travel. And sometimes, that’s what makes the best stories.
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