Indonesian Paradise Found: Royale Nias Surabaya's OYO 90790 Awaits!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the Royale Nias Surabaya, OYO 90790 Awaits! – a place that promises paradise, but… well, let's just say it's got a certain je ne sais quoi. Forget your perfectly polished travel blog prose; we're going for real, warts and all. This is my honest, slightly chaotic, and hopefully helpful review.
First Impressions & That Damn Elevator…
Okay, so Surabaya. It's hot. Like, stick-to-your-shirt-and-consider-moving-to-Antarctica hot. Finding the Royale Nias wasn't too tricky, and the exterior looks… fine. Not a stunner, but not an eyesore either. Think… solid, slightly dated hotel.
Accessibility: Now, here's where things get interesting. Accessibility: There's an elevator. Thank God. But… it's slow. Like, glacial slow. I’m not kidding. It’s the kind of elevator where you start contemplating your life choices while you wait, and maybe even consider taking the stairs (which, by the way, aren't exactly the friendliest). Facilities for disabled guests are listed, but I can't speak specifically to their efficacy as I didn’t need them. However, given the elevator's performance, I'd recommend calling ahead and double-checking.
Check-in/out [express]: Is it express? Well, kind of. The staff were nice, even if it felt a little… bureaucratic. Check-in/out [private]: Nope, not really. Standard hotel lobby stuff.
The Room: A Mixed Bag of Blessings and… Quirks
So, the room. Okay, here's the deal. It's got Air conditioning. Praise be! I can't emphasize how crucial this is in Surabaya. Air conditioning in public area. Thank God, there also is in public areas. There's also Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!. It worked. Hooray!
The details:
Available in all rooms: Most of what listed such as : Additional toilet, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens.
The Bed: Comfortable enough. Honestly, after the travel, my head hit the pillow and I was out.
The Bathroom: Clean. Separate shower/bathtub: the separated tub for the shower. The water pressure was decent! A win! Toiletries: Basic stuff. The kind you'd expect.
The View: Mine was… of another building. But honestly? I wasn't there to judge the view.
The Decor: Dated. Yes. But not offensively so. It's… functional.
Room decorations: I can’t be bothered on it.
Safety/security feature: It’s fine.
Food, Glorious Food… And the Occasional Unpleasant Surprise
The Royale Nias claims to have a lot of food options.
- Breakfast: Breakfast [buffet]: The buffet itself was… well, it was there. Asian breakfast: A bit of Indonesian fare, the usual rice, noodles, and suspicious meat. I stuck to the safer options. Western breakfast: The toast was slightly stale. The eggs were… questionable. Let's just say my breakfast was… an experience. Breakfast in room/ Breakfast takeaway service: Not my thing.
- Restaurants/Bar: Restaurants are numerous. There’s a bar in the pool area that serves drinks. Poolside bar: It’s fine. Coffee shop/ Desserts in restaurant: Some food is there. A la carte in restaurant/ buffet/ salad/ soup in restaurant: All are the norm in the area. Happy hour: The staff would tell you the details.
- Dining, drinking, and snacking: Bottle of water is provided. Room service [24-hour]: Available, which is helpful and I can say that the room service was surprisingly fast. Alternative meal arrangement: Provided.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant/ International cuisine in restaurant/ Vegetarian restaurant/ Western cuisine in restaurant: I didn't try them!
- Snack bar: Nothing special.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Standard hotel fare.
Cleanliness and Safety: Holding Their Own… Mostly
- Cleanliness and safety: Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Staff trained in safety protocol, Sterilizing equipment: I was in Indonesia during the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the hotel implemented various measures.
- Doctor/nurse on call, First aid kit: Available.
- Smoking area: A designated smoking area.
Things to Do (Or, How to Relax in Surabaya)
Okay, so the Royale Nias does have some amenities.
- Pool: Swimming pool: The big one. It’s a perfectly decent outdoor pool, which can be a lifesaver in the Surabaya heat. Pool with view: The pool is fine.
- Spa/Spa/sauna/steamroom: I saw they had a spa area. I didn’t use it, but it looked… well, it looked like a spa. This is as much information I have on the spa.
- Fitness center/Gym/fitness: Exercise equipment. I didn't go to the gym. Judge for yourself!
- Massage: I have had a massage.
- Things to do, ways to relax: I think they are designed to cater to tourists, given the location. But still, it's nice.
Internet Access: A Necessary Evil
- Internet access: They have the internet. Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services, Wi-Fi in public areas, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: It all depends on the internet. It was… sometimes slow. Sometimes fine. It wasn’t the worst, but don’t expect blazing speeds.
Services and Conveniences: A Potpourri of Offerings
- Services and conveniences: Air conditioning in public area, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center: A number of services available.
- For the kids/Babysitting service/Family/child friendly/Kids facilities/Kids meal: This is a family-friendly hotel. I saw some kids.
- Getting around: Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking: The hotel has various options.
My Honest Verdict: It's… Alright.
Look, the Royale Nias Surabaya, OYO 90790 Awaits! isn't the Ritz. It's not the Four Seasons. It's not going to win any design awards. But it's clean, it's in Surabaya (which is why you're there), the air conditioning works, and the staff are generally friendly.
It's perfect for:
- A business trip and a place to crash.
- Anyone who just needs a decent place to sleep and cool down.
- People who don't mind a little… character.
It's not perfect for:
- Luxury travelers. Go find something fancier.
- Foodies. The food is… okay.
- Anyone in a huge rush. That elevator…
My Quirky Observation: The lobby music. It was… interesting. A mix of elevator jazz and what sounded like an Indonesian pop sensation singing about… coconuts? I'm not sure. But it's memorable.
Final Thought: If you lower
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Alright, buckle up, buttercups. We're going to Surabaya. Specifically, the Royale Nias, OYO 90790. This isn't going to be a perfectly curated travel brochure. This is living. This is…me trying not to lose my mind and my luggage in Indonesia. Consider this my survival guide:
Day 1: Arrival and the Great Bed Quest (Maybe I Should’ve Packed a Pillow…)
- 6:00 AM (Jakarta Time – yeah, because jet lag is my new BFF): Wake up in Jakarta. Did I sleep? Probably. Did I dream? Definitely. Did those dreams involve me understanding Indonesian? Absolutely not. I'm already sweating a little. This heat. It’s like a humid hug from Satan.
- 7:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. A sad, sad buffet. Cold toast, weird jelly, and what I think was instant coffee. Already questioning my life choices.
- 8:00 AM: Flight to Surabaya. Praying the plane doesn’t fall out of the sky. (Dramatic? Maybe. Practical? Always.) Contemplating buying every travel insurance plan known to mankind.
- 9:30 AM (ish): "Arrival" in Surabaya. Getting through immigration? A heroic endeavor, fueled by adrenaline (and a vague fear of being deported). Finding my luggage? A minor miracle. It’s still intact! High five, self!
- 10:30 AM: Taxi to Royale Nias. Traffic. Everywhere. The driver is honking like his life depends on it. Trying to decipher the street signs…failing miserably. Amusing myself by watching the motorbike mayhem. It’s like a choreographed ballet, but with scooters and a whole lot of near-death experiences.
- 11:30 AM: Check-in at Royale Nias. The reception is…rustic. Let’s just say it has character. Oh, GOD, the AIR CONDITIONING. Or the lack thereof. It is struggling to make a lick of difference in here, even if it does make the room smell of stale jasmine. The staff look like they’ve seen things. I'm one of them now. Now, the room. The Great Bed Quest begins.
- 12:00 PM: The room is…a room. Clean-ish. It looks like it's been designed for hobbits, but then I notice there are no hobbits. The bed. It's the most important thing here. It's hard. Rock-hard. And the pillows? Are they filled with rocks? I'm pretty sure I can hear my neck crying. My travel pillow is currently lost in the abyss that is my luggage. Ugh. This is where my life is now.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch. Found a little warung (local eatery) nearby. Ordered something that looked vaguely like chicken. Pretty sure it was chicken. Ate it with a side of existential dread (and delicious sambal).
- 2:00 PM: Nap attempt. The rock-bed. The heat. The street noise. A symphony of discomfort. Failed nap. I’ve officially become one with my jet lag. I am now its puppet.
- 4:00 PM: Attempting to explore the area. Ended up wandering aimlessly, sweating like a pig in a sauna. Found a street vendor selling something that looked suspiciously like deep-fried…everything. Ate something. It was probably delicious. I don't even have a memory of it.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner at a restaurant. The best thing I probably will have ever had. It's Indonesian food! It's probably spicy. I'm tired of the heat, the people, the everything. I will not eat. I will die. I will be in Surabaya. I'm so happy.
- 9:00 PM: Back to Royale Nias to sleep. Praying for the rock-bed to become less rock-like. Praying for sleep. Praying the AC doesn’t break down completely. Praying, above all else, for a pillow. Please.
Day 2: Surabaya Scramble (and a Deep Dive into a Market)
- 7:00 AM: Wake up. Surviving! The rock-bed, the heat, they haven’t beaten me (yet). I need to buy a pillow, like, yesterday.
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. This time, I add extra sugar to the coffee. Because why not?
- 9:00 AM: Determined to escape the confines of my Hobbit-hole – er, hotel room. Today, I explore. I’m going to get lost. I’m going to embrace the chaos. I’m going to… go to a market.
- 9:30 AM: Taxi to Pasar Atom. (Market time!) The market! The glorious, overwhelming, vibrant, sensory overload that is Pasar Atom! The smells! The sights! The sounds! I feel like I've been dropped into a technicolor dream…that's also a little bit scary.
- 10:00 AM: Navigating the aisles of Pasar Atom is a skill. It’s a competitive sport. Vendors are shouting. People are jostling. The aroma of… everything… is intoxicating. I've committed myself to not dying in there. This is a task.
- 10:30 AM: I am lost. Completely and utterly lost. But in a good way. Found a stall selling batik. My inner souvenir junkie is screaming. I buy something. I have no idea what I’m going to do with it, but I bought it. It's beautiful.
- 11:00 AM: Food! I was on my way to dying in Pasar Atom. I grab some street food. I have no idea what it is. It’s a mystery box of deliciousness. It's worth all the risks.
- 12:00 PM: More wandering, more exploring, more getting wonderfully and gloriously lost. The sheer energy of this place is infectious. I swear I saw a chicken riding a scooter.
- 1:00 PM: Taxi back to the hotel. I'm exhausted. But in a strangely good, happy kind of way. Oh, I still need a pillow.
- 2:00 PM: Attempt a nap. The rock bed and no AC. I failed again. The street noise is even louder, now. I can't.
- 3:00 PM: I walk the streets. I found a shop that sells pillows! A REAL pillow! Yes!
- 4:00 PM: Back to Royale Nias. I did a good deed. I've made my bed more of a bed!
- 6:00 PM: Dinner, hopefully in a slightly more air-conditioned establishment. Maybe I'll try to speak some Indonesian words. Wish me luck.
- 8:00 PM: Back to Royale Nias. Sleep. Bliss. (Maybe with the new pillow!)
- 10:00 PM: I give up. Can't sleep. Just me and the AC, a neverending fight.
Day 3: Culture Shock and Departure (Can I Stay?)
- 7:00 AM: I wake up! I'm alive. (Mostly.) The pillow…is wonderful! It’s like sleeping on a cloud. A tiny, fluffy, non-rocky cloud.
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. The last meal in this wonderful place.
- 9:00 AM: Check out of the hotel. Saying goodbye to the rock-bed. Saying goodbye to the AC (which, against all odds, mostly worked). Saying goodbye to the…character…of Royale Nias. It was definitely an experience.
- 10:00 AM: Surabaya is a city of contrast. I'm starting to admire the place. I like it.
- 11:00 AM: Last-minute souvenir shopping. I’m fully embracing the tourist.
- 12:00 PM: Return to the airport. The heat is still relentless. The end is here.
- 1:00 PM: Flight home. I've survived. I've lived. I’m going home.
- 2:00 PM: Arrive, and be happy.
This is just a glimpse of my journey. My Surabaya adventure was a messy, beautiful, frustrating, and surprisingly wonderful experience. Would I go back to Surabaya? Absolutely. Would I stay at Royale Nias again? Maybe. If they promise me a better bed. And maybe an extra pillow.
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So, "Indonesian Paradise Found"? Seriously? What's the deal with the hype?
Alright, "Paradise Found." Gotta love marketing, right? Look, it's Surabaya. It's Indonesia. Paradise? Debatable. Depends on your definition of paradise, frankly. Do you consider a slightly stained, but generally functional, room a gateway to Elysium? Then, buddy, you're in luck! The 'hype,' if you can even call it that, probably comes from the *location*. It *is* close to things. (More on that later… because, oh, the stories I could tell!)
Alright, spill the tea – what's the room quality *really* like? Don't sugarcoat it.
Okay, deep breaths. Let's get real. My first impression? Honestly? It was… *there*. Okay, okay, I'm being evasive. Think: slightly worn furniture, maybe a few mysteries lurking in the corners (dust bunnies, mostly, but one time… I swear I saw a tiny, almost-too-cute lizard skitter across the wall. Cute, but also… concerning, right?), and the air conditioning? Let's just say it *attempted* to cool the room. Whether it succeeded depended on the planetary alignment, honestly. The bed? Mostly comfortable. Mostly. I guess? Look, it wasn't the Four Seasons, but hey, I slept. That's a win, right?
Cleanliness? The most important question! Did they clean the room at all?!
Cleanliness… ah, the eternal question. I’d say it was… *adequately* cleaned. My personal litmus test? The bathroom. That's where you really see the cracks. Shower: Sometimes, the water pressure was a trickle. Sometimes, it was a torrential downpour. Sometimes… it was lukewarm. The toilet? Let's just say I definitely packed some disinfectant wipes. The floors weren’t sparkling, but not utterly disgusting. Bottom line: Bring hand sanitizer. And maybe some air freshener. Just in case.
Location, location, location! Is it actually convenient for exploring Surabaya?
This is the *selling point*, I think. Royale Nias? Yeah, it's relatively close to some things. Restaurants? Check. Markets? Check. You can walk to a few places. *Walking* in Surabaya, in the heat… it’s an adventure in itself. I remember trying to find a specific coffee shop once… I got lost. Miserably lost. Ended up at a street food stall munching on something I couldn’t identify (delicious though! I think. Pretty sure.) Anyway, the location is… *okay*. Grab a Gojek (motorcycle taxi) or a cab. Trust me. Save your energy for the actual sightseeing.
The Staff - are they friendly, helpful? Or do I need to brush up on my Indonesian cursing?
The staff? Ah, the staff. They're... *present*. Mostly friendly, bless their hearts. Communication can be a bit of a challenge, but they try. I remember one time, I couldn't figure out how to work the TV (first world problem I know!) and a very patient young man came to help. He didn't speak much English, I didn't speak much Bahasa… We managed to communicate via frantic pointing and laughing. So, yeah, bring your sense of humor. It'll definitely come in handy. Don't be an entitled jerk, go in with a smile and you'll be fine. And a phrasebook, maybe.
Breakfast, is there breakfast? And is it worth the calories?
Breakfast… Oh, yes, there is breakfast. The buffet? *Sigh*. Expect simple Indonesian fare. Nasi goreng (fried rice)? Probable. Mie goreng (fried noodles)? A definite possibility. The coffee? Let's just say it'll wake you up. It may not taste particularly *good*, but it *will* jolt you into consciousness. Is it worth the calories? Well… you're already there. Might as well. Embrace the questionable eggs. You're in Indonesia, baby! Live a little!
Okay, bottom line: Would you recommend OYO 90790 at Royale Nias?
Alright, the big question. Would I *recommend* it? Hmmm… Depends. If you're a budget traveler, looking for a basic, functional place to crash while you explore Surabaya and aren’t expecting luxury, then *maybe*. If you're expecting a pristine, five-star experience? Absolutely not. Temper your expectations. Embrace the quirks. Prepare for the unexpected. Pack some disinfectant wipes, pack your sense of adventure, and… hey, you might actually have a decent time. I survived! And hey, at least it’s not boring. Right?
I heard the wifi is patchy. Is this true? And is it a major problem?
Patchy wifi? Consider it a *feature*. Or, you know, the price you pay for budget travel. Yeah, it’s spotty. Sometimes you get a decent connection, sometimes... nothing. One time, I was trying to order a Grab (like Uber, but for everything), and the signal died right as I was confirming! Absolute chaos. Ended up wandering around for an hour trying to find a reliable signal, sweating buckets, and muttering under my breath. So, yeah. Plan accordingly. Download your maps beforehand. Bring a good book. Accept your fate.
What about the noise levels? Will I get any sleep?
Oh, the noise. Surabaya...It's a city that *lives*. You'll hear scooters whizzing by, music blaring from the street vendors, chatter, horns honking... It's a symphony of city sounds. The rooms aren't exactly soundproof. I highly suggest earplugs. Honestly, they're a lifesaver. Bring them. Trust me. Or, embrace it the noise of the City, it is kind of part of the experience.
Do you experience a lot of Bug?
Bugs. That is indeed a thing in Indonesia. And yes, it is possible you'll encounter some friendly, or not so friendly, insects. I did see a few (the lizard I already mentioned). I wouldWhere To Stay Now
