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Budget Hotel Quest Semarang Indonesia - Central Java & Karimunjawa

Hotel Quest Semarang City 🍛 Indonesia

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Welcome to Semarang City, where the old meets the new, creating a curious blend of historic colonial architecture and modern-day hustle. With its blend of unique culture, rich history, and everyday chaos, Semarang offers an authentic Indonesian experience you won’t soon forget.

We would be staying in the center of the city at the Hotel Quest, where comfort meets practicality, and a welcome haven from the vibrant streets of Semarang.

Highlights

 

Semarang City

Semarang was our second destination in Indonesia, following a short overnight stay in Jakarta. This is also where things started to head downhill after problems with the local ATMs (see Honey, the ATM ate my card).

However, after successfully retrieving our credit card from the BTN bank we could finally get our travel plan back on track.

The BTN debacle had effectively taken 2 days out of our planned itinerary. We were now looking forward to an unscheduled overnight stay in Semarang.

Since we had already booked the Hotel Quest for our return journey in 2 weeks time, we went to see if we could get a room there before continuing our journey to Karimunjawa.

We were in luck. We took a taxi to the hotel and were offered a walk-in price of IDR 480,000 (€32) for the room, which included what turned out to be an excellent buffet breakfast.

Hotel Quest Semarang City, Indonesia - Overnight Review

Breakfast at the Hotel Quest

The Hotel Quest

The Hotel Quest is one of the more up-market places we stayed in Indonesia. This is a really comfortable hotel with all mod-cons… and for once, we had excellent TV reception with many English-language channels.

They also offer free use of their computers in the lobby, and there is a good-sized pool on the roof.

Budget Hotel Quest Semarang Indonesia
Budget Hotel Quest Semarang Indonesia
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Budget Hotel Quest Semarang Indonesia
Budget Hotel Quest Semarang Indonesia
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We found the restaurant food here to be good if a little expensive. There are several street food warungs within easy walking distance where you can eat well and cheaply.

However, we really appreciated our comfortable room in the hotel. This was our first real opportunity to relax since we’d left Rome 4 days earlier. The last few days had been a whirlwind of travel and stress, with little sleep in between.

With its strategic location and friendly service, the Hotel Quest offers all the essentials for a pleasant stay, ensuring you’re relaxed and well-rested.

It’s the ideal base for exploring the city’s culinary delights and cultural landmarks

Hotel Quest Semarang City, Indonesia - Overnight Review

Hotel Quest Semarang City, Indonesia

Street Food Warungs

We disinfected and re-bandaged my arm wounds, then went out to find a local warung. It was raining, so we needed our waterproofs (not for the last time on this trip…).

We didn’t have to walk far to find a small Indonesian kitchen where we ordered a complete meal for two for just IDR 38,000 (€3).

Hotel Quest Semarang City, Indonesia - Overnight Review

… Everybody seemed to be eating out

The area around the Quest hotel is a little run down, but it is well-located for access to Jalan Pemuda and the TIC (Tourist Information Center).

There is also a handy little supermarket just across the road from the hotel.

From Semarang, we were next heading to Jepara and a fast boat across to the Karimunjawa islands.

Hotel Deals in Semarang


If you enjoyed Hotel Quest Semarang, check out our Central Java Travel Plan. You may also like:

 

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Lion Air - Central Java & Karimunjawa

Lion Air ✈️ 🦁 🌍 Inflight Experience

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Considering a flight with Lion Air? This Indonesian airline offers budget-friendly options and a range of inflight services, but how about the consistency of the experience? From seat comfort to customer service, it’s worth examining if Lion Air truly meets expectations.

Dive into our personal review to uncover what you can expect from your flight experience.

Highlights

 

Why we Chose Lion Air

Our 3-week trip through Java to Karimunjawa included a short local flight from the Indonesian capital – Jakarta, to Semarang in central Java.

So, on arrival in Jakarta, we were heading straight out again without delay. We had booked a domestic flight with the carrier Lion Air to take us to Semarang. Although this is a budget airline, we were hoping that our inflight experience would be a painless one.

"Terminal

Who are Lion Air?

Lion Air is the country’s largest privately run airline, the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia (after AirAsia) and the largest airline in Indonesia (including Garuda).

As a key player in the budget airline industry, Lion Air has made its mark by offering affordable flights across Southeast Asia and beyond. Known for its extensive route network and cost-effective fares, this airline has both its pros and cons, which are worth exploring if you’re considering them for your next journey.

All Hotel 0ptions in Jakarta

Lion Air is a popular budget airline. So popular, in fact, that they have a sub-terminal at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport (Terminal 1C) dedicated to their own flights.

Travelers appreciate the airline’s affordability and route network, making Lion Air a good choice for budget-conscious customers.

Departure Gate, Jakarta

Departure Gate, Jakarta

Their terminal and departure lounge is beautifully laid out and decorated in traditional Indonesian style on the ground floor. On all sides are windows with views over luxuriant, well maintained gardens.

Lion Air includes 2 subsidiaries and regional arms – Batik Air and Wings Air, and as of 2024 serves a total of 47 destinations: 39 domestic and 8 international.

The airline has been criticized for poor operational management in areas such as scheduling and safety, although steps have been taken to improve its safety.

Lion Air Inflight Experience

Gardens surrounding the terminal

The Lion Air Fleet

Lion Air boasts a modern and diverse fleet. The airline primarily operates Boeing 737-900ER aircraft, which are known for their reliability and fuel efficiency.

This fleet allows the airline to offer competitive fares while maintaining a high standard of safety.

Route Network

With an extensive route network, Lion Air connects travelers to destinations across Southeast Asia, including popular spots like Bali, Jakarta, and Singapore. The airline’s reach extends to major cities and remote areas, making it a convenient choice for both leisure and business travelers.

Lion Air Inflight Experience

Lion Air Terminal – Plush Interiors

Booking Our Flight

We had booked our flight several weeks previously, using the Indonesian Tiket.com website. We paid a total of IDR 317,000 (€22) per person, and received our eTickets by email. Our flight included a check-in luggage allowance of 20 kg per person, and a carry-on baggage allowance of 7 kg.

Since our backpacks weighed only around 7.5 kg each (we believe in travelling light), we just used our carry-on allowance.

Incidentally, our online booking experience with Tiket.com was smooth and flawless. We also used them later to book our return train tickets from Semarang to Jakarta.

Inflight Experience

The leg-room beats many big airlines by a mile

Lion Air Inflight Service

Our short one-hour flight was comfortable and on time, with inflight snacks available for purchase.

Although Lion Air don’t score highly in global domestic airline ratings, our experience was definitely a positive one.

… much more positive than what was about to happen to us shortly after our arrival in Semarang: “Honey, the ATM just ate my card!”


If you like our Indonesian inflight experience, check out our Central Java Travel Plan. You may also like:

 

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