Best outdoor activities in Yogyakarta
1. D’omah Yogya Hotel 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels Yogyakarta
Boasting 4 pools, a spa and fitness centre, D’Omah Yogya Hotel offers 4-star Javanese-style accommodation surrounded by peaceful tropical landscapes. It features a library, free Wi-Fi and free parking.
Located in an authentic and bustling Javanese village, D’Omah Yogya Hotel is a 5-minute walk from Tembi Gallery and Gabusan Market. It is within a 15-minute drive from Yogyakarta’s city centre and a 30-minute drive from Adisucipto International Airport.
Air-conditioned rooms are situated in restored Javanese houses and decorated with unique artwork. Flat-screen TVs with international channels and DVD players are provided. Private terraces have comfortable outdoor seating and views of surrounding greenery.
Guests can indulge with the hot tub and sauna available at D’Omah’s spa.
d’Omah hotel is located in the village of Tembi and only twenty minute drive from the center of bustling Yogyakarta, the cultural center of Java.d’Omah in the Javanese language means “at home “it offers a unique holiday experience within this small Javanese village untouched by the outside world.
Enjoy breakfast overlooking the rice fields and watch as village life passes by, basko carts and wrinkle-faced old rice farmers totally unperturbed by the events of the hotel.Our rooms are situated within three one hundred year old artistically restored Joglo’s. Each room is individually furnished to reflect the beauty and history of its particular Joglo. Woven together by koi ponds and naturally spring fed swimming pools is a hotel filled with charm and character.
Love the ambience, first impression by the receptionists was heart-warming. While our room was being made ready, we had an awesome dinner at the restaurant, food was excellently prepared. Waitress and hotel staffs never missed a smile to greet us anywhere within the establishment.
We stayed at a room named Khrisna, large windows on two sides facing our private terrace, swimming pool area and garden.
Landscape was very well maintain. I absorbed ancient positive energy during our stay. It was rejuvenating.
If you are looking for an authentic experience and a tranquil retreat, this is the place for you. The gardens and ponds are absolutely beautiful, and the entire property is serene. The rooms are very spacious, clean, and decorated eclectically. The staff are extremely friendly, and speak good English. There are several pools on the property and plenty of places to relax and read a book. The surrounding village is quaint and gives you an authentic experience surrounded by rice fields.
The restaurant is also excellent, with multiple choices to meet the needs of those looking for local food or just good international cuisine.
One thing of note, which was charming, but some might also be disturbed by is that the call to prayer at 4:30am is quite loud. Luckily the hotel provides earplugs next to your bed 🙂
d’Omah is the perfect sanctuary, set right in the middle of the pretty village of Tembi, from which to explore the royal city of Yogyakarta, and two of the most important monuments in southeast Asia: Borobudur and Prambanan, and many other important temples also. The hotel is an ingenious aggregation of little Javanese houses that afford much privacy, but set in a charming garden with many peaceful little spots to sit and read, or in my case, to sit and write.
The dining-room is right beside a large pond in which sumptuous lotuses and water lilies bloom. There are several swimming-pools, so you can be as indolent or as ambitious in your sightseeing as you wish to be; knowing that, upon your return, everything is peaceful and beautiful. In retrospect, I can honestly say that d’Omah put the treat into writer’s retreat.
This beautifully rustic estate exudes calm and has blended into its environment very well as to not overly disturb the surround village. Each room feels like its own villa, and the set up has quite uniquely created many terraces for guests to enjoy outdoor meals or just simple areas to congregate. The lobby has a restaurant and small shop attached, so most meals would likely be taken there, and the outdoor seating faces a rice field that you could stare at for hours, especially when there’s a nice breeze coming through. There are 3 shared pools, the biggest of which you will likely walk by on your way to your room, whilst the other 2 are slightly hidden, so if you require a little more privacy, it is easily acquired.
Each room seemed to have its own unique attributes. The room that I stayed in was quite big with a 4 poster bed, and a sizeable daybed, all of which were made from a beautiful dark wood. The bathroom was “outdoor” (aka open air), and featured separate bathtub and shower areas. After the first day, I didn’t have too much hot water, but that wasn’t really an issue as the days were hot and I needed a cool shower at the end of it. I had a slight hiccup as well with a power outage in my room, but that was fixed by the time I finished dinner.
The television had plenty of English channels, for those who enjoy a good movie to relax before bed, and the lobby also features a wide selection of books and DVDs you can borrow in case you’re in the mood for something specific. The bed was ok for sleeping as mine seemed to be a thin mattress on the hard wooden frame, so it did get a little uncomfortable after a while – although my friends didn’t seem to have this issue.
My biggest gripe of the room would be that it seems that they use highly perfumed detergent to wash their linens and towels. As I have a sensitive nose, it took a while to get used to it and I ended up needing to cover the pillows with a piece of clothing so it wouldn’t bother me when I slept. For those who are light sleepers, be wary of the call to prayer every morning (first one is around 4:30am) as you are in a Muslim country.
The hotel does provide ear plugs for the more sensitive, but I actually found it quite soothing. As the hotel is more on the rustic side, you may also end up hearing critters walking around your ceiling at night – just something to note for those who may get irritated or freaked out by it.
The food at this hotel was fantastic. With a wide range of local and western fare, it is not unthinkable to eat all your meals here. An interesting fact of this hotel, is that it also acts as an honorary Mexican consulate, so they also have some Mexican fare, which I have to say wasn’t bad at all! Definitely a pleasant surprise. Of course, however, the local fare was best from nasi goreng (fried rice) to grilled marinated duck. In fact, we did try to venture out for a local meal at one point, and I felt we were all better off eating at the hotel!
How much does a room costs at D’omah Yogya Hotel ?
Prices start 61 $/night for Deluxe King Room. The Two-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool is 173$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.
This villa features a terrace per bedroom and a tropical garden.
Where to book online– D’omah Yogya Hotel – Gay Friendly Hotels Yogyakarta – you can find the best hotels deals in Yogyakarta during Yogyakarta Art Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Yogyakarta on Booking.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
2. Jogja Village 3* – Gay Friendly Hotels Yogyakarta
Situated among lush, tropical gardens in the Prawirotaman area, Jogja Village is an environmentally friendly hotel only 10 minutes’ drive from the Kraton Palace and Yogyakarta city centre. Museum Sonobudoyo and Scientific Park are each 2.6 km away. Guests can enjoy a swimming pool and an on-site restaurant. Free WiFi is available in all areas.
Boasting colourful Javanese-style interior, all rooms at this property are comfortable and air-conditioned. They are fitted with four-poster beds with mosquito nets for your comfort. Modern amenities such as flat-screen TV and electric kettle are provided in the rooms. Freshened with flower petals, the en suite bathrooms come with a bath and a shower, complete with towels and free toiletries. Some rooms offer an open-air bath and shower, while others enjoy a spacious, furnished balcony.
Jogja Village features an open-air, fine dining restaurant that is nestled amongst the gardens. The hotel bar provides light snacks and refreshing, cooling drinks.
Dusun Jogja Village Inn is the pioneering boutique hotel in Yogyakarta, an intimate hideout inside the pulsing cultural capital of central Java. With a friendly environment, the 24 boutique hotel’s rooms in various types are designed in such naturally tranquil compound, adopting the concept of Javanese ‘dusun’ (or village). The whole complex exudes such an intimate space for you to relax after enjoying Yogyakarta and its eclectic historical and cultural heritage surrounding.
Everything at Jogja Village Inn works well. The upstairs Deluxe rooms are nicely set up with small signs informing you of everything you may need to know about the room’s facilities. The balcony with bench seat is a nice place to relax if it’s too hot to chill by the well-sized pool (including kids section). Whilst a good distance from the main tourist attractions – too far to comfortably walk during the heat of the day – it is close to a supermarket and near some of the tourist strips, plus a Grabcar to most places was easy and cheap (between 13-33K rupiah).
It was nice to retreat from the traffic to the well-maintained garden area during the day. The cacophony of prayers from neighbouring mosques start around 4am and sound like a loud party in the room next door, but that’s part of the experience. Efficient housekeepers. Front desk service was good, from organising airport transfers, helping recover luggage lost by the airline, to repairing a broken air conditioner. All of the staff were friendly, with a smile and “good morning.
This hotel is a wonderful oasis in Yogyakarta. It’s one of the most enchanting places I’ve ever stayed. The rooms are lovely and cool, and decorated in a traditional Javanese manner. They’re built around a large courtyard with a lagoon-style pool and tropical gardens filled with palm and frangipani trees. Said pool is amazing. So big and tranquil, and there’s never many (if any) people in it, as the hotel is a small, boutique property (24 rooms).
The location is also fantastic. Dusun Jogja is a short and very cheap taxi ride to all the attractions of central Yogyakarta. You could even walk, although the heat and distance may dissuade you. Also nearby (and this is within easy, comfortable walking distance) is Prawirotaman Street, with its trendy restaurants, bars, cafes and gelato parlours. Next door to the hotel is a large Superindo supermarket, so you’re never far from supplies of snacks, groceries and food – and just a few minutes’ walk away through the backstreets is the incredibly delicious and atmospheric Milas vegetarian restaurant. Another oasis with a tropical courtyard, and wonderful Indonesian and Western food.
Speaking of restaurants, Dusun Jogja has its own lovely restaurant, the Secang Bistro and Bar. It’s located in beautiful surrounds under a huge Javanese pavilion, looking out to the gardens and pool. The food is delicious and we ate there a number of times despite having many other options nearby. I found breakfast especially good. I don’t usually eat breakfast at home (breakfast for me is a often just a cup of coffee) but I enjoyed my breakfasts of fried rice, noodles, sambal, toast, croissants, eggs, coffee and juice every day here. (The only problem was I ate far too much!) They cook you eggs to order any way you like (scrambled, sunny side up, etc.) and they’re so delicious. Much nicer than the eggs we have back at home! My only advice to the restaurant would be to maybe include a few more vegetarian options for lunch and dinner.
Another thing I loved about this hotel was that it was very clean. The cleaners here are meticulous and the rooms are spotless.
But the best thing about Dusun Jogja is the friendliness of the staff. Each and every person we encountered was unfailingly friendly, helpful and polite. Thank you to Dorey, Andi, Yuyus (apologies, I’ve probably spelled your names wrong) and everyone else at Dunsun Jogja, whose names I don’t know. Each member and every member of staff was so lovely and very good at their jobs – from reception to the restaurant to the cleaners – and we really appreciated you all.
Finally, a few people in previous reviews have mentioned noise from the nearby mosques. While it’s true you can hear the calls to prayer from the surrounding mosques five times a day, I think this would be the case anywhere in Yogyakarta. And it really only goes for a few minutes or so, and inside your room it’s not particularly loud (the 4am call to prayer woke me briefly on only one of our seven days here). Besides which, I actually enjoyed the sound and when you’re in a different country, it’s best to respect that things are different from home and appreciate the differences.
How much does a room costs at Jogja Village ?
Prices start 48 $/night for Deluxe King Room.
Spacious air-conditioned room features an open-air or indoor bathtub, and a private balcony or terrace overlooking the gardens and pool. Bed is fitted with mosquito nets. You will find an electric kettle and a flat-screen TV in each room.
Where to book online – Jogja Village – Gay Friendly Hotels Yogyakarta – you can find the best hotels deals in Yogyakarta during Yogyakarta Art Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Yogyakarta on Booking.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
3. Grand Aston Yogyakarta 5* – Gay Friendly Hotels Yogyakarta
The 5-star Yogyakarta offers luxurious air-conditioned in downtown Yogyakarta, just 2 minutes’ walk from the main shopping streets. Aside from an outdoor pool, it has a fitness centre and pampering spa services.
Fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, the spacious rooms are decorated in soothing neutral colours. All come with a cable TV and minibar. Bathrooms are equipped with a hairdryer.
Location was good, 15-20 mins from airport, 5-mins walk to Galleria Mall (Canting restaurant offers a beautiful rooftop bar and awesome food. Great spot to catch sunset) and 20 mins to their shopping area, Malioboro. Take grab everywhere because it’s super cheap.
Lovely stay – great decor and service, lots of attention to detail. Good value cheap 5 star – good facilities. Pool is a bit standard and gym is small but fully functional. In the middle of a busy ish area although not so much for tourists within walking distance. Close to the famous Galleria mall – 2 mins walking. Huge breakfast spread including lots of local varieties as well as continental.
Check in: nice welcome drink & towel gesture, seamless check in, good english, made us feel welcome
Room: facing the pool. Nice. A little small but clean and comfortable. Appreciate the attention to get us connecting rooms. So many channels on TV. Kids love it. No face & hand towels. Only bath towels.
Room service: easy, fast, reasonable price and most importantly, taste yummy. We had beef burger, fried rice, beef ribs clear soup, etc. All good
Pejamata spa: open from 8am to 11pm. Very convenient. We tried the Indonesian and salt crystal massages. Good!
Saffron: awesome service esp Wahyu. He addressed us by name on the 2nd day. Coffee at breakfast not good but they also offer freshly brewed illy coffee at IDR18,000. Love the fresh juices too.
Location: 10min to Malioboro by car so it’s not at a busy area. Galleria mall just 100m away. The Holy Cow & Madam Tan kitchen next door offer great food and service.
Pro
– super comfy bed and clean room, good room size
– friendly helpful staff who smile and greet
– free wifi, toiletries provided
– holy cow restaurant is just inside the hotel which serves really good wagyu steak. Recommended to dine at there.
– 2 supermarkets opposite hotel
– some street snacks opposite the hotel
– walking distance to galleria mall
– 10 min cab ride to plaza ambarrukmo, some taxi drivers stated that minimum cab fare is 25000 despite the meter is about 19,000 – 20,000.
– 10 min cab ride to malioboro street
– 20 min cab ride to airport
– fresh juices and freshly baked croissant for breakfast is a plus point.
– can request for breakfast box if you are catching sunrise tour
– good location, safe street, not sleazy
– wide selection of breakfast choices and egg station but taste is up to individual preference to determine nice or not.
– good spa
How much does a room costs at Grand Aston Yogyakarta ?
Prices start 47 $/night for Superior Double . The Presidential Suite is 250$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.
Overlooking the city, this air-conditioned suite is more spacious. It includes a separate living room with 2 flat-screen cable TVs and a minibar. En suite bathroom comes with a bathtub.
Where to book online – Grand Aston Yogyakarta – Gay Friendly Hotels Yogyakarta – you can find the best hotels deals in Yogyakarta during Yogyakarta Art Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Yogyakarta on Booking.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
