Review: Fairfield by Marriott Surabaya, Indonesia

Fairfield by Marriott Surabaya is the brand’s first property in Indonesia, and was perhaps introduced as the hotel chain’s answer to a rapidly growing demand for mid-scale accommodation in the largest country of Southeast Asia. It is located west of Surabaya’s city centre, and not far from the Ciputra World shopping mall (which is, by the way, where Indonesia’s longest escalator can be found) and the Shangri-La Hotel Surabaya.

Fairfield by Marriott Surabaya

Standing at 121 metres tall, the hotel opened in 2016 with 280 rooms and suites across 30 floors. Entry for vehicles into the building compound incurs a 10,000 Rupiah (USD $0.70) parking charge, which can be waived by hotel security with a stamp on the parking ticket. The hotel lobby is on the second floor, accessible from the ground floor by lift or escalator. An ellipse shaped counter is in the middle, with the front desk on one side, and the Lobby Lounge bar on the other.

The check-in counter on one side...

... and a bar on the other

Bar selection at the Lobby Lounge

Room types at this hotel seemed to be quite limited, with Deluxe King and Twin rooms available at 27 square metres (sqm), 1-bedroom Junior Suites with approximately twice the space at 56 sqm, and 2-bedroom Family Suites at 80 sqm. On this occasion I was staying at a Junior Suite.

Lift lobby on an upper floor

Upon entering the suite, what I immediately noticed as I stepped in was the carpet, for which the orange rings were too similar to the Marriott Bonvoy designs to have been a coincidence. Perhaps (and just a wild guess, really) this might be some kind of sub-conscious marketing technique towards the goal of brand loyalty.

What I would call the "Bonvoy carpet"

The living area was quite colourful, with turquoise cushions, a vibrant piece of abstract art on the wall, and of course, enhanced by the "Bonvoy carpet". In the middle was a triple edged coffee table, with enough brochures and guides already there to fill its length.

Living area of the Junior Suite

A separate dining area and kitchenette

I would have hoped for floor to ceiling glass windows, but only half-height windows were installed, although this seems to be the norm throughout the hotel building including the restaurant.

View from the suite

The bedrooms of Junior Suites all comes with a king bed. An animal towel art with paper eyes sits near the edge with a note from the hotel housekeeper.

Bedroom of the Junior Suite

Close up - this creature even comes with paper eyes

The bathroom was sufficiently large with enough towels, but other bathroom amenities were on the modest side. A hand soap bar was not available, as was hair conditioner, and the lack of a glass door for the shower inevitably led to a wet bathroom floor.

Bathroom of the Junior Suite

Only the essentials - shower gel, shampoo and body lotion

A short glass panel without a door

An Irish spa facility (Kamara Spa) and a 24-hour fitness centre are available at the hotel, although something more interesting to me was an open space between two towers with colourful bean bags. The hotel occupies one of the two towers, and a connected roof is present several floors above which provides some shade during midday. A swimming pool (albeit non-infinity style) sits in front of the open space.

Colourful bean bags

The two blocks towering above

Swimming pool

The hotel's Kava Restaurant is located on the opposite side of the open space, bringing guests to the adjacent building. This is the only dining venue in the hotel, not including the lobby lounge. A buffet breakfast is offered on a daily basis, at a fee of 130,000 IDR per person, if not already included in the room rate or through loyalty privileges. On the wall was a map of Indonesia which marks out the local dishes from its constituent regions, which was an interesting and informative backdrop for the buffet.

Local dishes and the Indonesia map behind

Part of the buffet selection and seating area

Buffet breakfast

A major positive point about this hotel lies with the fact that it is part of a high-rise building, which does afford some great views of Surabaya from the upper floors. This also provides some escape from the hustle and bustle below in a fairly congested city. Its proximity to the Ciputra World shopping mall is helpful, although crossing the streets and the lack of paved pedestrian paths makes walking there a challenge, despite the distance not being far. Thus, guests who prefer direct shopping mall access may wish to opt for other hotels at Tunjungan Plaza or Pakuwon Indah. Finally, with Fairfield being an international brand, it carries along with it a sense of reliability, quality, and a standard of English proficiency among its staff, all of which are very helpful to the foreign traveller.

Welcome amenities

Fairfield by Marriott Surabaya is located at Jalan Mayjend Sungkono No. 178, Surabaya, 60225 Indonesia.