The Storied History of Hotel Majapahit by MGallery
The magic and Old World elegance that await you inside Hotel Majapahit by MGallery cannot be imagined from its front entrance on the street.
The magic and Old World elegance that await you inside Hotel Majapahit by MGallery cannot be imagined from its front entrance on the street.
Sitting on a busy commercial street in downtown Surabaya, Indonesia, Hotel Majapahit reveals itself slowly. Its large reception area, where tea is appropriately served every afternoon, is filled with low tables, chairs, paintings and objets d'art. Look above the ceilings at the entry hall, and you'll be reminded of a time gone by when chandeliers and colored glass decor ruled aesthetically.
But step further down into the original entry hall of the hotel and you're transported to the 1900s–1910, to be exact. The hotel was built that year and every inch shows it. The ceilings are high and the colonial architecture is laden with glass arched Art Deco windows and antique lamps. There are chairs with long arms straight from the era and photos on the walls that capture the early 1900s of Surabaya.
The building and its rooms hark back to the colonial period and are replete with ceiling fans and architecture that today's modern world lacks. Somewhat provincial, with the feeling of being on a plantation, the grounds offer swaths of greenery amidst relatively short wooden buildings that match the warm weather.
In 1900, so the story goes, Lucas Martin Sarkies of the famed Sarkies hotels family–developers in Asia–purchased land of 1000 sq. m. in size in Surabaya's famed Tunjungan area. The road was part of the business district at the time of the Dutch East Indies, which occupied Indonesia at the time (until 1945). In 1910, the Oranje Hotel began construction and opened in 1911. From 1923 to 1926, two new wings were completed. In 1930, a new lobby was fitted. The Royal Party of Crown Prince Leopold III of Belgium and Princess Astrid of Belgium attended the inauguration. Also in attendance at the event were Charlie Chaplin, American actress Paulette Goddard, and writer Joseph Conrad. It was a feat and a feast.
In 1942, the Imperial Japanese forces took over the hotel and renamed it Hotel Yamato. It was their base in East Java. In 1945, at the end of WWII and after the independence of Indonesia in the same year, the "Teenagers of Surabaya," a group that allied with freedom from colonialism, tore the blue strip of the Dutch flag to retain its red and white parts–which became the Indonesian flag. The hotel was renamed Hotel Merdeka, known in English as Hotel Independence.
The history of the hotel continues beyond there. In 1946, the Sarkies brothers renamed the hotel after its founder, Lucas Martin Sarkies, the L.M.S. Hotel. In 1969, however, Mantrust Holdings Co. renamed it Hotel Majapahit after the enduring Indonesian kingdom Majapahit. Mandarin Oriental Group and the Sekar company joined forces to renovate the hotel for 35 million dollars. In 1996, the hotel was relaunched under Mandarin Oriental. It received an architectural preservation award and became a National Heritage Landmark of Indonesia.
In the 2000s, the hotel changed ownership several times. In 2014, the Ministry of Education and Culture officially recognized Hotel Majapahit as a cultural heritage landmark. Finally, a few years ago, the Accor Group took over hotel management under its MGallery chain.
Hotel Majapahit by MGallery's General Manager Kahar Salamun says, "The hotel's history is its local DNA. You see other hotels now, mostly modern high-rise buildings. But in Surabaya, this is the only one with a low-rise building and a large garden. Because of that, its DNA. is very strongly linked to local culture. Everything is related to a story, down to the welcome drink."
We were treated to luscious meals during our stay at Majapahit, including tea at the lobby with petit fours and macarons. But our favorite meal was a dinner where we tasted authentic Indonesian food at the hotel’s Indigo restaurant. Our first dish was Rawon Iga with beef. The soup dish gets its black color from black keluak nut, which also gives it a distinctive flavor. There are several kinds of rawon, and the Surabayan version is the most popular one. Next on the menu was Sop Buntut Goreng, or fried oxtail soup, a famous and traditional Indonesian dish. Then there was the Nasi Goreng Ireng, a variation of the traditional Nasi Goreng fried rice. It translated to English as bamboo charcoal fried rice with anchovies and was delicious. The last thing we were served was Kalio Udang Kalimas, a moderately spicy curry with large prawns and coconut milk. It was an eye-opening dinner, leading us to crave more Indonesian cuisine.
The hotel's clients are primarily European, "but Chinese come a lot too. Young Chinese, especially, come to the mountainous regions and stay here. The mountains have very spectacular views and it's the same thing inside the hotel. Some clients bring extra pairs of clothes and take photos on the hotel grounds. It's very Instagrammable," explains Salamun.
The hotel is currently being renovated. "The rooms are still classic but brighter because, for example, Asians, especially Indonesians, don't like dim lighting. The wallpaper is also being changed to upgrade the look." Being part of the Accor group has boosted marketing and loyalty programs for the hotel, which maintains personalized service rooted in local collaborations. The hotel also has all-day dining, and walk-ins are welcome because the street is famous for tourists and locals alike. "They call it Heritage Street, and many people on the street take pictures. We want to cater to that market too. We also like to work with the local communities for things like the slippers in the bedrooms, for example. Many of our food and beverage products come from local businesses," says Salamun.
The ongoing renovations and adaptations post-COVID-19 reflect the property's commitment to staying relevant and appealing to the changing travel landscape. Its sustainability programs include using food waste and having no plastics within the premises. Surprisingly, rooms typically cost less than a hundred U.S. dollars. Compared to other destinations like Bali or Jakarta, this heritage property offers guests a unique journey back in time within budget-friendly rates.
With a focus on cultural authenticity and historicity, the hotel remains a distinctive destination in Surabaya, offering a unique experience for its guests. Its main draws are its large rooms compared to its modern counterparts and its commitment to storytelling through architectural integrity that exudes the grandeur of an ancient empire. Not many hotels can offer the same historical background that give the hotel some depth of character and a posh landscape that complements the understated gentility. Concludes Salamun, "When people come in or stay here, it is like a time machine. While there is the hustle and bustle on the street in front, you are taken back to another era inside."
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