For a real flavour of what Java has to offer, this remarkable luxury hotel, loaded with local character and genuine hospitality, sets the standard. It manages to be both laid-back and elegant.
Room after room is filled with antiques and near priceless artefacts, but that infusion of class and old-world history feels effortless rather than stodgy, mostly because the rooms are so inviting. With thick teak floors, platform king-sized beds, elegant bathrooms (some with bashed tin baths), high ceilings and wall-length desks, it's the type of nest that would make the perfect lovers' hideaway. The spa, wine bar and wonderful restaurant don't hurt either. There's a reason global royalty have stayed here. Owned by one of the foremost collectors of Indonesian and East Asian antiquities in the country, it doubles as a museum.