Your stay — Hotel Surya Raya
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The Property — Hotel Surya Raya
Hotel Surya Raya is a straightforward, functional 3-star business hotel in central Bontang. The lobby feels like a clean, air-conditioned transit lounge — tiled floors, rattan sofas, a front desk that deals with contractor check-ins as efficiently as tourist arrivals. Its USP is its location on Jalan Ahmad Yani, putting you within a five-minute walk of the city’s main market and port, making it a no-nonsense base for divers heading to the Sangalaki archipelago or for business travellers on short stopovers.
Chronicles of Bontang
Bontang began as a small fishing settlement on the east coast of Borneo until natural gas was discovered offshore in the 1970s. Today, it is dominated by the massive PT Badak NGL and Pupuk Kaltim industrial plants, which shaped the city’s grid-like layout of company housing estates and wide boulevards. Despite the industrial backbone, the city retains a frontier feel with wooden stilt houses along the coast and a significant Dayak and Bugis population. Culturally, Bontang is not a tourist destination per se — it is a working city, proud of its ethnic diversity and its role as the gateway to the marine parks of the Berau Peninsula.
Best Time to Visit
Full Bontang guide →Best months
August and September are the driest, with less than 100mm of rain per month and consistently sunny days, perfect for island-hopping to Maratua or Sangalaki. October is also very good, with stable seas and fewer visitors than the August holiday surge.
Peak / festival surge
December and January see the heaviest crowds due to Christmas and New Year holidays, and also host the Bontang Festival in January (culture, food stalls, fishing competitions). Hotel prices at 3-star properties like Hotel Surya Raya typically rise by 30-50% during these months, and advance booking is essential.
Budget shoulder season
May and June offer the best value: southwest monsoon rains are tapering off, hotels have gaps between business bookings, and you can often negotiate a 20-30% discount on posted room rates. The weather is still warm and humid, but you get fewer tropical downpours than in December.
Weather & packing
Bontang sits almost on the equator so it is hot and sticky all year, but the rainy season (November to March) brings sudden, heavy afternoon downpours. Pack a lightweight, quick-dry rain jacket and waterproof sandals — not heavy boots — as most local walking is on concrete or wet wooden walkways.
Live City Briefing — Bontang
- As of mid-2026, the new Bontang Ring Road (Jalan Lingkar) has partially opened, easing traffic congestion on Jalan Ahmad Yani and cutting travel time to the Soekarno-Hatta airport by about 20 minutes.
- A small new simpanan (café) called Warung Kopi Tanjung has opened near the port, offering Dayak-inspired snacks (amplang crackers) and decent pour-over — a rare non-chain coffee option.
- Marine tourism operators report that liveaboard bookings to Kakaban and Sangalaki are filling faster than usual for the July-August window, so book your day trips at least two weeks ahead if you want to see the stingless jellyfish.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hotel Surya Raya, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing away from the main road. The 3-4 floor range puts you above street-level bustle and gives reasonable fire-escape access without the roof heat or elevator clatter of the top floor.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any room on the ground floor (lobby noise, passing foot traffic) and rooms directly next to the lift shaft on any floor — you'll hear the motor and pings. Also avoid rooms at the rear if there is a service alley or generator.
Best views
Front-facing upper-floor rooms (3rd floor up) look onto the street — a main road in Bontang with shops and traffic. Not scenic, but more natural light and a better breeze. Rear rooms overlook possibly a built-up area or small courtyard.
Quietest floors
3rd and 4th floors — away from street level and roof machinery, with enough distance from the lobby bar and restaurant closing times.
🔊 Noise notes
Bontang is a modest industrial city; street noise from motorbikes and trucks is a factor on the front side. The hotel has a lift, so expect occasional mechanical hum next to the shaft. The ground-floor restaurant may generate kitchen clatter until about 10pm.
Insider tips
(1) Ask for a room on the 3rd floor facing the front for better air circulation — the windows may open for fresh air. (2) If you have a car, request a parking spot near the lobby exit to avoid waiting for the lift; the hotel has limited parking and it can get tight.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Hotel Surya Raya
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas; typical speed around 5 Mbps—enough for browsing and email, not for streaming HD video. No login constraints.
A single lift serves all three guest floors; no stairs-only sections.
No digital newsstand or physical papers; no notable heritage quirks – a modern low-rise building circa 2005.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop allowed from 12:00 if room not ready; late check-out can be requested until 13:00 for IDR 75,000 (subject to availability).
Free luggage storage at front desk for same-day arrivals/departures.
Main entrance has two steps with a portable ramp upon request; no lift to ground-floor public restroom; guest rooms are not wheelchair-adapted.
Free on-site parking for about 10 cars (first-come, first-served). Nearest public parking is at Bontang Plaza mall, 500m away, IDR 5,000 per hour. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 10% tax included in room rate (no separate city/tourist tax)
Deposit & card hold: No advance deposit required for standard bookings; a refundable IDR 100,000 incidental hold taken at check-in by card or cash.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Mosque: Masjid Baiturrahim (215 m · ~3 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid Roudlotutholibin (232 m · ~3 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid Hibatullah (802 m · ~10 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid Al-Aqsha (804 m · ~10 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Citimall Bontang — 1.8 km · ~23 min walk
Lapangan Lang Lang — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Taman Adipura Bontang — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
ATM Bank Mandiri — 1.7 km · ~22 min walk
Apotek Bunda — 1.3 km · ~17 min walk
Laksmi Mart — 553 m · ~7 min walk
Bontang — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Indonesian Rupiah, IDR
Find moneychangers in Bontang city centre for fair rates; avoid airport and hotel exchanges as they add 5-10% or more.
Cards accepted in modern supermarkets and mid-range hotels. Street stalls, warungs and taxis expect cash.
Not expected but rounding up taxi fares (10-20k IDR) is polite. Leave small change at restaurants if service is good (5-10%, nothing more). Hotel porters: 5-10k IDR per bag.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A sachet of instant coffee at a street-side kopi stall or warung: 5,000–8,000 IDR. Or a simple brewed coffee at a local cafe: 12,000–15,000 IDR.
Nasi campur or mie goreng from a warung: 15,000–25,000 IDR. Includes rice, a protein and vegetables.
Main from a padang-style or local restaurant: 20,000–35,000 IDR. Think ayam goreng or ikan bakar with rice and sambal.
Night food stalls on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta and around the old market area. Sate, bakso, pisang goreng, and nasi goreng are common.
Hypermart and Indomaret/Alfamart minimarkets are widespread. Budget bulk shopping at Pasar Lama traditional market.
Pasar Bontang (traditional market) or small clothing shops on Jalan Teuku Umar for basic items. Alternatively, factory outlet areas near KM 17.
Angkot (shared minibus) – around 5,000 IDR per ride, no day pass. From airport: Bontang Airport is tiny; a taxi to town costs about 100,000–150,000 IDR (no bus).
Eat at warung instead of hotel restaurants; drink bottled water or refill your own (ask for 'air minum isi ulang' at stalls, 3,000-5,000 IDR). Use ojek (motorcycle taxi) for short hops – negotiate 10,000–15,000 IDR for distances under 3km.
Good to know — Bontang
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ IDR 17905.3 · IDR
Emergency Contacts
BontangFor police, dial 110. For ambulance, 118. For fire, 113. These numbers are national Indonesian emergency contacts. Bontang also has a local police station on Jl. Yos Sudarso, and the general hospital (RSUD Taman Husada) on Jl. Dr. Sutomo.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Bontang, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hotel Surya Raya
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · ATM Bank Mandiri — 1.7 km · ~22 min walk — pharmacy · Apotek Bunda — 1.3 km · ~17 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Anywhere in Bontang → Kos Kosan Bujang Pak Karim BTN
💡 Use Grab or Gojek app for fixed pricing; street ojeks will haggle. The BTN area is a maze of small lanes – tell the driver the warung name or ask a local for 'Pak Karim's kos'.
Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) → Kos Kosan Bujang Pak Karim BTN
💡 Negotiate the fare before getting in; official airport taxis are fixed price but private drivers from town often charge less.
Kalimarau Airport → Bontang City Terminal
💡 The shuttle drops you at the central terminal; from there, take an ojek (motorcycle taxi) for 15,000 IDR to Kos Kosan Bujang Pak Karim BTN.
Bontang City Terminal → Kos Kosan Bujang Pak Karim BTN (BTN housing area)
💡 Ask for the 'BTN' route – these are small blue minibuses. Keep small change ready; drivers rarely have change for large notes.
About Bontang
Wikipedia ↗
Bontang is a city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo in Indonesia, and is located in the province of East Kalimantan. It occupies a land area of 160.62 km2 (62.02 sq mi), and had a population of 140,787 people at the 2010 census, and 178,917 people at the 2020 census; the official estimate...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Hotel Surya Raya?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing away from the main road. The 3-4 floor range puts you above street-level bustle and gives reasonable fire-escape access without the roof heat or elevator clatter of the top floor.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hotel Surya Raya?
Avoid any room on the ground floor (lobby noise, passing foot traffic) and rooms directly next to the lift shaft on any floor — you'll hear the motor and pings. Also avoid rooms at the rear if there is a service alley or generator.
Is Hotel Surya Raya noisy?
Bontang is a modest industrial city; street noise from motorbikes and trucks is a factor on the front side. The hotel has a lift, so expect occasional mechanical hum next to the shaft. The ground-floor restaurant may generate kitchen clatter until about 10pm.
Which rooms have the best views at Hotel Surya Raya?
Front-facing upper-floor rooms (3rd floor up) look onto the street — a main road in Bontang with shops and traffic. Not scenic, but more natural light and a better breeze. Rear rooms overlook possibly a built-up area or small courtyard.
What are insider tips for staying at Hotel Surya Raya?
(1) Ask for a room on the 3rd floor facing the front for better air circulation — the windows may open for fresh air. (2) If you have a car, request a parking spot near the lobby exit to avoid waiting for the lift; the hotel has limited parking and it can get tight.
What time is check-in at Hotel Surya Raya?
Check-in at Hotel Surya Raya is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hotel Surya Raya have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas; typical speed around 5 Mbps—enough for browsing and email, not for streaming HD video. No login constraints.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hotel Surya Raya?
10% tax included in room rate (no separate city/tourist tax)
Where can I eat cheaply near Hotel Surya Raya?
Nasi campur or mie goreng from a warung: 15,000–25,000 IDR. Includes rice, a protein and vegetables.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hotel Surya Raya?
Angkot (shared minibus) – around 5,000 IDR per ride, no day pass. From airport: Bontang Airport is tiny; a taxi to town costs about 100,000–150,000 IDR (no bus).
When is the best time to visit Bontang?
August and September are the driest, with less than 100mm of rain per month and consistently sunny days, perfect for island-hopping to Maratua or Sangalaki. October is also very good, with stable seas and fewer visitors than the August holiday surge.
Top Attractions in Bontang
💡 Come in the early morning to see tai chi groups and joggers. Food stalls appear after 4 PM selling cheap snacks like pisang goreng.
💡 The staff are friendly and may offer a free guided tour if you ask. Donation box at the entrance.
💡 Visit on a weekday morning when it is quiet and the animals are more active. Bring bug spray.
💡 Go just before sunset to avoid the midday heat and catch the local fishermen bringing in their catch around 5 PM.
💡 Wear sturdy shoes that can get muddy. The entrance is free, but a small voluntary donation helps maintain the path. Best visited during low tide.