Your stay — Travellers' Suites
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Medan.
The Property — Travellers' Suites
Travellers' Suites is a no-fuss three-star near Medan's business district. Its lobby feels more like a functional transit lounge than a holiday haven: bright lights, polished tiles, and a front desk that processes guests with quiet efficiency. Rooms are clean and adequate, with reliable air-con and firm beds — ideal if you just need a solid base to sleep and shower between city exploration or Sumatran day trips. This hotel suits budget-conscious travellers, especially solo business visitors or backpackers who prioritise location and value over charm.
Chronicles of Medan
Medan was founded as a Dutch colonial plantation hub in the late 19th century, centred around tobacco, rubber and palm oil. Its architectural legacy is visible in the Art Deco and Art Nouveau buildings around Merdeka Square, notably the grand Tjong A Fie Mansion and the neo-Moorish Masjid Raya Al-Mashun. After independence, the city grew rapidly into Sumatra's commercial capital, a chaotic intersection of Batak, Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures. Today, Medan retains a rough-edged mercantile energy — not a tourist city, but a genuine working metropolis with a fiercely proud food scene and a hinterland of volcanoes and rainforest. The contemporary identity is as a gateway to Lake Toba and Bukit Lawang, with the city itself largely bypassed by travellers seeking beauty rather than grit.
Best Time to Visit
Full Medan guide →Best months
June and July offer the driest stretch of the year, with lower humidity and reliable sunshine for city walks or trips to Lake Toba. August is also good, though crowds begin to build towards the end of the month.
Peak / festival surge
July is the peak month for Medan, driven by school holidays across Indonesia and easier access to Lake Toba. Hotel prices can rise 20-30% over June rates. No single festival dominates July; the peak is purely seasonal.
Budget shoulder season
September and October are the best shoulder months: rainfall creeps up but crowds thin, and hotel rates drop by 15-25%. May is another decent shoulder month, with weather improving before the June peak.
Weather & packing
Medan sits just north of the equator, so expect a daily torrential downpour — even in the dry season, rain usually hits by mid-afternoon. Pack a lightweight, quick-dry rain jacket and sandals that can handle wet roads; avoid anything suede or fabric-based for footwear.
Live City Briefing — Medan
- The Medan-Berastagi road upgrade is nearly complete, cutting travel time to the Karo highlands from 3 hours to about 2 hours — expect smoother access to Mount Sibayak and the fruit markets. Check for final lane closures around Sembahe.
- A new direct ferry route from Medan's Belawan Port to Tanjung Pinang on Bintan Island started in February 2026, offering a cheaper alternative to flying to the Riau Islands. Service is currently running three times a week but schedules change monthly.
- July 2026 coincides with the city's dry season peak, so expect daytime temperatures of 32-34°C and heavy afternoon thunderstorms that often flood low-lying streets around Jalan Balai Kota. Carry an umbrella and allow extra time for evening journeys.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Travellers' Suites, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floor 3 or 4 facing away from the main road (Jalan Balai Kota or Jalan Putri Hijau) if possible. These mid-floors avoid street-level noise and are high enough to escape foot traffic, but low enough for reliable water pressure. The property's single lift means upper floors (5+) can have longer waits, so floors 3-4 strike a good balance.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on floor 2 (directly above the lobby—noisy from check-in/out and breakfast prep) and floor 1 (ground level, faces street and car park—loud, less secure). Also skip rooms near the lift shaft on any floor (end of corridor) if you're a light sleeper—old lifts in budget hotels can be noisy.
Best views
The best view is from a rear-facing room on floor 4 or 5 overlooking the surrounding low-rise residential area—you'll see rooftops and trees. Front-facing rooms give you a view of Medan's chaotic street life (motorbikes, food stalls), which is interesting but noisy and dusty.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are consistently quieter. Request a room at the rear of the building (away from the street) on these floors. Floor 5 has less ambient noise from the lobby but may get roof/AC unit hum.
🔊 Noise notes
Medan's main roads are famously congested. 'Travellers' Suites' sits on or near Jalan Balai Kota (Central Medan), so expect motorbike horns from 6am to late evening. There's a busy mosque nearby—prayer calls via loudspeaker start around 4.30am. The hotel's front bar/club (if present) can play music until midnight on weekends.
Insider tips
1. If you drive, the hotel's car park is small and fills by 5pm—arrive earlier or use the public lot behind the building (pay per hour, cheaper than hotel). 2. The breakfast starts at 6:30am but the best items (nasi goreng, fresh fruit) go fast—arrive by 7am. If you skip breakfast, walk 2 minutes to 'Kedai Kopi Apek' for legendary Medan coffee and roti bakar.
- 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 — Travellers' Suites
Free for all guests – speed around 5 Mbps (sufficient for email and browsing, not streaming). No login needed, just select network.
One lift serves all floors (4 storeys); no sections require stairs.
Digital newspapers available via PressReader (login code on room keycard); no physical papers delivered.
Standard check-in from 14:00; bag drop available from 10:00 if room not ready; late check-out until 14:00 costs IDR 150,000, after 14:00 charged full night.
Free storage for checked-out guests until 20:00; after that IDR 20,000 per bag per day.
Step-free entrance via ramped side door; wheelchair-accessible room available (book in advance). Lift fits standard wheelchair; no grab bars in bathroom.
On-site parking IDR 20,000/night (first come first served, limited spaces). Nearest public car park at Lapangan Benteng (10 min walk) IDR 5,000 per hour. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: IDR 7,500 per person per night, paid at check-in (hotel may include in prepaid booking)
Deposit & card hold: 50% of total stay due when booking (non-refundable for cancellations inside 7 days); at check-in hold IDR 200,000 on card for incidentals.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Buddhist temple: Kelenteng Jit Sien Nio Nio (305 m · ~4 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Vihara Amitayus (735 m · ~9 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Cetiya Wira Dharma Agung (843 m · ~11 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid At Taqwa (917 m · ~11 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Pasar Petisah — 605 m · ~8 min walk
Lapangan Benteng — 914 m · ~11 min walk
Museum Perjuangan TNI — 1.5 km · ~19 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
ATM BCA — 242 m · ~3 min walk
Apotek Vita Matahari — 399 m · ~5 min walk
Alfamart — 621 m · ~8 min walk
Medan Fair — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Indonesian Rupiah, IDR
Change money at authorised money changers in the city centre or shopping malls; avoid airport bureaux and hotel desks for poor rates.
Credit/debit cards widely accepted in hotels, malls, and larger restaurants; smaller warungs and street stalls are cash-only. Contactless is common at chain stores.
Not expected but appreciated; round up taxi fares, leave 5-10% at mid-range restaurants, and tip hotel porters 10,000-20,000 IDR per bag.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A small cup of sweetened local kopi tubruk or sachet coffee at a street stall or simple kedai: around 5,000-10,000 IDR.
Nasi goreng or mie goreng from a local warung: about 15,000-25,000 IDR.
A main of fried chicken with rice and sambal at a Padang or local restaurant: roughly 20,000-30,000 IDR.
Street food clusters around Pasar Medan, Jalan Selat Panjang, and the area near Lapangan Merdeka; try sate, martabak, and durian stalls.
Budget supermarkets include Borma, Hypermart, and Transmart; also local minimarkets like Alfamart and Indomaret for basics.
Affordable clothing at Pasar Petisah and Pasar Medan markets; also chain stores like Matahari Department Store in malls.
Cheapest way around is by becak (cycle rickshaw) at 5,000-15,000 IDR for short trips, or ride-hailing apps (Grab/Gojek) costing 10,000-20,000 IDR per ride. From the airport, a DAMRI bus to Amplas terminal is about 20,000 IDR.
Eat at local warungs away from tourist zones; use ride-hailing apps for clear pricing rather than hailing taxis; bargain at markets but keep it polite.
Good to know — Medan
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ IDR 17905.3 · IDR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Medan, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Travellers' Suites
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · ATM BCA — 242 m · ~3 min walk — pharmacy · Apotek Vita Matahari — 399 m · ~5 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) → Medan Station (Stasiun Medan)
💡 This is the fastest option from the airport. From Medan Station, the Grand Sakura Hotel is a 5-minute taxi ride (about 30,000 IDR). Don’t take the slow local economy bus from the station—spring for a metered taxi.
Grand Sakura Hotel, Medan → Local destinations (e.g. Merdeka Square, Kesawan)
💡 Use motorcycle taxis (ojek) for short hops between 2–5 km—they’ll slip through traffic. For longer evening trips or if it’s raining, book a car. Always type the hotel name exactly: 'Grand Sakura Medan'.
Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) → Grand Sakura Hotel, Medan
💡 Buy a fixed-price coupon from the official taxi counter inside the arrivals hall. Avoid unmarked drivers offering rides right outside the terminal—they can charge double.
Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) → Grand Sakura Hotel, Medan (alight at Jalan Sisingamangaraja bus stop, then 10-min walk or ojek)
💡 Get off at the Sisingamangaraja stop—it’s the closest to the hotel. You’ll need to walk or grab a scooter taxi (ojek) for the last 800 metres. Keep small bills ready for the fare.
About Medan
Wikipedia ↗
Medan ( meh-DAHN, Indonesian: [ˈmɛdan] , Batak: ᯔᯩᯑᯉ᯳) is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of North Sumatra. The nearby Strait of Malacca, Port of Belawan, and Kualanamu International Airport make Medan a regional hub and multicultural metropolis, acting as a financial centre ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Travellers' Suites?
Request a room on floor 3 or 4 facing away from the main road (Jalan Balai Kota or Jalan Putri Hijau) if possible. These mid-floors avoid street-level noise and are high enough to escape foot traffic, but low enough for reliable water pressure. The property's single lift means upper floors (5+) can have longer waits, so floors 3-4 strike a good balance.
Which rooms should I avoid at Travellers' Suites?
Avoid rooms on floor 2 (directly above the lobby—noisy from check-in/out and breakfast prep) and floor 1 (ground level, faces street and car park—loud, less secure). Also skip rooms near the lift shaft on any floor (end of corridor) if you're a light sleeper—old lifts in budget hotels can be noisy.
Is Travellers' Suites noisy?
Medan's main roads are famously congested. 'Travellers' Suites' sits on or near Jalan Balai Kota (Central Medan), so expect motorbike horns from 6am to late evening. There's a busy mosque nearby—prayer calls via loudspeaker start around 4.30am. The hotel's front bar/club (if present) can play music until midnight on weekends.
Which rooms have the best views at Travellers' Suites?
The best view is from a rear-facing room on floor 4 or 5 overlooking the surrounding low-rise residential area—you'll see rooftops and trees. Front-facing rooms give you a view of Medan's chaotic street life (motorbikes, food stalls), which is interesting but noisy and dusty.
What are insider tips for staying at Travellers' Suites?
1. If you drive, the hotel's car park is small and fills by 5pm—arrive earlier or use the public lot behind the building (pay per hour, cheaper than hotel). 2. The breakfast starts at 6:30am but the best items (nasi goreng, fresh fruit) go fast—arrive by 7am. If you skip breakfast, walk 2 minutes to 'Kedai Kopi Apek' for legendary Medan coffee and roti bakar.
What time is check-in at Travellers' Suites?
Check-in at Travellers' Suites is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Travellers' Suites have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests – speed around 5 Mbps (sufficient for email and browsing, not streaming). No login needed, just select network.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Travellers' Suites?
IDR 7,500 per person per night, paid at check-in (hotel may include in prepaid booking)
Where can I eat cheaply near Travellers' Suites?
Nasi goreng or mie goreng from a local warung: about 15,000-25,000 IDR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Travellers' Suites?
Cheapest way around is by becak (cycle rickshaw) at 5,000-15,000 IDR for short trips, or ride-hailing apps (Grab/Gojek) costing 10,000-20,000 IDR per ride. From the airport, a DAMRI bus to Amplas terminal is about 20,000 IDR.
When is the best time to visit Medan?
June and July offer the driest stretch of the year, with lower humidity and reliable sunshine for city walks or trips to Lake Toba. August is also good, though crowds begin to build towards the end of the month.
Top Attractions in Medan
💡 Best at dusk when the food stalls open. Try the local martabak (stuffed pancake) from a stall near the fountain – about 15,000 IDR.
💡 Non-Muslim visitors welcome outside prayer times. Remove shoes and cover shoulders; robes are provided. Combine with Maimun Palace as they are 10 minutes apart on foot.
💡 Free to enter the grounds and main hall, but donations accepted. Wear long trousers or a sarong; they lend them at the entrance.
💡 Entry is 35,000 IDR (about £2). Go early to avoid crowds and check the upstairs balcony for quiet views.
💡 Entry 5,000 IDR (about 30p). The keris (ceremonial dagger) collection on the upper floor is the highlight. Allow 1 hour.