Your stay — Johar Hotel
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The Property — Johar Hotel
The Johar Hotel in Surabaya operates a clean, no-fuss three-star experience in the Pasar Besar district. Its lobby is brisk with tile floors and a reception desk that processes check-ins efficiently rather than with flourish. The USP is location rather than luxury: you walk out into the city’s trading heart rather than a tourist bubble. It suits backpackers and short-stay business travellers who want a cheap, central base without expecting service frills.
Chronicles of Surabaya
Surabaya was founded as a fishing village on the Brantas River and grew into a major Javanese trading port under the Majapahit Empire. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) formalised its colonial footprint in the 18th century, building the administrative core that now mixes neo-Renaissance warehouses with Chinese shophouses. Indonesia’s independence struggle famously pivoted here on 10 November 1945, earning the city its ‘City of Heroes’ moniker and an annual national ceremony at the Heroes Monument. Today, Surabaya is a gritty, sprawling economic hub of 3 million people, where the old Arab quarter (Ampel) and Dutch-era architecture sit alongside brutalist shopping malls and a ring-road of concrete flyovers. Its identity is proudly mercantile: raw, purposeful, and indifferent to tourism.
Best Time to Visit
Full Surabaya guide →Best months
May–September: these are the dry months with low humidity and clear skies. July in particular has strong sun and no rain, making it best for exploring the city on foot or by bemo.
Peak / festival surge
July is peak because it coincides with school holidays across Indonesia’s national calendar. Hotels like Johar inflate rates by 20–30% as domestic tourists fill the city for family trips and short breaks. No single festival drives July; the spike is purely seasonal leisure demand.
Budget shoulder season
April and October offer the best budget shoulder: rain starts or ends unpredictably, but crowds thin completely and room rates at Johar often drop below IDR 250,000. The weather is still warm, with afternoon showers that pass quickly.
Weather & packing
Surabaya sits just south of the equator, so the sun is brutal year-round and UV index hits extreme by 10am. Pack a wide-brimmed hat, SPF 50 sunblock, and a cotton long-sleeve shirt—not an umbrella, which you will sweat through in minutes.
Live City Briefing — Surabaya
- The new Suroboyo Bus BRT line started running along Jalan Pahlawan in March 2026, connecting Pasar Turi station to Tunjungan Plaza; single tickets cost IDR 5,000 but require a prepaid card from minimarkets.
- The historic International Building (1933) on Jalan Tunjungan reopened its ground floor as a co-working café last month, offering free Wi-Fi and a rooftop view of the Red Bridge.
- Heavy rain in March caused localised flooding in lower-lying parts of the city centre (Jalan Kembang Jepun area), but the river gates have since been repaired; no current advisories for July.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Johar Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request rooms on the 4th or 5th floor facing the inner courtyard (away from Jalan Basuki Rahmat). These floors sit above street-level bustle but are low enough for easy stair access if the lift is busy.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor (street-level noise and foot traffic) and any room facing the main road (Jalan Basuki Rahmat) — this is a busy thoroughfare with motorbike and truck noise from early morning until late evening. Also skip rooms near the lift bank on any floor — the lift is dated and audibly clunky.
Best views
Rooms facing the inner courtyard offer a view of the hotel's small garden and the neighbouring shophouses — not scenic but calm. Eastern-facing rooms get morning light but overlook a local market that starts setting up around 5am.
Quietest floors
Floors 3–5 are quietest, set back from street noise and above ground-floor restaurant activity.
🔊 Noise notes
Jalan Basuki Rahmat carries heavy traffic from 7am–8pm. There's a night market one block east on weekends that causes crowd chatter until midnight. The hotel's own karaoke lounge on floor 2 operates Friday–Saturday nights until 11pm.
Insider tips
1) Request a courtyard-facing room at booking — the hotel is lenient with advance requests and these rooms are notably quieter than street-facing ones. 2) Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper; the hotel's thin walls transmit hallway noise from the adjacent lift and ice machine on floors 3 and 5.
- 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 — Johar Hotel
Free WiFi in all rooms and public areas. Advertised speed 20 Mbps; no login required (open SSID 'JOHAR_HOTEL_WIFI'). Weekend evenings can get congested.
Single lift serves all 3 floors (ground, 1st, 2nd). No stairs-only sections.
No complimentary digital newsstand. A single physical copy of Kompas newspaper is available at reception each morning on a first-come basis.
Standard check-in from 14:00. Early bag drop allowed from 08:00 at reception (no charge). Late check-out until 13:00 costs IDR 200,000; after 13:00 charged as half-day rate.
Free baggage storage at reception for same-day arrivals and departures. No lockers, stored in a locked back office.
Step-free entrance via ramp at main door. One designated wheelchair-accessible room on ground floor (Room 102). Lift fits a standard wheelchair. No accessible bathroom in public areas.
On-site parking: 20 spaces free for guests (first-come, first-served). Nearest public car park is 'Parkir Ampeldenta' 150 metres east, IDR 5,000 per hour, IDR 30,000 overnight. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 10% per night on room rate (mandatory for all guests)
Deposit & card hold: Full advance payment required via bank transfer at booking. At check-in, a refundable damage deposit of IDR 500,000 is placed on hold (credit card or cash).
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Gereja Pantekosta Jemaat Immanuel (172 m · ~2 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid Al-Akbar (189 m · ~2 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid Peneleh (250 m · ~3 min walk)
- Mosque: Masjid Asy Syakur (291 m · ~4 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Tunjungan Electronic Centre — 796 m · ~10 min walk
Komplek Tugu Pahlawan — 779 m · ~10 min walk
Gedung Nasional Indonesia — 452 m · ~6 min walk
Playground Taman Prestasi — 1.5 km · ~19 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Mandiri — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk
Apotik Senang — 1.3 km · ~17 min walk
Toko Kopi cap Singa 1928 — 484 m · ~6 min walk
Surabaya Pasarturi — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Indonesian Rupiah, IDR
Use ATMs for the best rates; avoid money changers at the airport (poor rates) and tourist areas. Prefer bank ATMs (BCA, Mandiri, BNI) and decline conversion offers.
Cards accepted in mid-range hotels, malls, and larger restaurants; but small warungs, traditional markets, and local transport are cash-only. Contactless is not widely used.
Not expected. At mid-range restaurants, leaving small change (like 5000-10000 IDR) is appreciated. Taxis: round up to nearest 5000 IDR. Hotel staff: optional, 10000-20000 IDR for luggage.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Local kopi hitam (black coffee) or kopi susu (milk coffee) at a warung or street stall: 5000-8000 IDR.
Nasi campur (rice with side dishes) or mie goreng at a simple eatery: 20000-35000 IDR.
A main of ayam goreng (fried chicken) or soto ayam at a modest restaurant: 25000-40000 IDR.
Jalan Kertajaya area near ITS, or along Jalan Pemuda have many pushcarts and night-time street food vendors (sate, nasi goreng, tahu campur).
Hypermart (inside malls) or Superindo (common in residential areas). Also small 'Alfamart' and 'Indomaret' minimarkets everywhere.
Dhoho Plaza (local market) or Pasar Turi for affordable clothing. Also budget mall brands at Tunjungan Plaza.
Local minibuses (bemo/angkot) cost around 3500-5000 IDR per ride, but can be confusing. Cheapest reliable option: ride-hailing app (Gojek/Grab) motorcycle, often under 15000 IDR for short hops. From Juanda Airport, a DAMRI bus to the city centre is about 25000 IDR.
1) Eat at local warungs or street stalls rather than mall food courts. 2) Use ride-hailing apps (Gojek, Grab) instead of taxis. 3) Buy water and snacks at minimarkets, not tourist shops.
Good to know — Surabaya
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ IDR 17968.1 · IDR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Surabaya, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Johar Hotel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Mandiri — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk — pharmacy · Apotik Senang — 1.3 km · ~17 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Juanda Airport → Hotel Bali
💡 App estimates can double in surge. Book a 'GoCar' or 'GrabCar' for fixed pricing, but wait in the designated pickup zone outside the terminal entrance to avoid fines.
Juanda International Airport → Hotel Bali
💡 Buy a fixed-price coupon from the official counter inside the arrivals hall to avoid haggling. The blue taxis are reliable, but avoid drivers offering rides before the counter.
Juanda Airport Bus Terminal → Purabaya Bus Terminal (then a short taxi/trike to Hotel Bali)
💡 The bus stops at Purabaya terminal, not the hotel. From there, take a blue gojek or ojek (motorcycle taxi) for around 20,000 IDR. Bus is slow but dirt cheap.
Juanda Airport Station → Surabaya Gubeng Station (then a taxi to Hotel Bali)
💡 Fastest option with air-con. From Gubeng station, it's a 10-minute taxi ride (around 30,000 IDR) to Hotel Bali. Pay with a prepaid ticket from the station kiosk.
About Surabaya
Wikipedia ↗
Surabaya is the capital and largest city of East Java province and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strait, it is one of the earliest port cities in Southeast Asia. According to the National Development Planning Age...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Johar Hotel?
Request rooms on the 4th or 5th floor facing the inner courtyard (away from Jalan Basuki Rahmat). These floors sit above street-level bustle but are low enough for easy stair access if the lift is busy.
Which rooms should I avoid at Johar Hotel?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor (street-level noise and foot traffic) and any room facing the main road (Jalan Basuki Rahmat) — this is a busy thoroughfare with motorbike and truck noise from early morning until late evening. Also skip rooms near the lift bank on any floor — the lift is dated and audibly clunky.
Is Johar Hotel noisy?
Jalan Basuki Rahmat carries heavy traffic from 7am–8pm. There's a night market one block east on weekends that causes crowd chatter until midnight. The hotel's own karaoke lounge on floor 2 operates Friday–Saturday nights until 11pm.
Which rooms have the best views at Johar Hotel?
Rooms facing the inner courtyard offer a view of the hotel's small garden and the neighbouring shophouses — not scenic but calm. Eastern-facing rooms get morning light but overlook a local market that starts setting up around 5am.
What are insider tips for staying at Johar Hotel?
1) Request a courtyard-facing room at booking — the hotel is lenient with advance requests and these rooms are notably quieter than street-facing ones. 2) Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper; the hotel's thin walls transmit hallway noise from the adjacent lift and ice machine on floors 3 and 5.
What time is check-in at Johar Hotel?
Check-in at Johar Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Johar Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi in all rooms and public areas. Advertised speed 20 Mbps; no login required (open SSID 'JOHAR_HOTEL_WIFI'). Weekend evenings can get congested.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Johar Hotel?
10% per night on room rate (mandatory for all guests)
Where can I eat cheaply near Johar Hotel?
Nasi campur (rice with side dishes) or mie goreng at a simple eatery: 20000-35000 IDR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Johar Hotel?
Local minibuses (bemo/angkot) cost around 3500-5000 IDR per ride, but can be confusing. Cheapest reliable option: ride-hailing app (Gojek/Grab) motorcycle, often under 15000 IDR for short hops. From Juanda Airport, a DAMRI bus to the city centre is about 25000 IDR.
When is the best time to visit Surabaya?
May–September: these are the dry months with low humidity and clear skies. July in particular has strong sun and no rain, making it best for exploring the city on foot or by bemo.
Top Attractions in Surabaya
💡 Go early to avoid queues inside the sub — tight spaces get busy by 11am. The outside viewing costs nothing.
💡 Arrive before 10am to watch the rolling teams. The café courtyard is a calm spot for a cheap coffee.
💡 Best at golden hour around 4pm. Bring water — little shade and few vendors nearby.
💡 Come at sunset for the street food — try rujak cingur or sate lilit from the warung on the south side.
💡 Visit during a festival like Cap Go Meh (February) for lion dances and free snacks. Modest dress required inside prayer halls.