Yayy!! Finished with my paper!! But the torture is not over. Soon I'm going to have my term exam next week (in Indonesian, we call it: after getting out of a lion's cage, we enter the crocodile's mouth).Anyway, in the mean time, do you feel like going out of your hectic routine and have a little relaxing time of yourself? But it's not on a holiday season? Even just for a day? Well, there's a way to experience that, and what you need is only a getaway. Avoid your hectic life! Although this kind of getaway may be considerably pricey. Actually I've done this kind of vacation before, exactly on April 2006 with my cousin and my aunt. My aunt happened to get a voucher to stay overnight in Grand Hyatt, so...why not? Besides, with a voucher, we didn't need to pay much for the accommodation.
The thought of recommending this kind of vacation to you guys about this came up when I was in Kempinski Hotel yesterday to attend a wedding. I was waiting for my mom in the lobby, walking around to enjoy the luxurious atmosphere. That was when I thought if I experienced it again, then it would be very amazing.
Right, I'm talking about spending 24 hours at a hotel, just to relax and enjoy its atmosphere and surroundings that you won't get everyday in every hectic seconds. Although this kind of vacation may sound impossible enough (only experienced by the writer, and it happened to me thanks to the luck), I thought it would be fun to share it to you guys. So, let's get started. Here's what you need to do to arrange your 24 hours "Holiday Getaway":
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THE STEPS
1. Book a suite in a five star hotel. You can manage to stay at a hotel at anytime, but strongly recommended on the weekend (Saturday - Sunday are good choices. Holidays that fall on Monday are even better. That way you can arrange your Sunday - Monday to stay overnight).
2. The hotel must be located near a shopping center, or it'll be much better if the building is combined with the shopping center itself. The hotel must also be strategic, in a shopping/business district in Jakarta. Try Grand Hyatt, which is very close to EX or Plaza Indonesia, or Kempinski Hotel, whose building is combined with Grand Indonesia.
3. Ask your friends or family to stay with you. Actually it'd be much better if you didn't stay with your main family (like mom and dad). Cousins, aunt, uncle, grandma, grandpa are good choices. I have a good reason for this which I'll explain to you guys later.
4. Check out the hotel's nearest cinema's schedule. Yes, for those who love watching movies, you must not miss this chance!
5. Money? Check. Clothes? Check. First aid kit? Check.
6. On the D day, arrange your meeting with your relatives or friends you ask to stay overnight with. It'd be better if you gather in your relative's house, which are close enough to the hotel. The check-in schedule will be approximately on midday. So be sure that you've arrived at your relative's house in the morning, to do the final check.
Soo..those are the steps. Now onto the schedule....
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THE SCHEDULE
Day 1
- 11.00 am: Arrival at the hotel. Check in.
- 11.00 am -11.30 am: Settling in. Looking around the room, adoring every corner of its luxury, trying out cool stuffs such as the "automatic curtain" that opens up by just pressing a button on the table, checking out channels provided on the flat screen, checking out the jacuzzi, the cool imported furnitures, minibar, etc.
- 11.30 am -1.00 pm: Fascinated yet? Don't spend too much time on the room for now. Make sure you haven't lied down on your warm, soft bed (because you'll be asleep very soon). You can do that later. Now, put on your shoes, and go downstairs to the nearest shopping center for lunch. Try not to shop first after lunch. You'll get that chance later.
- 1.00 pm - 3.30 pm: Already full? Then you must feel rather sleepy by now. Okay, now return to your hotel and have a nice nap or if you're not sleepy, just watch some TV or grab some snacks. You can also have a nice jacuzzi bath and watching TV at the same time. Basically this is your relaxing time. Feel free to rest your feet and have a cozy atmosphere of your luxurious suite. Also, spend some time looking up in the internet or newspaper about the current cinema schedule.
- 3.30 pm - 7.00 pm: It's your free time now. Feel free whether you still want to have a good sleep in your room or going downstairs to the shopping center. But I recommend you not to stay all the night being in your suite. If there are more than one shopping centers nearby, then try to go visit them. Not too far but it won't be really painful to take a walk right? Use this chance as well as you can. From sightseeing, windowshopping, shopping, or maybe have a good tea time in a cozy cafe. While having some good time at the shopping center, don't forget to do these things:
--> Call your mom and dad. You have 2 options: first, invite them to come over to your suite at 6.30 pm, bringing some food for dinner to enjoy in the room together while watching a good show/movie on HBO; second, invite them to come over to a nearby restaurant in a shopping mall at 7.00 pm. I'd recommend the first option, because of course, no matter how you really love to enjoy much of your time in a shopping center, you wouldn't spend the whole afternoon there, would you? At least return to your suite just to rest your aching feet.
--> Book several tickets at a nearby cinema for 9.00 pm or 8.00 pm show. Not too late, not too early, though it's strongly recommended to watch the 9.00 pm show. The possibility to get the ticket for 9.00 pm is big, because there won't be a lot of people watching that late right? While you're having this chance to stay at a hotel near the cinema and you will only take a few minutes walking back and forth to and from the cinema. One more thing, DO NOT LOSE THE TICKETS. - 7.00 pm: Return to your suite. Call your parents and ask for their current positions. Your job is to stand by in the lobby, or wait in the room until they call you that they've arrived. Then go downstairs and pick them up. Don't forget to help them carrying these boxes of food. Dinner's coming!
- 7.00 pm - 8.20 pm: Dinner! Chat with your parents and show them about the "beauty" of the suite room you're staying in. While having dinner, pick up a good show to watch together on TV.
- 8.20 pm - 9.40 pm: It doesn't mean that you need to banish your parents, but tell them that you have this pretty film to watch at 9. In the other hand, don't let them go home to early. Ask them to go home at the same time you're going to the cinema. So you'll split up at the lobby . Your parents are heading home while you're going to the cinema. Don't forget to bring the tickets. Or you can also ask your parents to take you to the cinema. You'll split up there.
- 9.40 pm - 9.00 pm: The studio's door is usually opened earlier than the movie is scheduled, like 10 minutes earlier. Make sure you'll arrive there at least 10 minutes before the movie's scheduled. You can go to the restroom or buy some popcorns.
- 9.00 pm - 11.30 pm: Enjoy the movie!!
- 11.30 pm - 11.45 pm: How's the movie? Good? Tired enough? Now it's time for you return to your hotel suite. It's pretty rare for you to be in a shopping center this late right? Don't miss the chance of seeing couples hanging out in cozy cafes or some youths that are still lurking around. It's Saturday night! The later the night gets, the busier the shopping center becomes!
- 11.45 pm - 1.00 am: Go to your suite room. Put off your shoes, wash your face, brush your teeth, and change to your pajamas. Throw your body to the heavenly king size springbed, rest your head on the puffy pillow, snuggle against your warm blanket..... *the writer's drooling over her imagination right now*. You can go straight to sleep or you can watch some light shows on TV like cartoons or sitcoms. Don't stay up too long. You must already sleep at least at 1.00 am.
Well, have a good night!
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Day 2
- 7.00 am - 7.30 am: Good moooorrnnniing....Nice dream? Bet you have, because you're like staying in a "paradise". Don't spend too much time in your room. You can watch TV for a bit to watch some news or cartoons. But don't forget to take a bath and prepare for some breakfast. Try to at least start packing your things from now. You don't need to finish the whole packing but you don't want to do it entirely at the last minute before checking out, right?
- 7.30 am - 8.30 am: Breakfast time!!! While having breakfast, also try to look for information about a nearby place of interest (aside from mall). Like museums or just interesting things.
- 8.30 am - 11.00 am: Free time! Use this chance as well as possible. But again, don't spend too much time in your room. Here are the options:
--> You can choose either to take a walk outside or go to a nearby place of interest. In choosing a place of interest, try to avoid using a taxi. You need to find a very near place of interest, that requires you take a walk or go by public transportation (aside from taxi) like Busway. Museum or a place like Monas will be a perfect choice.
--> If you choose to go to the shopping center this morning, then you have to wait at least until 10.00 am. You can go to your suite and have your morning jacuzzi while waiting until 10.00 am.
--> You can also choose to enjoy the facilities at the hotel, for example: spa, fitness, swimming....
All activities must end at 11.00 am
- 11.00 am - 12.00: I know that you still want to spend some time with your activities. But look at the time! It's 11.00 am now. Time to pack up your things and make sure nothing gets left behind. Time to say goodbye to your luxurious suite room.
- 12.00 am: Go to the front desk. Check out. Are your parents already there? Then it's time to say goodbye to your holiday getaway. Aww......school's coming up tomorrow. That sucks.
EXPENSES (all are approximate prices)
Suite room: Rp. 3.000.000,00 per night (except you have a discount voucher or something like that)(These prices do not include things that you buy, admission fee for the place of interest, public transportation fee, or for other purposes)
Movie: Rp. 50.000,00 per person
Dinner and Lunch: Rp. 100.000,00 per person
TOTAL: Rp. 3.150.000,00,00.
O.O...*drops jaw*
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EXCEPTION!
This occasion can probably be best if held during important events, like New Year. If you stay over at a hotel during this event, then take a look at these exceptions out of the schedule
1. Make sure you book the hotel for at New Year's Eve
2. Don't arrange your movie at night like described above! This is a New Year's Eve, sure you want to go for the countdown event. Try to book a movie at late afternoon (like 3.00 pm).
3. After the movie, you have free time to do until 10.00 pm. But make sure you don't stay at your suite for the rest of the day. You sure don't want to miss the countdown. Also, if you're currently taking a break after the movie, use this chance to save your energy for the countdown tonight and find a nearby event for you to attend. Usually the hotel will hold sort of a live music to celebrate the Countdown in its lounge or maybe lobby, or maybe you can go to someplace else nearby that will provide fireworks.4. Don't forget to take a break before attending the event and save your energy. Make sure you can stay up late for tonight
5. After dinner, prepare yourself.
6. The event will most likely be held in 10.00 pm. So just pleas do enjoy the rest of the evening. 5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
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Haha, what a long post right? Again, I just want to tell you that I wrote it for fun, just to kill time since there's nothing else to do (my paper's done!). All of this experience I recommend to you is based on a true story. I don't mean to boast anything about it or what. I didn't shop while staying at a luxurious hotel on 2006.
My aunt was fortunate enough to get discount vouchers to stay overnight in a hotel suite, and she also got a bonus and offered me and my cousin to watch a movie. So basically it all thanked to luck itself. I was so impressive by this experience that I've written this story into a documentary novel and even I still have some photos of my experience. Probably I'll share them to you next time. :)
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