Alistair Speirs
Stay and Play at Atria Hotel Gading Serpong
For those who haven’t explored the suburban districts of Tangerang, you’re in for a surprise! While we city-dwellers think that everything revolves around Jakarta, those in the know about the satellite cities understand that many of the modern developments in hospitality, retail leisure and dining have taken place there. Atria Hotel Gading Serpong is a
The Role of Food in Society
Times have changed, and keep on changing, and we need to reassess the entire role of food in our lives. We used to – very, very, long ago when we were ‘hunter/gatherers’ – have a nicely balanced diet based mostly on fruit, nuts, forest products, small animals and fish, and occasionally a major hunt would
Sitting Down with Sudamala Resorts’ Ben Subrata
Sudamala Resorts on Bali, Lombok and Flores-Komodo are locally-owned and managed and achieve standards of style, service and luxury which have gained international respect and admiration. To find out how this all came about, Publisher Alistair Speirs speaks to an old friend, passionate CEO and Founder of this boutique hospitality group, Ben Subrata, whose vision
A Birthday Wish for DKI Jakarta
How should cities “develop”? And what can we do to ensure it is done correctly? Those are probably the questions that many people inside – and outside – the city government are asking. What do we have to do to ensure a good future for the citizens of the city of Jakarta, especially when it
Can Surabaya Become a Sustainable City?
Surabaya is probably not the first place you would have chosen as the preferred model for sustainability – its hot, busy, industrial and very developed… but as you will see when we examine all the reasons and criteria, it has an excellent chance of indeed becoming the first Indonesian city to be at least on
Lombok: You Are Missing Something Special!
“We seem to be missing something in the great debate over holiday destinations and I think it’s a shame”, says Alistair Speirs, Founder of Phoenix Communications and quite a well-travelled person! It takes basically the same time to get to Lombok as to Bali so traveling isn’t the problem, it seems to be perception: Bali
The Evolution of Jakarta’s Transport
Oh! We are all such suckers for nostalgia, but as they say ‘Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be!” Sometimes looking back, we tend to romanticise our memories. I will try not to do that, especially about transport, but you never know! Let’s start with the demise of the simplest, non-polluting, form of transport you
Jakarta Then & Now: A Personal Recollection of 44 Years in the Capital
Arriving in Jakarta in December 1978 to start work in the rather undeveloped Indonesia insurance industry was an absolute culture shock, especially after the refined and gentrified world of Lloyds of London and a flat in New Kings Road. The plane arrived in Kemayoran Airport, which is now a centre for business and conventions (but
Reflecting on 15 Years of NOW! Jakarta
I perhaps should not tell you this, but I didn’t really want to start NOW! Jakarta! I was perfectly happy publishing a marvellous magazine called Jakarta Java Kini, or JJK, but my partner at the time had other ideas and took over the company, leaving me with a bit of a dilemma since I had enjoyed
A Splendid Spanish Dinner With La Chaine des Rotisseurs Jakarta Bailliage
La Chaine des Rotisseurs Jakarta Bailliage scored another triumphant success with a marvellous dinner hosted by H. E. The Spanish Ambassador to Indonesia Francisco Aguilera and Mme. Gemma Caminada at their beautiful residence. The evening started in true chaine style, with a selection of delicious canapes accompanied by a fresh chilled sparkling Cava, as the
Learning from Japan
Four things struck me as I returned from a trip to Japan. The first was a car, well nearly. I was crossing the street between Plaza Indonesia and Kempinski on a zebra crossing and it never entered my mind that a car, in clear sight of me, would not stop, having spent a week under
Tanjung Kelayang Reserve: A Passionate Attempt to Preserve Nature
What is the first thing on a hotel or resort developer’s mind as they sit down with architects and planners, engineers and interior decorators, to put together the plans to create a new and unique property? Is it ‘the guest experience’? Perhaps a desire to amaze with brilliant food venues? What about simply ‘let’s make
Yogyakarta – a Special Report on a Special Place
Yogyakarta is a Daerah Istimewa, special district, in south-central Java, and is often affectionately known as Jogja. It is bounded to the west, north, and east by Central Java Province (Propinsi Jawa Tengah) and fronts the Indian Ocean to the south. The district includes the city of Yogyakarta, and most people think that only the city
