The hotel's lobby level is a patchwork of sitting rooms and lounges best suited for the joys of tea and evening martinis, of which there is a whole James Bond series of shaken, not stirred flavours. Bimasena Spa is a wonderful enclave for luxurious pampering.

The exemplary butler service here takes on an aristocratic tinge quite extinct in this part of the world. Suffice to say, these ladies and gentlemen in their elegant tail coats take their vocation as seriously as the butlers of yore.

In today's realities there is hardly any chance another gem like The Dharmawangsa can take shape in a city like Jakarta. A glorious haven 20 years in the making, its well-maintained rooms and garden are ethereal and timeless. From the watering holes demarcating the perfumed lawn to the royal parures displayed high up the lounge's wall, every cultural aspect and artifact assembled here reflects the pride of the Javanese culture so elegantly infused throughout the entire property.