JW Marriott Medan
Traversing through Asia to get more JW Marriotts (I know, I need help), I saw the least expensive one in the world in Medan, a very short flight from Kuala Lumpur. So off I went for 3 days at the JW Medan which initially was intended to be a bit of a tourist trip but air pollution wasn't kind,Arrival
Initially at the Medan airport I had planned on taking the train which ended up only 2 blocks from the hotel. The trains were fully booked for a while, so I just sucked it up and got a cab for the 1+ hour drive (traffic here is beyond insane). Eventually, as night started to fall, we got to the hotel, and past the initial car security checks for explosives and weapons and I was here!.Then the next set of checks through metal detectors and x-rays to get into the hotel itself. If you are not historically very aware, there have been some incidents in Indonesia against Marriotts. Anyways, this is something I have come to accept while traveling various parts of the world. When I finally entered, I was impressed by the grandeur of the lobby spaces.
The Room
I was upgraded to a corner, much larger king room, not a suite. I didn't really ask for more this time, but I have found that if you do ask a bit more, things can sometimes appear for you. I was really high up (2nd floor from the top) so the view of the city was pretty cool, and it is quite a sprawling, if unplanned, city.The room is actually really spacious and the bathroom also. I didn't think it was bad at all for the crazy cheap rate you can find here.
3D interactive room tour, use your mouse or fingers to move around and see other rooms.
Executive Lounge
The lounge is very large, lots of open space, not something I have seen in an Exec Lounge before. Food service was great at night, it's not open for breakfast as you get the insane buffet downstairs. The drinks were... well, very weak offerings in the evening.Dining
Now the dining is where this hotel just shines. So many places and such over the top food. Sumatran cuisine is pretty good on its own but they bring it up to an 11 at the Marriott Cafe here in addition to the mind blowing buffet. Plus Jade the Chinese, Prime Steak and a night club? The Lounge Bar? Wonderful places to eat for days.Amenities
A huge huge gym, a spa which I actually used!! The pool, which is so beautiful it's used as a primary hotel shot. Lots of event space (3 floors) that I now ignore due to general disinterest of my readers (you guys!).
There are a couple suites on the floor, one I saw was setup by a group for a sales presentation to the wives of rich local officials
Love me a good welcome note
Outstanding gifts from the manager
Later opening hours than most
Big and really really open, which I think put me off a tad
Super open, never even close to full in here either
Local dishes, little Euro too
Lighter options
Decent cheese for sure
The desserts were quite outstanding though
Many many options of sweets
Cold cuts, being kept cold. Hey, we're almost on the equator here
Ice cream, and as usual at a JW you bet I had some for breakfast
Coolest pancakes I have ever seen (yes, they were also delicious)
The waffles and more pancakes
Pastries, with donuts, as I continued my unhealthy trend
Coffee, juices and smoothie bar
Western flavors, primarily English
This was... a risk I couldn't take for breakfast, probably was good though
More western dishes, just wait, the really good stuff is coming
Curries and traditional foods
Now this, the one on the left, Rendang, the most insanely spicey delicious food I can recall (and it's only this way on Sumatra), nose dripping spicy and I couldn't get enough of it
More traditional food
And more! Many liquid based things in this culture
I don't even know what it is!
And very important for one's digestive continuance, the fresh fruit
Salad for breakfast still breaks my brain
Beef Rendang, rice, and something else I forgot
Mocha, and a mint smoothy that really wasn't my type of thing
And Bubar recommended by the hotel's overall food manager (great guy!). Had coconut flavors so I couldn't but you see more rendang in this shot!
I never made it to Jade due to all the other spots
Ahhh, now totally my groove! Prime steak and the lower night club
See the food being made
A sampling of the menu at Prime
Very elegant seating
The chef's appetizer
Mmmm, the exceptionally tasty steak
The lobby bar, The Lounge
Cuban cigars available (the tax here is a bit)
I spent a couple nights here, the bar manager and I got along famously
Here is where you can use those cigars. A popular place to show off your wealth in the evenings
This gym is super large. So well equipped they sell memberships
Every machine and many racks of weights
Stairs and bikes, of course
But this is a less than 25% cardio gym. One that speaks to me, it's been a while
This pool, I swear. The serenity here, and the water temp was divine
The spa with amazing shoulder massages that I needed after bag lugging a week already
Quite a tall building (it's in competition for tallest in the city)
The just outside the main entrance details, welcoming you here