Surabaya's BEST Mall-Top Studio Apartment: Bellvaroom 01 Awaits!
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the whirlwind that is Surabaya's BEST Mall-Top Studio Apartment: Bellvaroom 01 Awaits! And trust me, after my stay? I've got opinions. Lots of them. And maybe a slight caffeine addiction, thanks to the… well, we'll get to that.
First, The Gist (and Why This Isn't Your Grandma's Hotel Review):
Forget those sterile, cookie-cutter reviews. This is REAL. This is about whether BELLVAROOM 01 actually made me feel like I could breathe after a brutal day haggling in Surabaya's markets. Is it accessible? Oh, absolutely. Is it perfect? Honey, nothing is. But did it deliver on the promise of a modern, convenient, mall-adjacent oasis? Mostly, yes. Let's get messy, shall we?
Accessibility: The Game Changer (Because, Really, Who Wants Stairs After a Flight?)
Okay, first things first: Accessibility. This is HUGE for me. I have some mobility issues, and honestly, the thought of climbing a million stairs after a long flight gives me the heebie-jeebies. Thankfully, Bellvaroom 01 aces this. Elevators everywhere! No dodgy stairs, thank goodness. Plus, the whole place felt… open. (I didn't see wheelchair-specific room, but the apartment felt open and spacious, which is a great start.)
So, it gets a strong thumbs up for accessibility. Phew!
Cleanliness and Safety: Germaphobe Approved… Mostly.
Alright, I’m a recovering germaphobe, so this is where I get serious. (Actually, I think I'm still a germaphobe… it's a process, okay?)
- Anti-viral cleaning products? Check! (Always a good sign.)
- Daily disinfection in common areas? Yep!
- Rooms sanitized between stays? Seems like it, though I'll admit, nothing beats the feeling of personally wiping down every surface with some industrial-strength wipes. (Okay, maybe that's just me.)
- Hand sanitizer everywhere? YES! Praise be!
They were definitely making an effort. And let's be honest, the pandemic has changed the game. I felt reasonably safe. Though… the little bottle of hand sanitizer in the room looked… a little used? Hmm. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Internet: The "Can't Live Without It" Factor
Okay, let's be real. In this day and age, internet access is a basic human right (don’t @ me).
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms? Yes, and it worked! Mostly. (There were a couple of… moments of buffering, during which I may or may not have sworn at my laptop.)
- Internet [LAN]? I didn't test it, but hey, the option is there if the Wi-Fi goes sideways.
- Wi-Fi in public areas? Yup. And it seemed… fine. Not mind-blowing, but usable.
Bellvaroom 01 gets a solid B+ here, on account of those occasional buffering hiccups.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Carb-Loading Heaven (and Beyond!)
Listen, I love to eat. And I love it even more when I don’t have to leave the hotel for a decent meal. Bellvaroom 01, being located in a mall, delivers.
- Restaurants galore! You’ve got everything. Seriously, from local warungs to international chains.
- Coffee shop? Oh, yes. And the coffee was… okay. (I’m a coffee snob. It’s a thing.) They really need to up their bean game!
- Room service [24-hour]? This is a major win! After a long day exploring, the idea of ordering in is pure bliss.
- Breakfast [buffet]? Available. But the real winner? Breakfast in room! And the best part? It somehow included some genuinely crispy bacon. (Don't judge. Travel is exhausting, all right?)
- Happy Hour? I think I saw some signs! Worth checking out.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: A Little Bit of Bliss (and a Whole Lot of Shopping Nearby!)
- Fitness Center? Yes! And it looked… well, functional. I confess, I skipped the gym. #vacation
- Spa/Sauna/Steamroom? No, not on-site. But hey, you're in a mall! There's probably a spa three minutes away.
- Swimming Pool [outdoor]? No. (This was a slight bummer, if I'm being honest. A rooftop pool would have been the dream.)
- Pool with view? Nope, but you've got a poolside bar and a terrace!
The main attraction here is the mall, which is right across the street! This means you can shop to your heart's content, get a massage, get your hair done, basically, do whatever you want.
Services and Conveniences: All the Little Things That Matter
- Concierge? Present and helpful!
- Daily housekeeping? Yes! Clean sheets and a tidy room are the BEST.
- Laundry service? Yep. Essential for a long trip.
- Cash withdrawal? ATM in the lobby, thank goodness!
- Food delivery? Of course!
- Car Park [Free of Charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station: Very necessary in this kind of city! They have everything and more!
- Contactless check-in/out?: I didn't try it, but with a lot of things, it's a great plus.
Available in All Rooms: The Nitty-Gritty (and the All-Important Blackout Curtains)
- Air conditioning? Absolutely essential in Surabaya!
- Blackout curtains? YES! I need my beauty sleep.
- Coffee/tea maker? Thank goodness. (Needed for the aforementioned coffee snobbery.)
- Mini bar? Stocked.
- Wi-Fi [free]? Check!
- Safe box? Yep. Always a good idea.
- Soundproofing? Pretty good. I wasn’t bothered by noise.
- Bathroom phone? Really? Okay then.
The Imperfections (Because Nothing's Perfect, Even in Surabaya)
- The Coffee: Seriously, Bellvaroom 01 needs to seriously up its coffee game.
- The View: The view wasn't spectacular. But hey, you're in a mall, not on a tropical island.
- The Price: Surabaya is generally affordable, so this place is a bit more upscale, so the price can be a bit higher.
The Verdict: Is Bellvaroom 01 Worth It?
YES, with a few caveats.
Bellvaroom 01 is a solid choice if you want a convenient, comfortable, and modern stay in Surabaya. Its location connected to a mall is a massive plus, providing easy access to dining, shopping, and entertainment. The accessibility is fantastic, and the cleanliness efforts are appreciated.
Here's My Pitch, My Offer, My Plea to You:
Craving Convenience and Comfort in Surabaya? Bellvaroom 01 Awaits!
Tired of the same old hotel experience? Bellvaroom 01 offers a modern, well-equipped studio apartment right above the mall, with all the amenities you need for a stress-free stay.
Here's what you get:
- Instant Access: Stay connected with FREE Wi-Fi.
- Sleep Like a Baby: Blackout curtains for a perfect night's sleep.
- Convenience at Your Doorstep: Dine, shop, and explore with the mall literally at your feet.
- Room Service for the Win: Relax and Indulge with the restaurant and its 24-hour room service.
- **Accessibility Assurance. **
Book now and treat yourself to the best of Surabaya! Visit [website address] and use the code "SURABAYAJOY" for a special discount!
Escape to Paradise: Sicily's Hidden Gem Awaits in Sant'Agata!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's itinerary. We're going to Surabaya, baby! And not just any Surabaya, but Bellvaroom 01, that swanky little studio apartment conveniently perched above a mall. We're embracing the chaos, the heat, the potential food poisoning… the real travel experience. Prepare for rambles, opinions, and a whole lotta me.
Surabaya Scramble: A Messy, Gloriously Imperfect Adventure
Day 1: Mall-Mania & Existential Avocado Toast
10:00 AM (ish): Arrival at Juanda International Airport (SUB). Okay, honestly? The airport smelled vaguely of stale air conditioning and despair. But hey, welcome to Indonesia! The visa process was a slow, sweaty ballet of bureaucracy. Finally, freedom! Grabbed a Bluebird taxi – thankfully, haggling wasn't too intense. My internal monologue: "Please, please don't let this be a death trap. Please, please don't let me accidentally offend anyone with my limited Bahasa. Oh god, a rogue motorcycle weaving. Is this life?"
11:30 AM: Arrival at Bellvaroom 01. Finding the place was… an adventure. The directions were vague, the security guards had a collective shrug down, and I swear, the elevator was judging me. Finally, success! The studio itself? Surprisingly chic. Small, but stylish. The air conditioning was blissful after the sticky airport. Now, time to unpack and soak in the view. (The "view" being mostly the mall. But hey, potential for instant gratification, right?)
1:00 PM: Lunch at the mall below. This is where things get REAL. I wandered around for what felt like an eternity, overwhelmed by the choices. Finally settled on a place called "Avo-licious". (Yes, I know, the name is a travesty. I couldn't help myself.). Ordered avocado toast. Because I'm a cliché. The toast arrived: Beautifully plated. The avocado? Perfectly ripe. My initial bite? Pure joy. Then… existential dread. "Is this all there is?" I mused, staring into the creamy green goodness. "Am I just a consumer, trapped in a cycle of avocado-based happiness?" Overthinking, much? Probably. The toast was delicious, anyway.
3:00 PM: Wandered the mall. Seriously. Just. Wandered. Witnessing the local styles of clothing, the noise of bargaining, people watching. Witnessed a gaggle of teenage girls taking selfies with a giant plush panda. Felt ancient. Heard a saleswoman trying to sell me a bedazzled phone case with the ferocity of a lioness. Said "Tidak" (that's "no," in case you're playing along).
6:00 PM: Grocery shopping at the supermarket in the mall. OMG, the smells! The exotic fruits! The questionable meats! Picked up some instant noodles because, let's be real, my budget is already screaming. Ended up mesmerized by a woman carefully selecting durians. (The stench!). I am so not brave enough.
8:00 PM: Back in the apartment. Dinner: Instant noodles, obviously. Followed by a quiet evening in, battling with the TV remote. Watched a terribly dubbed Indonesian soap opera. Actually found it strangely soothing. Started dreaming of the next day's potential adventures.
Day 2: Culture Shock & Spicy Regret (and a little bit of beauty!)
9:00 AM: Failed attempt at making coffee with the provided instant coffee. The water was too hot, the mug was too small, and I haven't had any luck with mixing coffee in my life. Result? Grim.
10:00 AM: Took a Grab (Indonesian Uber) to the House of Sampoerna, a historic cigarette factory. The architecture was gorgeous, a blend of colonial and Javanese styles. The tour was informative, but the air was thick with the smell of tobacco. Felt a bit dizzy. Saw the process of hand-rolling cigarettes. Amazing. Unhealthy, but undeniably fascinating. (I seriously need to quit smoking. Like, yesterday.)
12:00 PM: Lunch at Depot Mie Udang, a local's favourite near the House of Sampoerna. This is where things got interesting. I ordered mie udang, spicy shrimp noodles. The first bite? Explosive! My mouth was on fire. My eyes were watering. I frantically tried to cool my tongue with water, but the heat kept building. It was a battle. I think I managed to only eat half of the bowl, but it was the most incredible culinary experience.
2:00 PM: Visited the Heroes Monument (Tugu Pahlawan). A sobering experience. The monument itself is impressive, but the heat and humidity were brutal. (I seriously need to hydrate more). I really tried to absorb the significance of the place but the heat makes me focus on not dying.
4:00 PM: Wandered the surrounding area after the monument. The hustle and bustle of the vendors and the kids playing in the streets were charming.
6:00 PM: Back at the mall and bought some medication for my very spicy meal. Decided a gentle walk around the mall was needed. Also, found a really good ice cream place.
8:00 PM: Tried to watch the local entertainment in the apartment. Ended up falling asleep from the heat.
Day 3: Farewell Fury & Food Dreams
9:00 AM: Last breakfast: Managed to make a decent cup of instant coffee. Victory!
10:00 AM: Wandered around the mall again, buying last-minute souvenirs.
12:00 PM: Final lunch. Couldn't resist one last meal. I ordered a delicious piece of fried chicken from a local place.
1:00 PM: Checked out of Bellvaroom 01. Said a bittersweet goodbye to my temporary home. It’s been a wild ride, and I am already missing the view.
2:00 PM: Left for the airport.
3:00 PM: Back at the airport. The same stale air conditioning and the same feeling of slow, sweaty anticipation.
5:00 PM: On the plane. Still thinking about that spicy shrimp noodle. And the durian. And the sheer, glorious messiness of it all.
6:00 PM: Back in the states. Jetlag, and the craving for a spicy dish. Planning to book a trip on the other side of the world very soon.
Final Thoughts:
Surabaya was… intense. Hot. Loud. A little confusing. But also incredibly vibrant, delicious, and full of life. I loved it! Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I change anything? Maybe pack more antacids. Maybe learn more than three phrases in Bahasa. But mostly, I wouldn’t change a thing. Because life, like travel, is messy and imperfect, and that's where the adventure truly begins. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dream about avocado toast… and maybe that spicy shrimp noodle. Wish me luck.
Escape to Paradise: Hotel Giardino Giamperduto, Bernalda, Italy
Okay, spill the beans... what *is* Bellvaroom 01, anyway? Sounds fancy!
Alright, alright, let's not beat around the *sate* bush. Bellvaroom 01 is... well, it's a studio apartment, supposedly the "Best Mall-Top" experience in Surabaya. I put "supposedly" there because, let's be honest, superlatives in marketing? They’re always a bit suspect. But hey, it's conveniently located, that's for sure. Right above a mall. And, yes, that's the main selling point. You can practically roll out of bed and into a… what was it again? *Mall Ciputra World Surabaya*? Sounds impressive, I guess.
My *first* impression? "Wow, clean lobby!" Because, let's face it, in Indonesia, a clean lobby is like finding a unicorn that also knows how to make decent coffee. The building itself looks modern, shiny, and importantly, air-conditioned (crucial here). Bellvaroom 01? It's the apartment *inside* that building. So, basically, fancy housing on top of retail heaven. Sounds like a dream, right?
So, being "mall-top" is *really* that great? Do you just… fall into stores?
Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way: you don't *literally* fall into stores. Unless you have a serious, gravity-defying problem. But the convenience... oh, the *convenience*. It's the *reason* you might actually *consider* living in a shoebox. Imagine this: It's a blistering Surabaya afternoon. The humidity is trying to suffocate you. You're craving ice cream. Normally, you'd have to battle traffic, dodge motorbikes that seem to have a death wish, and *then* search for an actual ice cream shop.
With Bellvaroom 01? BOOM! Lift downstairs, a quick hop through the mall, and *bam* – Baskin Robbins. Or whatever your ice cream poison of choice is. It's life-changing, frankly. I also may or may not have developed a slight addiction to the 24-hour food court. Don't judge me. The noodles are *amazing* at 3 AM.
The *downside*? You're constantly tempted. Your wallet will weep. You'll see that "sale" sign and rationalize that you *need* that new shirt, or that gadget you probably don't. It's a retail black hole. But hey, convenience, right? Worth it, probably. Mostly.
What's the apartment *itself* like? Don't leave us hanging!
Okay, the apartment. It's… compact. Let's call it "efficiently designed." Think of it as a very well-appointed, slightly expensive, hotel room. You've got your bed, a tiny kitchenette (good for making instant noodles – my specialty!), a small seating area, and a bathroom. Everything is modern, clean, and functional. The decor is… minimalist. Very minimalist. Basically, it's not going to win any design awards. But it *works*.
The view... Well, it depends on *which* Bellvaroom 01 you get. I had a decent view of the city, which, honestly, in Surabaya, is mostly another building or a traffic jam. But I wasn't complaining. The best part? HUGE windows (a little bit of a privacy concern, but worth it) Let in a *ton* of light (when it's not too cloudy). It's got that city-living feel – you know, the kind that makes you feel like you're *doing something* with your life, even if you're just binge-watching Netflix.
I will say, I once accidentally set off the smoke alarm trying to cook a chicken. The response time of the security was impressive, though! So, bonus points for that. Just… don't expect to host a Thanksgiving dinner in there. Or, you know, cook things that actually require more than two burners and a microwave.
What are the *amenities* like? Pool? Gym? Free Wi-Fi (please say yes!)?
Okay, *now* we're talking! The amenities are where Bellvaroom 01 tries to justify the price tag. And, honestly, they do a pretty good job. Yes, there's a pool. It's not Olympic-sized, but it's perfectly adequate for a refreshing dip after a long day of… well, whatever you do in Surabaya. And yes, free *Wi-Fi* is a thing. Thank god. Because, let's face it, in this day and age, no Wi-Fi is a deal-breaker.
There's also a gym. I, uh, *visited* it. Once. It looked good, though – lots of shiny machines and people who clearly knew what they were doing. Me? I stuck to the food court. There's also a small convenience store, which is ridiculously convenient. And security is tight, which is always a plus. You know, given the realities of urban living. It's a comfortable, well-equipped, place.
The staff? Generally friendly and helpful. Sometimes, the elevator takes a *while*, but hey, you get used to it. (And, let's be real, in Surabaya, everything takes a while.) But the amenities made a real difference.
What's the *catch*? There's always a catch, right? Tell me the ugly truth!
Alright, let's rip off the band-aid. The *catch*? The price. It's not cheap. You're paying for the convenience, the location, and the (supposedly) higher-end lifestyle. It's probably not for the budget-conscious, or a backpacker trying to make their rupiah stretch. If you get it through a travel agency or Airbnb, it changes, so it pays to look that way.
Noise can be an issue. Obviously, you're on top of a mall. So, sometimes you can hear music. It’s not a deal-breaker – I got used to it. And it depends on where your apartment is facing, but if you are sensitive to noises, keep that in mind. Also, the size. It is perfect for one person, *maybe* a couple, but don't expect a lot of space. And depending on your taste, the interior might not fit.
Also, parking can be a nightmare, especially during peak hours in the mall. So, factor in that you are going to have to wait for a bit. The mall can get really, really crowded on weekends, but the location is great if you are looking for easy transportation within an urban area.
Would you *recommend* Bellvaroom 01? Be honest!
Okay, here's the bottom line. Yes, I would recommend it. But with caveats. If you're looking for a convenient, comfortable, and relatively hassle-free living experience in Surabaya, and you canCheap Hotel Search
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