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Tolotio Airport

Eljie Hotel

Gorontalo

We booked one night at Eljie hotel after a recommendation from a friend. We got a great deal on Agoda, with a VIP Room priced at IDR228,000. 

For those coming from the airport, we were told there is no public transport to the city and the only choice is a taxi. Grab and GO-JEK is not yet available in Gorontalo. After negotiating hard with the taxi drivers, and also talking with a tourist who was departing from the airport, we found that there is a standard price of around IDR150,000 to the city. We later heard that somebody got a price of IDR120,000 after walking out of the airport. 

Arriving at Eljie, we realized it is a sharia hotel, and the signs in the room say the hotel does not accept unmarried couples and requests guests not to wear shorts. But the unmarried couple requirement is not uncommon in Indonesia and I saw people wearing shorts inside, so it is not really that strict. 

The hotel allowed us to check in when we arrived at 9am, but the receptionist on the desk at the time was not experienced as he didn’t know how to handle our booking through agoda, did not request payment (we booked for payment on arrival) and when I asked about renting a motorbike or the menu for the hotel's restaurant, he told me to ask another receptionist later. We later found that it is not possible to rent a motorbike from the hotel and there is a menu in the room. 

Not all staff speak English but they are mostly willing to help and friendly. Breakfast was yellow rice, bakwan (fried snack), green vegetables, watermelon and tea and coffee. Laundry at the hotel is a little expensive as they charge per piece, so the receptionist advised to walk down the road to find a laundry place. If you turn left as you leave the hotel and walk for ten minutes, there is a laundry place that charges by the kilo. We paid IDR40,000 for 4.1kg for the next day service and the staff were very helpful. 

The VIP room is like a throwback to the 1980s, but it was spacious and clean. The bed is a good size and there is a comfortable sofa area. There is also a large tv but without English channels, and tea, coffee and mineral water is provided in the room. There is also a water cooler in the dining area on the ground floor if you need to top up. The bathroom was basic but also clean. 

Attached to the hotel is a tour desk. The staff don’t speak english but they have their services translated into English in a small catalogue. We didn’t book a tour, but from what we saw the prices are very reasonable. For example, the whale shark tour which includes transport, a glass bottom boat tour, swim with whale shark including snorkel equipment and prawn food, trip to a cave and finally to a gift shop was IDR700,000. However, while we were there we were told it was not the season to see the whale sharks so unfortunately we did not go. 

Directly in front of the hotel is a small shack selling standard Indonesian food. We ordered roti bakar and fries which was tasty and good value, and the women working there were very friendly. 

Opposite the hotel is a family karaoke place, and around the corner there is a place called basic food where we had dinner. The food there was also standard Indonesian fare but the taste was excellent and the prices were low. We paid IDR30,000 for noodles, chicken and rice and two iced teas. The staff there were also very friendly. 

Overall we were quite happy, but then in the evening we got a phone call from a senior manager telling us we had not paid yet, with a tone as if we were avoiding payment. We were not asked to pay when checking in and I had spoken with a number of staff throughout the day, and at no point were we requested to pay. What’s more, on the phone we were told the price for the room was IDR440,000, which is the list price for the room. But we had booked using agoda with the price advertised as IDR228,000. After retrieving my booking confirmation, I went the receptionist who told me if I wanted the agoda price I would have to move rooms. But I said no, because we had booked the vip room. The hotel could not retrieve their own records on my booking to check the price. After both of us repeated this point a number of times which was very frustrating, the manager called the owner. After checking my confirmation properly the owner said I should pay the price I booked - IDR228,000. The senior manager then acted as if she was doing me a favor, and even worse did not apologize. She then said she hadn’t seen my ID, to which I pointed out the receptionist had made a copy in the morning. 

In sum, the rooms were dated but clean and spacious, the location is strategic to nearby amenities and our stay was pleasant and good value for the price we paid. However, the payment mix up was very frustrating, at the very least the manager should have apologized for their error instead of making us feel like criminals. Be sure to print out your confirmation if you book through agoda and tell the staff you want to pay when you arrive.

Payment mix up left a sour taste

Its reasonably clean, but the air conditioning was not working properly. The staff was friendly and helpful, and was speaking a little bit of English. 

I would only go here if you want to stay for one night only.  

OK Room, but its very basic. 

It's my second time in Gorontalo and i found this hotel near the city center.  The room is good if i compare to the price that i paid there, small but clean room.  The staff is friendly and helpful, but i didn't get my mineral water for my second day.

Syariah Clean Hotel

We stayed at the Eljie hotel for 1 night in a deluxe room for 242.000Rp per night. The room was quite nice and had air condition, TV and wifi. 
There was a restaurant in the same building as the hotel which was okay and just 5 min away you can find some other places - but it's quite limited. 
The hotel staff was very friendly and helped us book tickets for the ferry to togian islands, and after check out at 12 pm they let us stay in the lobby for a couple of hours because the ferry left in the evening. 
This hotel is great for a single night before heading to togian islands.

Great layover hotel 

Stayed in Eljie hotel for one night. Hotel was near/in the center of Gorontalo, clean, spacious room with ac was app 250t rp. Friendly and helpful staff, hotel has a good new restaurant too. Nothing to complain about, would stay again.

Eljie Hotel

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