Review of Ibis Surabaya City Center 3*

Matthieu D.

6/10
Overall, I had a pleasant stay and I think this hotel offers good value for money. The rooms are a little dated, but they are clean, and every member of the staff was exceptionally polite, calm and professional. Their attitude towards guests is honestly one of the hotel’s greatest strengths.
However, the restaurant really needs improvement. Several cocktails listed on the menu were actually unavailable, and the Piña Colada I ordered took around 25 minutes to arrive. Unfortunately, it was also quite disappointing.
I then ordered a beef soup. After waiting for about 40 minutes, it still hadn’t arrived. During that time, a group of four guests came into the restaurant after me and all received their meals before mine. There may have been a reason that I wasn’t aware of, but from a guest’s point of view, it was very difficult to understand, especially since the restaurant was almost empty when I arrived. In the end, I decided to leave without ever receiving my meal.
One final point surprised me. Late at night, I went to the reception to buy a Coca-Cola. As always, the staff were extremely polite and helpful, but I was told that I had to use my physical bank card because mobile payment was not accepted.
In 2026, that honestly feels outdated. Contactless payments with a smartphone have become standard almost everywhere in the world, especially in hotels that welcome international travelers.
With a few improvements to the restaurant and a more modern payment system, I genuinely believe this hotel could provide an experience that matches the excellent quality of its staff, who deserve to be recognized for their professionalism and kindness.

Nightly rates from $18.10