Hotel 88 is located only a 5-minute walk from Surabaya’s Gubeng train station in eastern Java, making this hotel a very affordable option if you are planning to travel via train. Although Hotel 88 caters to the business traveler, vacationers can also find comfort here.
First Impression
The outside looks rather unassuming with a rather plain facade and a couple of Blue Bird taxis out front. The inside reveals a tiled lobby with a few cafeteria-style tables and chairs, a modern reception desk with a welcoming staff and a complimentary drink station including water, coffee and sweet lemon iced tea.
Comfortable Bed
Rooms
The rooms are basic but clean and include a comfortable bed with clean sheets, a flat screen TV with cable, a small desk and plenty of space for your belongings. The bathrooms feature a shower with very good water pressure and nice, big towels. Two complimentary bottles of water come with each room.
Guest Room
Bathroom
Amenities
Room service is available with several options for vegans and vegetarians, including nasi goreng (fried rice), tempe penyet kampung kenongo (traditional Javanese tempeh dish), banana fritters, vegetable spring rolls and French fries. Ranging from $2 to $4 per dish, you can easily enjoy a full meal for under $5.
After a few days of lots of walking (and sweating) in the hot sun, and a multi-hour train trip, we were happy to see that Hotel 88 offered affordable laundry service. The free WIFI in the rooms have a strong a signal.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served between 6:00 – 10:00am and consists of a surprising variety of dishes. As vegans we were happy to see fresh fruit, toast with jam, fried tofu and tempeh, and the traditional Indonesian dish of gado gado (assorted vegetables with a spicy peanut sauce). Beverages offered are tea, coffee, water and a fresh fruit juice, which for us was soursop. The breakfast, included as part of your stay at Hotel 88, is impressive, tasty and a great way to start your day.
Breakfast
Tips for a Nice Stay
Given that our room was just feet away from the breakfast area, we heard other guests enjoying their morning meal long before our alarm went off. We, therefore, recommend avoiding rooms 209-212 and 222 unless you are planning to get an early start to your day.
All in all, Hotel 88 provided us with exactly what we were looking for: a reasonably priced but comfortable hotel within walking distance to the train station.