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Located one kilometre north of Malang Station, this palatial flight-of-fancy houses once grand, but somewhat tired midrange rooms, nevertheless they offer decent comfort and a good value deal. Front desk staff were extremely friendly and welcoming, but the initial impression of the dated style is a tad disappointing and we almost didn’t view the rooms, however we were pleasantly surprised.

Rooms are classically styled. Photo: Sally Arnold

The classily styled air-con interiors are plush and comfortable, if a little worn with the odd carpet stain and slightly greying sheets. Good-sized rooms are clean and light filled, although the rooms we viewed didn’t have much of an outlook. Patterned wallpaper, plush wall-to-wall carpets and Georgian-style furniture along with the classic rich green, maroon and gold palette offer the ambience of a gentlemen’s club sans cigar smoke. A fully stocked minibar, flatscreen cable TV, coffee-making facilities and included buffet breakfast all sweeten the deal. Marble ensuite bathrooms are not huge, but continue the grandiose theme and include bathtubs.

The hotel’s lounge ups the anti with it’s over-the-top pastiche of ostentation. Think chandeliers, fake Romanesque statues, Romanticist paintings mixed with Deco-style stained glass and baroque furnishings. The Cleopatra Restaurant offers other meals besides your included breakfast, but Malang has too many good local options nearby to even consider it (if fact we’d skip the breakfast too).

Not over the top at all. Photo: Sally Arnold

If you’re tired of modern cookie-cutter chain hotels, Hotel Gajah Mada Graha is certainly a contrast and for around the same coin offers a bit more comfort, if you can ignore the few foibles and imperfections. Some online deals bring the rate down well into the flashpacker price point so shop around. If The Addams Family is not your style, check out the comfortable contemporary rooms at The Alimar.