Semarang's HOTTEST New Apartment: Candiland by SBM! 🤯
Okay, strap in, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the (allegedly) hottest new apartment complex in Semarang: Candiland by SBM! 🤯 I mean, the exclamation point alone is promising, right? Let's see if the hype is real. Prepare for a brutally honest, no-holds-barred review – the kind you'd expect from a sleep-deprived travel blogger fueled by lukewarm coffee and the sheer audacity of charging extra for a decent pillow.
Let's talk accessibility first, because, frankly, it's 2024 and this should be a given, but we all know how that goes…
Accessibility: Okay, so, "Candiland" (I still think that name sounds like a theme park for… well, candi – Javanese temples. Maybe it IS! 😲) boasts about it. This is CRUCIAL. I mean, it's good they claim to have facilities for disabled guests and an elevator. I need tangible evidence. I'm not going to fully judge it now I need to see it.
Getting Around: Airport transfer? Check! (Hopefully, it's NOT a beat-up minivan with a driver who thinks he’s auditioning for Fast and Furious). Car park on-site AND free? Okay, that's a win. They also have car power charging stations. Bonus points there, green thumbs! Oh, and TAXI SERVICE. The holy grail! I'm a sucker for a good taxi.
Alright, now for the good stuff: Lounging, chilling, and becoming one with my inner sloth… (aka, the "Ways to Relax" Section)
- Pool with a View: The selling point, right? A pool with a view is EVERYTHING. This would be a deal breaker. If it is mediocre the rating plunges.
- Fitness Center & Gym/fitness: I say I want to work out on vacation. The truth is, I might use these for like… 15 minutes. If it’s decent, I'll give them credit.
- Sauna, Spa/sauna, Steamroom: Oh, HELL YES. I am ALL IN on these. If I can melt my stress away, Candiland, you've got my heart.
- Massage: Massage. My personal weakness. Good or bad, after everything, it's gonna be needed.
Cleanliness & Safety – Because Nobody Wants the Semarang Plague (or worse!)
- Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Professional-grade sanitizing services… Okay, alright, someone's taking the current situation seriously. Good. I appreciate not catching something I didn't ask for.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: (Which should be standard.)
- Hand sanitizer, Staff trained in safety protocol: Good. Very good.
Food, Glorious Food! (aka, "Dining, Drinking, and Snacking")
- Restaurants! Multiple restaurants? Okay, now we're talking. My stomach is growling at the thought. I'd better not get sick.
- Asian Cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant: Variety is the spice of life, or at least the spice of a good vacation.
- Poolside bar: Gotta have a poolside bar. That is a MUST.
- Room service [24-hour]: Don't even try to get me out of my robe.
The Nitty Gritty: Services & Conveniences
- Daily housekeeping: Essential. I'm not a barbarian.
- Concierge: Because sometimes you need someone to, you know, actually do things.
- Cash withdrawal, Currency exchange: Good.
- Air conditioning in public area Needed.
- Laundry Service & Ironing Service: Necessary evil.
For the Kids
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal: Kudos to them for catering to families.
Security & Safety
- CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Security [24-hour]: Peace of mind is priceless.
- Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms: Safety first!
Rooms, Rooms, Glorious Rooms! (aka, "Available in All Rooms")
- Air conditioning: Must-have in Southeast Asia.
- Free Wi-Fi: Thank goodness.
- Blackout curtains: Crucial for sleeping in after a night of questionable decisions.
- Coffee/tea maker: Always a plus. I need my morning coffee.
- Hair dryer: My mane needs help.
- In-room safe box: Always a plus.
- Mini bar: Hello, convenience!
- Non-smoking: Good.
- Refrigerator: To keep my Bintang cold!
- Wi-Fi [free]: Yay!
- Wake-up service: If the blackout curtains and coffee maker fail me.
My Verdict on Candiland by SBM: The Jury's Still Out!
Okay, so I haven't actually stayed there yet. This is all based on what they say. But the potential is there. Here's what I'm REALLY looking for:
- The Pool View: This is make or break. If the view is a concrete jungle, I'm out.
- The Food: If the food is bland, I will personally haunt their buffet. I'll eat all the desserts.
- The Atmosphere: Is it actually relaxing? Is it clean? Is it a place where I can actually breathe and de-stress, or is it a constant battle against noise and chaos?
The Offer (Because You Know I Have to do this):
Tired of Same-Old Semarang? Escape to Candiland by SBM!
Book NOW and get:
- Complimentary Upgrade: To a room with a kickass view (subject to availability). We want you to feel like a king!
- Exclusive Spa Package: Get an amazing service. Let the professionals melt your stress away!
- Free Breakfast for Two! (Because you deserve more than instant noodles post-flight.)
- Flexible Cancellation: Because let's face it, life happens.
Click here to book your escape to Candiland by SBM! (And yes, I'll come back and update this review when I actually STAY there. Fingers crossed it's as heavenly as it sounds!) Book now!
Escape to Paradise: BY THE SEA Casa Vacanze Unit 2 Awaits!
Alright, buckle up, buttercups! This isn't your grandma's meticulously crafted itinerary. We're heading to Semarang, baby, specifically the Candiland Apartment by SBM 1. And let me tell you, planning this thing has been…an experience. Prepare for a rollercoaster.
The Semarang Spectacle: A (Probably Slightly Disastrous) Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Apartment Adventures (aka, the "Where's the damn key?" saga)
- Morning (7:00 AM - 10:00 AM): Ugh. Jakarta departure. The airport always feels like a sweaty, overpriced purgatory. Delayed flight? Shocking, I know. Already grumbling internally about the lack of legroom. Coffee is life. Need. Coffee. STAT.
- Mid-morning (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM): ARRIVAL! Finally, Semarang! Grabbed a Grab to Candiland. My first thought? "Wow, is this… a real apartment?" (I'm easily impressed and slightly paranoid after a few too many AirBnB horror stories). The check-in process? Let's just say finding the instructions was a treasure hunt worthy of Indiana Jones. I may or may not have spent a solid 45 minutes pacing the lobby, muttering "Where's the damn key?" under my breath. Success! … eventually.
- Lunch (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM): Scored some Nasi Goreng from a street vendor near the apartment building. Cheap, cheerful, and the perfect antidote to airport rage. Ate it with a plastic spoon while perched on a questionable curb. Pure travel bliss, honestly.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM - 5:00 PM): Apartment exploration! Candiland’s got this weird, almost Soviet-era quality to it that I kinda dig. First impressions are: clean enough, the A/C works (a GODSEND in this heat), and the view from the window is… well, a view! The kind that makes you contemplate life choices (in a good way). Spent an hour just staring at the city. Then I realized I hadn’t unpacked. Whoops. Unpacking, and then a nap. Don't judge. Jet lag is real.
- Evening (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM): Dinner at a local warung (small, family-run eatery). I bravely ordered "something spicy." My eyes are still watering. But the food was absolutely incredible! So much flavor. The owner – a tiny, smiling woman with a twinkle in her eye – seemed delighted by my efforts to speak Indonesian (which were, admittedly, bordering on comical).
- Night (8:00 PM onwards): Wandered around the neighborhood. Found a quirky little shop selling… everything. Bought a ridiculously large batik print that I'll probably regret later. Back at the apartment, Netflix and chill (literally, because the A/C is now on full blast). Trying not to think about the mountain of laundry I need to do.
Day 2: Culture Shock (and the Mystery of the Missing Sandals)
- Morning (8:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Alarm clock fail (blame the jet lag!). Breakfast at a local cafe. Decided to embrace the chaos and ordered something I couldn't even pronounce. It involved coconut, rice, and some kind of deep-fried deliciousness. Possibly the best breakfast of my life. Now, the REAL adventure began: exploring. First stop: Lawang Sewu. Oh. My. God. This place is amazing. Old, spooky, and utterly beautiful. Learned about the history (a bit hazy thanks to my limited Indonesian). Took a million photos. Got completely lost, wandered through rooms feeling a tingle of fear, found myself. It's a must-see.
- Lunch (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM): Hunger pangs! Grabbed some street food near Lawang Sewu. Savory, spicy, and consumed while dodging scooters. The thrill of the chase (of food, not the scooter).
- Afternoon (1:00 PM - 5:00 PM): Attempted to navigate the Sam Poo Kong temple. It's… an experience. Stunning architecture. Smells like incense and history. Got thoroughly lost trying to find the "main" gate. Eventually gave up and just wandered around, marveling at the colors and the atmosphere. Then I realized: MY SANDALS ARE GONE. Vanished. Disappeared. I blame the temple spirits. Spent a solid 30 minutes retracing my steps, muttering about the injustice of it all. This is definitely a low point.
- Evening (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM): Dinner and retail therapy. Found a decent pair of flip-flops at a local market. Food-wise, tried a dish that looked like a colorful explosion on a plate. Delicious, but a little too much spice, this time. I swear, my taste buds are going to rebel.
- Night (8:00 PM onwards): Back at the apartment, nursing my sandal-related wounds with a cold Bintang (Indonesian beer). Contemplating whether to blame the temple spirits for my missing sandals or my own clumsiness. The jury is still out.
Day 3: Coffee, Crafts, and the Quest for Authentic Batik
- Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Needed coffee. Badly. Found a cute little cafe (the name escapes me, memory of it smells good) in the old town (Kota Lama). The coffee was rich and strong, and the cafe was filled with friendly locals. Sat there for an hour, just watching the world go by (and trying to remember how to use the Indonesian words I’d learned – mostly involving "please" and "thank you").
- Lunch (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM): More street food. This time, I was feeling brave (or, more accurately, the sandal incident had toughened me up). Ordered something that looked like a fried dough pillow filled with… things. It was surprisingly delicious.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM - 5:00 PM): The GREAT Batik HUNT! Semarang is known for its incredible batik (traditional Indonesian cloth). Ventured into a few shops. The salesman at one shop was hilarious, a master of his craft, and utterly relentless in his attempts to sell me everything from a batik shirt to a batik tablecloth. He won. I’m now the proud owner of a ridiculously expensive, but undeniably beautiful, hand-painted batik scarf. Worth it. (At least, that's what I'm telling myself.)
- Evening (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM): Packed my bag, prepared for my departure. The last "good" local food.
- Night (8:00 PM onwards): Back to the apartment, feeling surprisingly melancholy about leaving. This city, with all its chaos and imperfections, has grown on me. Said goodbye to the view from my window. And made a mental note to never, EVER, take off my sandals in a temple again.
Day 4: Departure (aka, "I'm Already Planning My Return")
- Morning (7:00 AM - 10:00 AM): Checked out of the apartment. The departure felt a little too easy… I may have forgotten the batik scarf in the bathroom. (Spoiler alert: I did. And miraculously, the cleaning lady was honest enough to find it.) Grabbed a Grab to the airport.
- Departure The airport rush. Longing, and the regret of what I did not visit. I wish if I have the chance, I will go back again someday.
Final Thoughts:
This itinerary is… a work in progress. It's not perfect. It's messy. It's filled with mistakes and misunderstandings. But it's real. And that's what I wanted. Semarang is a city that challenges you, delights you, and occasionally leaves you missing your sandals. I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, where's that coffee…?
Regency Inn Hondo: Your Texas Getaway Awaits!
Candiland by SBM: The Uncensored FAQ - Because Let's Be Real...
Okay, spill the beans. Is Candiland *actually* the hottest new apartment in Semarang? Or is it just hype?
Heck if I know what "hottest" even *means* anymore! Marketing, am I right? But seriously, the brochures? Stunning. The photos? Lush. My bank account? Strained just *thinking* about it. Look, I went to the launch. It was a whirlwind. Free coffee, a tiny violin band (yes, really), and enough perfectly coiffed people to make me question my entire existence. So, is it hot? Depends on your definition. Is it fancy? Absolutely. Is it going to empty your wallet faster than you can say "lemper"? Also absolutely. But let’s be real, everything in Semarang is “hot” in the summer. So, I lean towards “expensive and photogenic”.
What are the amenities actually *like*? I saw the renders...are the pools as glistening as they look?
Oh, the renders. Those glorious, unrealistic promises! Okay, the pools *are* actually pretty nice. But let me tell you a story... I went for a "sneak peek" (read: I snuck in with a friend who *knew* someone). The Olympic-sized pool looked amazing, but *everyone* was crammed around the kiddie pool. Why? Because it had a little waterfall feature that was *slightly* less overcrowded. The gym… well, let's just say I saw more people taking selfies than lifting weights. The reality? It’s a good attempt, but the "luxury lifestyle" vibe is still being cultivated. Give it a year, and it will be completely overcrowded. Also, I'm pretty sure I saw a kid eating an entire bag of chips in the jacuzzi. Not very glamorous, is it?
The location...is it actually convenient? Or is it just "convenient" for people with Bentleys?
Okay, let's talk location. They tout the "prime location" near...something. Traffic is a nightmare, no matter what time of day. I tried to get there from Simpang Lima once. It took longer than watching the entire *Lord of the Rings* trilogy (extended edition, of course). They *say* it's close to the city center. It is. As the crow flies. But the crow doesn't have to deal with Angkot drivers who think the rules of the road are mere suggestions. It's "convenient" if you have a driver, a helicopter, or an unusually strong sense of patience. If you rely on online ride-hailing? Godspeed, my friend. You will spend half your life staring at the "calculating route" icon.
What's the deal with the prices? Is it actually justifiable for a Semarang apartment?
Justifiable? That's the million-dollar question (pun *intended*!). The prices are...a thing. Let's just say you could probably buy a small island somewhere with what they're asking. Is it a reflection of the investment? Probably. Is Semarang *ready* for these price tags? That remains to be seen. My opinion? They’re pushing the envelope BIG time. Is it a gamble? YES! Will the market crash? Maybe. Am I tempted despite it all? Maybe… but do I want to spend my life savings on a view? I think not.
Tell me about the layouts. Are the units actually functional, or are they just designed to look good on Instagram?
Okay, the layouts. I toured a two-bedroom unit. It looked amazing in the show unit. Lots of natural light, clever storage solutions, and a balcony with a view that would make you weep (if you could afford to live there, that is). But when I started *actually* thinking about living there... Where would I... you know... *put* my stuff? The space seemed efficient until I remembered that I'm addicted to buying knick-knacks. I'd be constantly battling for desk space. It's stylish, yes. Functionality? A bit questionable. It's designed for the minimalist Instagram aesthetic, not for the reality of actual living. Think "hotel suite" versus "home". Big difference. Big, big difference.
What's the vibe like? Is it all just pretentious posers or is there actually a sense of community?
Oh good lord, the vibe. I felt SO out of place. Everyone there seemed to have been born with a silver spoon in their mouth and a perfect tan. They're definitely *trying* to cultivate a sense of community, with events like "wine and cheese nights" (which, by the way, I'm allergic to cheese!). But it felt a bit… forced. Like a meticulously curated version of what community *should* be. I imagine conversations are something like, "Oh, darling, did you *see* the new Porsche? It's simply divine!" I need to find my people. I just envision everyone judging each other.
Are there any downsides that the glossy brochures *don't* tell you about?
Ah, the *real* questions! Well, for a start, the "views" might be stunning... but what happens when the construction next door starts? I've seen it happen. Suddenly, your panoramic vista becomes a concrete jungle. Also, parking. They *say* parking is included. But is it *convenient* parking? Or a battle for spots every evening? Also, noise! Apartment living means sharing walls. Imagine hearing your neighbour's late-night karaoke sessions every night… and their kids constantly running around. So, the brochures gloss over that. They tell you about the granite countertops, not the potential for earplugs and noise complaints. And finally... I'm pretty sure the elevators are going to become a nightmare. You know it. I know it. Waiting fifteen minutes to get up to floor 20 every evening isn’t ideal.
So, would *you* recommend Candiland? Be honest!
Ugh, okay, here's the deal. If you have *serious* money to burn, and you're obsessed with the latest trends and being seen in the "right" place, then go for it. If you want luxury, convenience, and a *feeling* of success, maybe it's right for you. It’s a shiny, new toy. But if you’re like me, a normal human who values actual practicality, a decent amount of space, and doesn't want toThe Stay Journey
