A Night in Solo... From Roemahkoe to Galabo

Knock knock who's there?

My husband seems to always find ways to lure me into travelling, both intentionally & unintentionally. Like this trip to Solo... At first, I was gonna fly to Yogya & he's going to pick me up. Then, spend one night and take off for home the next day. In just a few hours, that one-night-stay plan changed into a long weekend in two cities famous for Batik, Yogya & Solo.

First night was spent at Roemahkoe in Solo. I was expecting something in the range of typical bed & breakfast, like Rumah Palagan in Yogya. So, I was surprised to find out that the inn used to be a family house with many rooms & a huge dining area. Everything is well-preserved, including a mini washbasin on the corners of the area where we had our breakfast. When you look up, you can see various antique ceiling fan and lamps. Once we checked in, I can't help but walk around & take lots of pictures. There are a set of table & chairs outside of each room. But take a closer look and they're all actually different pairs of chairs. It's very quirky & nice at the same time.

Our Junior Suite had a touch of contemporary art, judging from the wallpapers, but the rest took us back in time. There were one little chair on each end of our bedpost, which looked like mini dressers, for two people. How cute! True, the bathroom is on the small side for a suite room, but it's still well put together. I especially liked the lamp that was attached seamlessly on the mirror.

Later on, we decided to shop for batik and guess what, the backdoor of this inn leads right to Kampoeng Batik Laweyan. It may not be Batik Solo in particular, but we enjoyed walking on the small alleys while visiting the little shops. Most of the shops are closed by 5pm, so come there earlier in the morning.

The only place we shopped was Batik Putra Laweyan, it seems like the most reputable shop as they have many advertisements on the streets. I did score some tops and fabrics (so did my husband!), but I wish to visit other shops on my next visit.

Back at the inn, we were spoiled with an afternoon tea session. Two capuccino cups filled with freshly brewed Tong Tji tea and two plates of banana cheese fritters right in our room. I was surprised to get this treat, not sure if this is because we stayed at their Junior Suite or it's just the way they make their guests feel special.

At night, a whole new experience awaits us...

Roemahkoe

Jln. Dr. Rajiman 501

Laweyan, Solo

They close their gates at 10 pm,

but if you come back later,

you can always phone them from the outside