I was sitting in the lounge of Hotel Natour Dibya Puri, Hotel du Pavillion in colonial days, and I was wondering if it still looked the same when my father had been here, now 72 years ago.

I had been disappointed by the hotel entrance. At some time it had been renovated and now it looked very unattractive compared to the old facade, which I had seen on photos. I look around, the furniture is new(ish), but the rest is authentic: thick pillars support the roof, swinging doors with cut glass, authentic hinges and locks.

In colonial days hotels were like miniature residential areas. Social life took place in the main building: the bar, reading room, newspapers from home at least 6 weeks old, dining room, writing room, offices, the kitchen. Grouped around this main building the hotel rooms, each with their own verandah. Activity everywhere, guests, visitors, vendors. Each guest had his own houseboy who would bring coffee, shine shoes, fill the mandi, the bath, chase away mosquitoes. When the boy's tasks were done he would sit down on his heels, smoke and wait.

I was not staying at this hotel so I asked the receptionist if I could walk around and see some rooms. He smiled, misunderstood me and gave me a leaflet with room rates: tarip kamar. I love this word tarip and especially the letter ‘p’. Indonesians have difficulty in pronouncing an ‘f’ and pronounce ‘p’ instead. Kamar means ‘rooms’; it’s a Dutch word. There are many Dutch words in Bahasa Indonesia and every time I discover a new one I use it, much of the amusement of those listening.

On the right the verandah. The back of the building still clearly shows the old structure. The front has been renovated but the back of the building is still the same.

I walk to the back of the building and I am happy to see that not much has changed since the old days. The old walls, doors, verandahs are still there. I meet an English-speaking person who is only too willing to show some of the hotel rooms. The inevitable: "Where’re you from?" evokes: "Oh, Belanda." I am happy that we, Dutch, are still welcome.

The rooms have recently been renovated, in colonial style. I especially like the shining floor tiles, 100% authentic.

The room rates are very reasonable and range from 230.000 – 115.000 rupiahs, 50 – 15 Euros.