In Reply to: anybody being to jogjakarta (Borobudur) posted by pkt on Friday, 12. November 2004 at 08:33 Bali Time:
This site might be useful. It has a map and prices for a few hotels.
http://www.yogyes.com/index.asp
They've recently added the Manhora Hotel to the site. Room rates are 282,000 for a double bed room. The hotel is actually located within the Borobudur temple complex, and guests don't have to pay the admission charge, which was about 90,000 for foreigners last time I was there (July). Sounds like a pretty sweet deal if you're planning to visit Borobudur, which you should definitely do. I've heard it's most beautiful at sunrise, though I haven't seen that yet as I tend to sleep in... definitely going to check it out in a few weeks. If I get there before you do, I'll post a review of this hotel.
For decent basic homestay accomodation, Delta Homestay in Prawirotaman II is good value at around 80,000 rp for an aircon room with two beds. Simple bathroom. Breakfast included. Pool. I did find ants eating some mints I'd left on the bedside table, so don't leave food where they can find it. There are a few quiet bars/cafes in the area, and a huge market (fresh food) nearby. Staff are friendly. The main drawback is that the location is a bit far from the nightlife, and you can get screwed by taxi drivers at night, coz they won't use the meter. But you can always use a becak instead (though in general taxis are cheaper).
Hotel Ibis is on Malioboro St, and is clean, modern and pleasant. I think the rooms are listed at about 480,000 per night for a double, but you can probably get it cheaper in off-season if you haggle. I think I paid around 300,000. I think they've stopped having smoking rooms now... which might affect you.
Hotel Batik Yogyakarta II is a nice place to stay... big pool, quiet but close to everything, just off Jalan Sosrowijan. I had a bungalow for 250,000 per night, but I think the rooms are only about 180,000. Staff were ok, but they did tell me I could pay with Amex, and then made me use my Visa when the time came to pay. Oh, and they close the big Iron gates at night, but they don't lock them, so don't get confused and think you're locked in or out... just open them and the squeaking will wake up the guard.
Hotel Mendut is right across the road from Tugu Station if you're arriving/leaving by train. It's about 180,000 per night. Clean and comfortable. A friend of mine says the announcements from the train station can be eerie and sometimes annoying. I only stayed one night there, and it didn't bother me. The Mendut Cafe next door is a hoot. Just a box with a stage and different dangdut acts every night. For my money, it's much more fun than the cover bands that play along Sosro.
Don't forget to go to Prambaban too. You'll kick yourself if you don't.
I've never had a regular driver in Yogya. I just ask someone if they know someone, and within an hour someone appears with a car. I pay 200,000 for the day, and no-one has haggled yet, so you can probably get a driver cheaper than that. They may try to sell you some silver on the way. Just say no if you're not interested. It's usually a pretty soft sell.
Pretty much anywhere in town you can join a tour going to any of the main attractions, but I wouldn't bother. They will definitely stop at a silver factory and a batik shop, and by the time you get to where you're going, there's bugger-all time to see anything. By contrast, a bemo or bus to Prambanan is 2000rp, and it's a pleasant trip, even if it's crowded. It only takes 1/2 hour. I haven't taken a bus to Borobudur before, but that's only about an hour out of town.
Don't bother paying big bucks for an organised tour from Bali (if you're going to Jogja from there). It's cheaper to just book your own flight and find a place to stay when you get there. It's easy to get to the main tourist attractions, and the more flexibility you have, the more likely you are to enjoy it.
If you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask. How many days were you planning to spend there?