Where to stay in Jakarta?

Hello there. Staying in Jakarta is easy nowadays. Eventhough there is no subway yet, but we have commuter lines and busway as well. Budget place that you can stay may be available through Traveloka. Please download the application.

If I may suggest you, you can have historical tour in Jakarta, starting in the North, and have the culinary one in the South. So, you may want to stay in the Central. The budget hotels available are POP or Ibis Budget/Styles.

Regards,

Reno

The big question is where do you need to be for work or whatever?
Jakarta's traffic is terrible at best, but things have got a little better since the odd/even policy started.
Being near work is a good move but the Transjakarta links mean you can expand a lot.
The local trains are also very useful.

If you're working, where?

Good question, working or travelling? Travelling in Jakarta is cheaaaappp, as long as you're not come in and out the mall. 

Cheap, absolutely (as long as you don't use Blue bird all the time - and it's tempting because they're very good).
Time is a big issue if this is a work thing as, even with the odd/even in place, the jams can get pretty bad.
I'm doing a little something in the city so I've booked into a hotel in spitting distance from the office in order to avoid the problem as much as possible, at least as far as the important stuff goes.

The MRT is fated to open late this year and the traffic reducing policies are now forcing traffic onto other roads so in truth it's hard to see any difference now. If the police are visible then traffic does appear lighter.
The transjakarta buses are great how ever recently you need to choose when to use them to have a less sardine effect and the same for the trains.
However as the other post writers have asked 'where'  is more key to your stay than anything else.

I ride 16k each way daily on a bike and it takes anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour.
The train and buses are not viable as they don't end anywhere near where I need to be.
A taxi once found would take from an hour to what ever depending on traffic and cost from 100k each way.
An Uber type (uber isn't here) service car would take the same time but half the price.
A motorbike taxi would take almost the same time as my bike but cost me around 30k.

So choosing wisely location and learning about best ways to get around needs to done and well thought out.

Oh and if you are coming soon bring raincoats. Rainy season is almost here.

Raincoats are hot - I use a brolly.
(But I forgot to put it in my bag when I set of to Jakarta yesterday so I hope it doesn't rain until at least tomorrow)