In his travelogue Indrukken van een ‘Tòtòk’ (Impressions of a Totok, 1897) the Amsterdam writer and cigar maker Justus van Maurik highly commends the Indies hotels. In earlier days, Van Maurik states, travelling in the Indies was difficult and time-consuming, but now that most major places can be reached by train, good hotels that have adopted the ‘laudable features of their European counterparts’ have sprung up everywhere, such as Hotel Wisse and Hotel der Nederlanden in Batavia, Hotel Preanger in Bandung and Hotel Van Horck in Garut. For the benefit of future tourists Van Maurik gives extensive descriptions of the hotels where he stayed himself. They are cheaper than guesthouses in Europe and are very well-appointed: they feature spacious bedrooms, good bathrooms and elegant dining rooms. They often even have a hotel store (toko) for some shopping. Hoteliers arrange for their guests to be picked up at the port or station, operating a kind of shuttle service. Tourists can also rent a carriage at their hotel to make a trip in the neighbourhood. This (colorized) photo shows Van Maurik (second on the left, next to the carriage) in front of Hotel Wisse.
Photo of writer Justus van Maurik in front of Hotel Wisse in Batavia, 1896. [KITLV 403057]