Inna Garuda, the legendary hotel in Jogja
From “Yogyakarta Hotel” (1908) To “Inna Garuda” (now)
Inna Garuda is the hotel with a long history and cannot be separated from Yogyakarta. So far, the hotel’s name had been changed six times: Grand Hotel De Djokdja, Hotel Asahi, Hotel Merdeka, Hotel Garuda, Natour Garuda, and now Inna Garuda.
Here is the brief history of Inna Garuda since named “Grand Hotel De Djokdja” or “Yogyakarta Hotel”.
1908 - 1942: Grand Hotel De Djokdja or “Yogyakarta Hotel”
In the settlement of Dutch in Indonesia, the colonial government wanted to build a hotel at the strategic location on the center of Yogyakarta, in the Malioboro Street. The cottage hotel, which built in 1908, was the biggest and the most luxurious hotel in Yogyakarta named Grand Hotel De Djokdja which means “Yogyakarta Hotel”. It started to operate in the year of 1911 and only accommodate the Dutch military guests. In the 1938 the hotel was reshaped in two wings in the right and left side and the main building in the center of it.
1942 - 1945: Hotel Asahi
At 1942, Japanese came and conquered Indonesia, including Yogyakarta and the Grand Hotel De Djokdja. Japanese changed the hotel name into Hotel Asahi.
1945 - 1950: Hotel Merdeka
With great sacrifice on 17 August 1945, Indonesia declared their freedom. Asahi Hotel was took over by Indonesian and in line with the spirit of freedom at that time the name of the hotel was changed to Hotel Merdeka.
In the 1946, Yogyakarta became the capital of Indonesia due to the political and national security situation and the Hotel Merdeka temporarily became the office complex for the governmental cabinet at that time.
Dutch tried to conquer Indonesia again and war occurred betwen the colonialist and the Indonesian soldiers. The late Great Commander General Sudirman stayed in the hotel for several months.
1950 - 1982: Hotel Garuda
Indonesian government changed the name of Hotel Merdeka into Hotel Garuda in 1950 and in 1975 the government gave the trust to PT. Natour to run the hotel.
1982 - 2001: Natour Garuda
In the 1982, PT. Natour was trusted by government to renovate Hotel Garuda and upgraded from one star to three stars hotel. The renovation cost about 9 billions rupiah and finished at the end of 1984. To hold the image of historical hotel, therefore the south and north wing building were maintained, but the center building was raised to seven stories. Natour Garuda, which status is BUMN, did the Trial Ceremony with the Great Grand Opening Ceremony on 29 June 1985 at Saturday Legi (which was a good day for Hamengkubuwono IX), and officially opened by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX-the governor of Yogyakarta. In the 1987 Natour Garuda was officially stated by the government through the tourism, Post and Telecommunication Department as a three stars hotel.
Together with the fast tourism development in Indonesia, especially in Yogyakarta, PT. Natour extends the Natour Garuda by adding 120 rooms so that the total is 240 rooms. Sri Paduka Pakualam VIII, the governor of Yogyakarta, officially opened the extension of Natour Garuda on 29 June 1991. It is a special honor that two Kings of Keraton Yogyakarta inaugurated Natour Garuda.
2001 - Now: Inna Garuda
In March 2001, PT. Natour merged with PT. Hotel Indonesia; the name of the hotel was changed to Inna Garuda. As an almost-100-years-old hotel, we have all experiences and traditions to satistfy our guests. Whenever you visit Yogyakarta, please stay at Inna Garuda: the legendary hotel
