The spirit of Jakarta according to Dian Sastrowardoyo

"When I have friends over, I like to show them around the magnificent Altitude complex, on the 46th and top floor of a building overlooking Thamrin, Jakarta's main thoroughfare. The Cloud bar, on the roof terrace, offers a 360-degree view of the business district. You can sip a Bintang, the local beer, or a cocktail before going down to the restaurant for some tapas. I also like to arrange meetings at the recently opened Keraton Hotel, located in the same district as the luxury hotels and the Grand Indonesia mall. It's a real oasis of elegance right in the heart of Jakarta.

Not far from there, but in a different genre, the Kosenda, opened in 2013, is a small boutique hotel with 60 really trendy rooms, with a touch of the 80s that I just love. The place is very eco-bobo-rigolo, with lots of wood, painted walls in front of huge glass panels, water, antique furniture, colourful fabrics and a mind-boggling collection of magazines from all over the world. I find it the perfect place for an informal lunch or to take a breather in the middle of the day over a mocktail, a green and detoxified non-alcoholic cocktail, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Further south, in the Menteng district, where you can still find some beautiful colonial houses, I often organise dinners at the Indonesian restaurant Lara Djonggrang. It's a real cultural experience, but also a very intimate place. When you enter this old house full of nooks and crannies, protected by banyans, you feel like you're taking a trip back in time, far from the hustle and bustle of the megalopolis. Each little sitting room is different and filled with antique Indonesian art. Old mirrors sit alongside lava stone statues, traditional dolls and old-fashioned portraits. Lara Djonggrang is part of the Tugu chain, which also owns one of the city's best Peranakan (Chinese-Malay) restaurants: Dapur Baba.

Even further south, in Kemang, a small neighbourhood in full bloom, there are some fine galleries, such as Edwin Gallery, a vast mansion where sculptures and contemporary paintings are exhibited. But I especially like Dia.lo.gue, a space devoted to art in three parts: a gallery, a café and a shop selling design objects. The place is really lovely; it's like floating between outside and inside, thanks to the interplay of glass, semi-open spaces, fountains and bamboo hedges. I love having tea here and discovering up-and-coming artists.

For shopping, I recommend the FJL boutique in the same district. But the must is Goods Dept, in the sumptuous Pacific Place mall. This boutique offers a wide range of accessories and clothing created by talented young Indonesian designers. It really is the place to go for gifts that are both affordable and unique. But if you prefer to get away from the department stores and discover a different Jakarta, there's nothing like a trip to the Chinatown market to stock up on exotic fruit and vegetables before heading back to cooler climes!