One house, one family, one village — the people behind Villa Tanen
Breakfast is already waiting on the veranda when you come down, a cheerful good morning drifts over from the garden — and the moment you step out of the gate, the village greets you just the same.
Villa Tanen is a traditional wooden holiday villa with a private pool and a 3,000 m² walled tropical garden in the village of Tanen (Hargobinangun, Pakem, Sleman), about 21 km north of Yogyakarta at around 630 metres elevation — with 24/7 staff, breakfast included and room for up to 12 guests, plus a free-standing studio for two.
That's the fact sheet. Here's what it doesn't tell you: Villa Tanen isn't a hotel and it isn't a chain. It's a Dutch family's home, set right in the village that gave it its name — and guests from all over the world have been staying here since 2013. This page is about who we are: the family, the people who look after you every day, and the village that greets you on your morning walk.
Facts at a glance: 6 rooms + studio for 2 · up to 12 guests · 3,000 m² walled garden · private pool · ±630 m elevation · ±21 km above Yogyakarta · breakfast included · 24/7 staff · driver-guide available
Why does a Dutch family own a house on Java?
Villa Tanen is a Dutch family's home in the village of Tanen, on the southern slopes of Mount Merapi — a Dutch-owned villa in the most literal sense: not an investment property run by an anonymous manager, but a place the family genuinely cares about. The house is named after the village it belongs to: stay here and you're not staying near Tanen, you're staying in it. Since 2013 we've welcomed guests from all over the world, from the most varied backgrounds — and there's nothing our staff love more.
What we most enjoy is showing you this beautiful piece of Indonesia and letting you taste Javanese culture. We do our utmost to make your trip as lovely and easy as possible: hospitable, full of personal attention, but with just as much care for the peace and privacy in which you can enjoy it all undisturbed. And little makes us happier than a guest who comes back after a great day with a big smile.
What we can tell you right now: you always deal directly with the family. No booking department, no middleman — the message you send is read by someone who knows every corner of this house. And in Tanen itself there's a team who have been part of the house for years, working alongside neighbours from the village to make sure you want for nothing.
The people who look after you, day and night
Villa Tanen doesn't run on a front desk — it runs on people. Someone is on the grounds around the clock: for the house, the garden, the pool, the food, and above all, for you.
Diana & Najah — the hostesses and the kitchen
Diana and Najah are the hostesses of Villa Tanen: they look after the rooms and the kitchen alike, and they live on the grounds themselves — so there's quite literally always someone home. They cook traditional Javanese food with fresh ingredients from the market, and will just as happily plate up something European when you've hit your nasi limit. Breakfast is ready every morning (Indonesian or European, your call), and the juices are pressed from fruit grown in our own garden or nearby. Want to learn their secrets? Join Diana on the market run, then take the cooking class in our own kitchen.
Bejo & Suradi — the house and the garden
Bejo is our all-round handyman and gardener: from the house to the grounds, he keeps everything running and has a knack for a quick fix. And Suradi clears the grounds of fallen leaves every morning, so your first cup of coffee looks out over a garden that's immaculate. It's the small things that make the difference — and these two make sure you never even have to notice them.
The driver-guide
Our English-speaking driver-guide knows Central Java inside out. He plans your day trips with you, drives you there — and is just as happy to walk you through the rice paddies around the village. We don't recommend driving yourself on Java; with him around, you'll never need to.
The neighbours
The village itself pitches in. Neighbours run the photo shoots in traditional Javanese batik, among other things. And a massage, manicure or haircut simply comes to you, right there in the garden.
Nothing makes our staff happier than showing guests from all over the world this corner of Indonesia — and seeing them come home at the end of the day with a big smile.
See what you can do with the staff — Village Life & Workshops →
Staying in a village that says hello
Tanen is a small, genuinely Javanese kampong — a village untouched by mass tourism. Here, greeting one another is simply what people do, strangers included. That means you too, on your morning walk.
This house truly belongs to its village, and you feel that everywhere. Step off the grounds and you're walking straight into rice paddies, woods and gardens (the Merapi volcano museum is within walking distance, and a member of our team will happily walk with you). Join the staff on their run to Pasar Pakem — the market where they do their own shopping, not one laid on for visitors. Or take one of our two mountain bikes and ride through hamlets where you are the attraction — do stop for a chat.
So no, you won't find mass tourism here. What you will find: cool hill air at around 630 m, a village that joins in, and the cultural treasures of Central Java — Borobudur, Prambanan, the sultan's city — all within reach whenever you feel like venturing out.
Into the village — market runs, batik portraits and cooking classes →
What you see is what you get
That's been our house rule for years — and it applies to this website too. So instead of only telling you what you'll get, we'll also tell you straight what not to expect.
What you can count on:
- Someone on the grounds around the clock — 24/7, a real person rather than an emergency number.
- Breakfast always included (Indonesian or European), along with daily housekeeping, Wi-Fi, water/tea/coffee and fruit from our own garden.
- Privacy: a 3,000 m² fully walled garden; the pool can't be seen from the road. Book the whole villa and there are no other guests in your villa.
- A personal reply to every question — often within a few hours, always within 24.
- And: just ask — with a little notice and a small surcharge, a lot is possible.
What not to expect:
- No en-suite bathrooms. There's one bathroom per floor (toilet and hot-water shower) — but with our bathroom guarantee: book one room and we won't let out the other rooms on that floor, so the bathroom is yours alone.
- No toddler-proof pool. The pool is up to 2 m deep and cleaned daily — please supervise young children yourself.
- No private garden with room or studio bookings. You'll share the garden and pool with any other guests. There's plenty of space for it — but we'd rather say so upfront.
- No city life on your doorstep. Yogyakarta is about 21 km away; an evening in town means arranging transport (our driver is happy to oblige).
- No climbing Mount Merapi. The summit routes have been closed since 2018 and climbing is prohibited — be wary of anyone promising otherwise. What you can do: the jeep safari across the lava fields, and the Merapi museum within walking distance.
- No guaranteed blue skies. In the rainy season (November–March), expect a proper afternoon downpour. It's still beautiful here — we just believe in mentioning it.
A stay at Villa Tanen is much more than eating, swimming and sleeping — it’s an experience in itself.
— our own motto, for years
How do you know Villa Tanen is real?
Villa Tanen has been hosting guests from all over the world since 2013, with public listings on Airbnb and huisjetehuur.nl and a Dutch owner you can talk to before you book.
You could take our word for it — but honestly, we'd rather you checked. Here's how:
- Look up our listings on the platforms. We appear with eight listings on Airbnb — per room, for the whole villa and for the studio, each with its own calendar — plus one on huisjetehuur.nl. Those listings are public and have been running since 2013; they're evidence, not a booking route — you simply book direct with us: with the owner, no platform commission.
- Compare the details. Same name, same address (Jl. Boyong, Tanen, Hargobinangun, Pakem, Sleman, Yogyakarta 55582), same people — on this site, on the listings and on Google Maps.
- Ask us something before you pay anything. WhatsApp or email — the owner replies personally, usually within a few hours and always within 24, and you'll quickly notice there's a human at the other end.
Prefer to travel with a tailor-made itinerary? You can also book Villa Tanen through our partner Indonesiereizenopmaat.nl, who put together complete trips across Indonesia.
Want to read up on us first? Please do — then simply book direct. Check availability → · All guest reviews, with source and date →
Come and stay — you know who we are now
Direct with the owner · a personal reply within 24 hours · no account needed