REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - In 2000, Islamic banking become a new trend. Now, the most populous Muslim country in the world embraces a new trend: sharia compliant hotel or sharia hotel for short.

Today, the new trend starts to blooming in accommodation business  in some big cities in Indonesia. Many of them became religious icon among Muslims, who feel more comfortable with the sharia compliant facilities.

The owner of Sofyan Group Hotel, Riyanto Sofyan said sharia hotel provides some special atmosphere. "Many guests feel safer to stay at the hotel," he said on Monday.

Sofyan has managed sharia concept hotel for 19 years. Guests can feel the slamic messages presented as all hotel facilities and services keeping with Islamic tradition. With sharia concept, Sofyan said, served guest with healthy services. 

Sofyan changed his hotel concept from conventional to sharia since 1994. Now, his hotel occupancy rates increases 150 percent. In fact, only 30 percent of visitors who stay at hotel knew that the hotel applies Islamic concept.

Sofyan Hotel also have halal food. When the Mariott hotels can provide a bible in every guest room, then Sofyan Hotel also provides a Qoran. When prayer time comes, the hotel management will provide prayer call (adzan), as well as prayer room.

Operational Director of Sofyan Hotel, Basari Bachri said Sofyan Hotel Group also spreaded a branch named Aziza Sharia Hotel in last three years. Surprisingly, the managemen are not Muslims but they support the sharia compliant hotel.

Today, Aziza Hotel management operates in two cities, Pekanbaru and Solo. Basari explained that the new hotels would be built in Semarang, Jakarta, Bali, and Palembang. 

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