Fully furnished accommodation with quality of hotel

Fully furnished accommodation with quality of hotel

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Serviced apartments have become a flexible alternative to a
hotel, offering guests not only fully furnished accommodation,
but also a space for meeting clients or entertaining friends for
a few days, months or even years.

Accommodation at an apartment generally offers all the
advantages of a fully furnished apartment with all the
conveniences of a hotel.

"Living in a serviced apartment frees me of the daily hassle
of keeping house, because the apartment's service department
takes care of it. This way, I can spend more time on my job and
myself," said Jeff Wilson of the United Kingdom, a tenant of the
Hilton Residence.

Wilson, a senior advisor at PT Senada Petroleum, has been
living for eight years at the Hilton Residence, which is only
several minutes by car from his workplace at S. Widjojo Center on
Jl. Sudirman.

Like Wilson, tenants Noel Urmeneta and Robin Young also enjoy
living in a serviced apartment because, apart from its safety and
convenience, it provides more living space than a hotel and most
importantly, more time to enjoy themselves.

Urmeneta, a Filipino, and Young, from Scotland, live in the
Ascott Residence Jakarta on Jl. Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta.

The rooms available in a single apartment unit, such as a
living room, a family room, bedrooms and a kitchen, makes them
feel as though they are living in a house.

"I like cooking different kinds of food, and I can cook by
myself here," said Urmeneta, who works at PT Unocal as a
reservoir engineer and has been living at the Ascott for over a
year.

Young said he had more free time living in an apartment
because it provided housekeeping, laundry and maintenance
services. "I spend my free time playing tennis and going to the
gym," said Young, who works as an engineer at PT Sparrow.

Wilson, Urmeneta and Young are among the hundreds of foreign
businesspeople who live in serviced apartments in town, which
suits their contract-based assignments here.

Unlike a traditional apartment, a serviced apartment is fully
furnished, including an international direct dial (IDD) telephone
with voice mail, broadband Internet service, cable or satellite
TV, an entertainment center, cordless telephone, air-conditioners
with individually controlled thermostat, crockery, cutlery and
utensils, microwave, refrigerator, a washing machine and dryer.

Most serviced apartments provide the comfort and luxury of a
starred hotel for tenants, with around-the-clock security and
room service, as well as tennis courts, a fitness center, spa and
swimming pool.

Among the popular serviced apartments in the capital include
the Hilton Residence, Ascott Residence Jakarta, Somerset, Aston,
Residential Suite at Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, the Allson
Residence, Casablanca Mansion, Plaza Residence and Istana Sahid
Apartment.

Many of their tenants are foreign executives working at
multinationals, or at governmental and non-governmental
organizations.

The average long-term lease ranges from one to three years.
However, select apartments, such as the Mandarin's Residential
Suite, also offer a short-term option with a minimum stay of 14
days. Serviced apartments are generally located at strategic
points in the city, offering a comfortable home environment
within proximity of downtown Jakarta, business districts and
shopping centers.

Monthly rent ranges from US$3,000 to $5,000 per unit,
depending on the type of apartment.

Serviced apartments focus on the importance of providing
quality service, security, privacy and comfort for their tenants,
and each has a unique way of making them feel at home.

The Hilton Residence, for instance, has a high-level security
system and all entrances to the building is accessible only by
magnetic card.

"For the sake of convenience, appropriate preventive and
maintenance programs are conducted periodically by experienced
engineers," said Hilton Residence Manager Hidayat Sarkawi.

"We are committed to delivering the best service as promised,
for example, by responding any inquiries immediately," he said.

The residence also organizes various in-house leisure
activities, such as flower arrangement and music classes, sport
competitions and other programs.

"To encourage tenants and guests to get to know each other, we
hold parties from time to time. Each party has different theme,
such as a long-stay guest party and shows featuring traditional
Indonesian performances," Hidayat said.

The Hilton Residence opened its doors in 1987, and has since
upgraded its facilities and rooms gradually. The complex,
comprising 256 apartment units in two towers, boasts a spacious,
32-acre tropical garden and athletic facilities, including 13
tennis courts, four squash courts, three swimming pools and a
500-meter jogging track. The Hilton also has 11 food and beverage
outlets.

Like the Hilton, the Ascott Residence Jakarta also offers a
personalized service and programs tailored to tenants' needs to
make apartment life enjoyable, with social events such as Ladies'
Club and Kid's Club.

"We also organize holiday activities, such as Christmas, Lunar
New Year and Halloween," said Ascott Jakarta president director
Avelyn P. Santiago.

Managed by the Ascott International, the residence comprises
198 studio and penthouse units.

The Residential Suite at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, which
began operations in 1999, features 38 rooms and has a stunning
view of either the Central Business District Skyline or the
Welcome Monument fountain at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle,
due its location in the heart of the city.

The Mandarin residence has flexible lease terms, especially
intended to accommodate tenants in town on a project basis and
require some leeway, in case their contract terms are altered
suddenly -- such as an unforeseen project cancellation.

"At the Mandarin Oriental, tenants can cancel their lease
within a day's notice without forfeiting," said Mandarin Oriental
public relations officer Dhaneswari Retnowardhani.

Guests and tenants at the Mandarin are also given an
opportunity to meet and socialize through cocktail parties,
private dinners, golf tournaments, weekend activities and fishing
trips, all arranged at their convenience.

With such facilities and services, however, some tenants may
find it difficult to return to the comparatively ordinary life in
a suburban home.