Home sweet home, another theme to lure tenants
Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
High-rise serviced apartments in town show their concern for family tenants by providing them facilities tailored to their specific needs, such as the need for entertainment and fun, leisure, socializing, learning and keeping fit.
"Home sweet home" has become the theme of the country's serviced apartments. This might be the reason why tenants, especially families, feel at home in high-rise apartment buildings. On average, they stay between one and four years, and in some apartments they stay for over 10 years.
"Supporting facilities for families and children are highly valued by tenants, especially families, because in this way they feel as if they are staying in a landed house," said the general manager of Puri Casablanca Residences, Hans Pola.
Puri Casablanca Residences management provides supporting facilities which families and children can take advantage of, including a spacious and well-maintained park, an outdoor BBQ area, children playgrounds, a multipurpose room, a ballroom, a home theater room and a swimming pool.
The 47-story Puri Casablanca Residences, located in the business district on Jl. Puri Casablanca Kuningan in South Jakarta, is among the major serviced apartments in town that attract families by offering adequate family-friendly facilities.
Other such serviced apartments include The Hilton Residence on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, Plaza Senayan Apartemen on Jl. New Delhi in Central Jakarta, Belezza on Jl. Kawasan Mega Kuningan in South Jakarta, and the Allson Residence on Jl. Senen Raya in Central Jakarta.
At the Puri Casablanca Residences, tenants can relax by taking advantage of its spacious park shaded by tropical trees.
"Many tenants spend their morning and afternoon hours sitting on the grass or a bench, while keeping an eye on their playing children," Hans said, adding that to ensure the cleanliness of the park pets were not allowed.
A playground for children is one of the most important and appreciated facilities at serviced apartments. Commonly, the outdoor playgrounds come with such equipment as a slide, crawl tunnels, swings, a loop climber and a double-weave toddler slide.
"At the Puri Casablanca Residences, our aim is to provide playgrounds that create a fun place for children to play and build positive skills, physical fitness and cognitive development," Hans said.
Puri Casablanca Residence has two playgrounds -- one for toddlers below the age of two and another one, called an adventure playground, for children between the ages of two and sevens.
The ground of the playgrounds is covered in soft sand. "By covering the ground with soft beach sand, children can play freely and delightfully as if they were on a beach," he said.
Like the Puri Casablanca Residences, Apartemen Plaza Senayan and The Hilton Residence also offer facilities that cater to the needs of families and children.
Facilities at Apartemen Plaza Senayan include children's playground, children's swimming pool, a function room and a shopping center.
"We provide a spacious children's playground complete with play equipment like frames and swings," said Apartemen Plaza Senayan leasing manager Siti Djuariah.
For those wishing to hold a gathering, there is a function room. "Quite frequently, mothers use our function room to celebrate their son's or daughter's birthdays," she said.
At Apartment Plaza Senayan, tenants have easy access to shopping because the apartment is within walking distance of the Plaza Senayan shopping center.
"Restaurants, supermarkets and entertainment centers are also available at the plaza," she said.
At The Hilton Residence, tenants have four children's playgrounds from which to choose.
"We provide more than one children's playground because we don't want to see children jostling each other to use the facilities," said The Hilton Residence's assistant to the business development director, Ramona Manupuli, adding that the majority of tenants were families with children below the age of five.
The 30-story Hilton Residence has 254 apartment units, 70 percent of which are occupied by families which stay an average of two years.
"Several of them (families) have stayed here over 10 years," she said.
The Hilton Residence features a spacious garden, 13 tennis courts, four squash courts, three swimming pools, a 1.2- kilometer jogging track, a basketball court, four children's playgrounds and a fitness center. The fitness center consists of a computerized equipment room, an aerobics room, a steam room, a sauna and a hot and cold whirlpool.
"With adequate facilities for adults and children, tenants do not have to go outside the complex when they want to play sports, for instance," she said.
She said the facilities allowed tenants to mingle and get to know each other.
"This makes them delighted to take advantage of our facilities," she said.
In an effort to help tenants and the management staff get to know each other, the apartment holds regular programs, including a guest party, Halloween party and a Christmas party.
"The programs receive an enthusiastic response from tenants because through these programs, tenants can establish more intimate relationships," she said.
"Parents can also attend a (health) seminar held every month at the Hilton Executive Club free of charge," she said, adding that the seminars were popular with tenants.
Even though most of the tenants at the Allson Residence are businesspeople, the apartment also provides facilities to meet the needs of families and children. On average, families stay at the apartments for between one and four years.
The apartment has a children's playground and a child day care center.
"At our child day care center, children can play while learning under the guidance of a trained teacher," said Allson Residence spokeswoman Juliet Lokananta.
The apartment's management offers fun-filled programs for all tenants through a long-stay guest party held once every two months.
"The party is a good opportunity for families and children to get together and have fun," Juliet said.