Home sweet home, another theme to lure tenants

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.