The Pakubuwono Residence is a luxury apartment complex with 5 towers of 26 floors (Cottonwood, Eaglewood, Sandalwood, Ironwood and Basswood) for a total of 639 units. Completed in 2006 by Agung Podomoro Land, it is located in the posh neighborhood of Kebayoran Baru.

It was the first construction of the prestigious Pakubuwono Development, a group of a dozen luxury towers spread on 6 different properties, 5 of which are just next to Pakubuwono Residence. You can see the full list here.

I visited Pakubuwono Residence with an agent and this is my full review of it:

Location:

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is it located?

Location of Pakubuwono Residence

The Pakubuwono Residence is located in Kebayoran Baru, one of the most expensive areas to live in Jakarta. This is where you’ll find some of the best apartments and villas in the city (together with Menteng and Pondok Indah).

It is a pleasant neighborhood, especially in the streets Gunawarman, Senopati, Pakubuwono and Dharmawangsa. It is considered less polluted, cleaner, and more laid-back than other areas of the city while remaining close to the business center.

How does it look like around the apartment?
The immediate surroundings of Pakubuwono Residence are not really interesting. As you exit the building, you have a road that doesn’t have many shops or restaurants.

Luckily, all you need is a few minutes by car to reach better streets such as Senopati, Gandaria, Gunawarman or Pakubuwono.

Pakubuwono Residence – Street View

Pakubuwono Residence – Street View 2

What are the important landmarks nearby?
Nearby, there are a few landmarks you can go to:

Malls:
The nearest one is Gandaria City Mall (5 minutes by car). It is an interesting mall targeting the mid-to-upper class and particularly young people. There is a large choice of restaurants, including Western food, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The cinema is one of two in Jakarta with an IMAX screen. The other anchor tenants are Gramedia, Ace Hardware, Metro, H&M, Uniqlo, and Lotte Mart.

You can also go quickly to Senayan City and Plaza Senayan, both popular high-end malls with dozens of luxury boutiques, cafés and restaurants. Pondok Indah Mall is a bit further away (15 minutes), but it’s worth the ride as it is the largest high-end mall in the country.

Supermarkets:
There is a Hero supermarket in Pakubuwono residence. It isn’t so big and it is expensive, but it’s very useful to have. Other options nearby are the following:
– Lotte Mart in the basement of Gandaria City.
– FoodHall in Plaza Senayan and Senayan City.

Also, if you like traditional markets, Pasar Mayestik is quite reputed for fresh fruits and vegetables (only 3 minutes away).

Restaurants and Nightlife:
I recommend you to go to cafés, bars and restaurants in Jalan Senopati, SCBD, or in the Crystal Lagoon (basement of Senayan City). Current trendy venues are Monty’s, Union, Lucy in the Sky, Hakkasan, etc.

Education:
There are plenty of educational facilities within a few minutes by car:

– Several universities: Pertamina, Binus, Moestopo, Al-Azhar, Satya Negara
– International schools and reputed schools: JIS Pattimura (for elementary students), Binus, Al-Azhar, Lentera, SMA Negeri 70.
– Pre-schools: There is child care within Pakubuwono Residence. You can also check: Chiltern House, Binus Simprug, Kinderland Pakubuwono, Little Stars Pakubuwono, The Learning Castle.

Hospitals:
Rumah Sakit Pusat Pertamina and Rumah Sakit Gandaria are the nearest ones. If you have a serious condition, I think it’s best to go a bit further to Siloam Hospital in Semanggi (15 minutes away) or to Pondok Indah Hospital.

Transportation

By car, with normal traffic conditions, how far is it from:
– Jakarta Airport (CGK): 55 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 35-45 minutes
– Sudirman Business District: 10-15 minutes
– Kota Tua: 80 minutes
– Kemang: 15-20 minutes

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
The nearest one, Velbak, is a few minutes away.

Transjakarta Station Near Pakubuwono Residence

Is there a train station nearby?
Stasiun Kebayoran is 1,3km away.

How about the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or LRT (Light Rail Transit)?
There was once talks of an LRT line between Kebayoran Lama and Kelapa Gading, with a stop in Simprug. It has been postponed for now.

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

What is the reputation of the developer?
All the Pakubuwono towers were developed by the conglomerate Agung Podomoro Land (via PT Bona Widjaya Gemilang). It is their flagship project as it is much more luxurious than what they normally build. Indeed, most of their other properties target the midrange segment, for instance, Podomoro City, Metro Park, Thamrin Residences, Sudirman Park, Kalibata City, and all the Mediterania Residences in Jakarta.

While their older and less expensive properties are sometimes poorly maintained, their reputation with the Pakubuwono development has been excellent so far.

Who is the architect?
Pakubuwono Residence was designed by several architectural firms. The main one was Airmas Asri which has a fairly good reputation in Indonesia and has won many awards. Some of their other projects are The Capital Residence, District 8, Residence 8 and The Pakubuwono Signature.

Two foreign architectural firms that were involved as well were Wilder Belshaw (for the landscape) and Three Living Architecture (the principal on the project was Frank A. Butler).

Who is the contractor?
The construction was the result of a collaboration between the Indonesian company Total Bangun Persada (Kemang Village, The Peak Sudirman, Verde, Mediterania Garden Residences, etc.) and Shimizu Corporation from Japan.

What is the situation with the land certificate?
The developer has a Hak Guna Bangunan Murni, which means the property was built on its own land. As an apartment owner, you get a “Strata Title di atas HGB Murni”.

Design and Appearance

How does the building look like?

From Outside (Facade):
The architects said they were inspired by art deco architecture. It is slightly visible in the shape of the building, particularly in the upper part.

Facade Pakubuwono Residence

Towers Pakubuwono Residence

Architecture Pakubuwono Residence

Entrance:

Entrance gate of Pakubuwono Residence

Cars queuing to drop off guests at the lobby of Pakubuwono Residence

Car lobby of Pakubuwono Residence

Entrance Pakubuwono Residence

Reception/Lobby:

There is a main lobby for the whole property, then a separate reception for each tower.

Lobby area Pakubuwono Residence

Reception desk Pakubuwono Residence

Main lobby of Pakubuwono Residence

Tower lobby Pakubuwono Residence

Landscaping and Public Areas:

The landscaping is one of the best features of Pakubuwono Residence. The green spaces cover a major part of the property, making you forget that you are in Jakarta. It is great with kids considering there are not many parks in the city.

Pakubuwono Residence common areas

Running and jogging track Pakubuwono Residence

Garden in Pakubuwono Residence with a putting green for golf

Pakubuwono Residence view from above

Corridors and lifts:

Each unit in Pakubuwono Residence has a private lift:

Private lift in Pakubuwono Residence

How spacious are the apartments?
There are various types and sizes of units in Pakubuwono Residence. Here are the most common ones:

– 2-bedroom units = 177m2 and 203m2 (2 bathrooms, maid room available in the larger units)
– 3-bedroom units = 245m2 and 303m2 (3 bathrooms, maid room available in the larger units)

Each unit has a balcony and a private lift. There are also 16 townhouses, 13 junior penthouses, and 10 penthouses with private rooftops pools.

Here are some pictures of apartments that I took during my visit:

Bedroom Pakubuwono Residence

Living room Pakubuwono Residence

Kitchen Pakubuwono Residence

Materials and Equipment

What is the quality of the materials, furniture, and equipment used in the construction?
This is an evaluation of the quality I observed (ranked from 1 – worst – to 10 – best):

In common areas:
Tiles lobby: 9
Buiding and wall paint: 8
Lighting fixtures: 8
Doors: 8
Ceiling: 8
Elevator: 8
Gym equipment: 8
Pool equipment: 7
Furniture: 7
Artwork: 8

In the apartments:
Tiles/Parquet: 8
Ceiling: 8
Bathroom equipment: 8
Kitchen equipment: 7
Doors: 7

Quality of construction/finishes: 8

Overall Quality: 7.9/10

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– Swimming pool: A main one, long and beautiful, in the middle of the property. There is also an indoor pool and a kid’s pool.

Swimming pool of Pakubuwono Residence

Swimming Pool Pakubuwono Residence

Indoor pool Pakubuwono Residence

– Gym: It is a little messy but it has tons of machines and equipment.

Fitness room Pakubuwono Residence

Gym of Pakubuwono Residence

Gym Pakubuwono Residence

Fitness and gym Pakubuwono Residence

Aerobic and yoga room Pakubuwono Residence

– Other facilities:

Lounge and library Pakubuwono Residence

Tennis and basketball court Pakubuwono Residence

Restaurant Pakubuwono Residence

I didn’t take pictures of all the facilities. Some that are missing here are the badminton court, the squash court, the sauna/jacuzzi, the jogging track, the putting green, the kid’s playground and playroom, and the BBQ area.

What are the services available within the property?
There are quite many services available: Café and restaurant, Hero supermarket, pharmacy, furnishing company, laundry, ATM, massage, salon, etc:

ATM Pakubuwono Residence

Hero supermarket Pakubuwono Residence

Laundry and dry cleaning Pakubuwono Residence

Hair studio in Pakubuwono Residence

Are there issues with the electricity supply?
None that I know about.

Are their issues with parking?
No.

Are there enough lifts?
Yes.

Atmosphere

Is the property busy?
Yes. The occupancy rate is high and most of the residents are families.

Is it noisy?
I didn’t think it was.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
It is quite diverse, with probably a majority of expatriates (particularly Japanese and Koreans).

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
The property was completed in 2006.

Are there visible damages?
Not really, which is rare in Jakarta considering the age of Pakubuwono Residence.

Overall maintenance rating: 8/10

Cleanliness

I found the property to be very clean.

Overall cleanliness rating: 9/10

Gardening

The garden is very well-maintained.

Overall gardening rating: 9/10

Security

– Guards: On duty at the gates and reception: 24/7
– CCTV cameras: Many in the lobby, public areas and the lift.
– Access: You need an access card to enter the lobby and to reach your floor.

Overall security rating: 9/10

Hospitality

The staff is friendly and professional.

Overall hospitality rating: 9/10

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Pakubuwono Residence may vary depending on many factors such as the floor, the unit type, the room condition and the furnishings.

Be aware that you may also need to pay for additional fees: Service charge, parking fee, electricity and water bills, etc. Here is an example of prices and ratios for this property:

2-Bedroom (177m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: Approximately IDR 408 million (or 34 million per month)
• Buy: Approximately IDR 7,000,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 17,1 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 39.5 million/m2

Service charge: I was told it is about IDR 3,000,000 per month for a 2-bedroom apartment. It is normally paid by the owner.

Investment Potential

Here are some of the factors that may affect the buying price of this property:

– Factors pushing the prices up:

• Increase in the number of expatriates, especially Japanese, in Jakarta

– Factors pushing the prices down:

• Competition from new luxury tower projects like District 8, etc.

Overall evaluation of the price: Would I buy here?
I find the buying price a bit high considering it is almost 15 years old. I would recommend checking Pakubuwono View instead as it is newer, cheaper, and with a rental price similar to Pakubuwono Residence.