Senopati Suites is a luxury boutique apartment complex in Senopati with 3 towers. Each tower has a different design and separate facilities, though as a resident you can use all of them. Here are the specifications for each:

Senopati Suites 1: Completed in 2010, it has 32 floors and 93 units.
Senopati Suites 2: Completed in 2015, it has 31 floors and 81 units.
Senopati Suites 3: Completed in 2016, it has 32 floors and 54 units.

As you can see, the number of units is low. This is due to the fact that there are only 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms apartments that are rather spacious.

I did not stay in Senopati Suites, but I visited the property with an agent. This is my review of it:

Location:

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is Senopati Suites located?

Location of Senopati Suites

Senopati Suites is located in the district of Kebayoran Baru (South Jakarta), one of the wealthiest areas in the city. It is mostly low rise and residential, similar to other affluent neighborhoods like Pondok Indah or Menteng. More precisely, it is on Jalan Senopati which is a very trendy street, home to hip bars, restaurants and clubs.

SCBD is also just around the corner: This business district, privately owned by the group Artha Graha (Tomy Winata), has a luxury mall (Pacific Place), several hotels (Ritz-Carlton, Alila), office buildings (District 8, Equity Tower, The Energy Building, Jakarta Stock Exchange, etc), residential towers (SCBD Suites, Capital Residence, Kusuma Chandra, etc), as well as plenty of venues for eating, drinking and partying.

Senayan, a major transportation and shopping hub is also just a few minutes away.

Overall, the location of Senopati Suites is ideal for young professionals and executives who have their offices in the golden triangle of Jakarta and who have a busy social life.

By car, with normal traffic conditions, how far is it from:
– Jakarta Airport (CGK): 50 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 25 minutes
– Sudirman Business District: 5 minutes
– Kota Tua: 70 minutes
– Kemang: 35 minutes

Senopati Suites is less than 10 minutes away from the Semanggi Interchange which is strategic as it is a crossing between Jalan Sudirman (North/South axis) and Jalan Gatot Subroto (East/West axis). The traffic in SCBD is reasonable, but it can be very slow on Jalan Senopati after office hours.

How does it look like around the apartment?

Senopati Suites – Main Street Entrance. This is not the busiest and most interesting part of Jalan Senopati.

Senopati Suites – Street View from Jalan Senopati

Senopati Suites – Street View from Jalan Senopati on the way to Senayan

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

Malls:
The nearest one, 15 minutes away by foot, is Mall Pacific Place. It is a medium-sized luxury mall with a Galerie Lafayette department store, a cinema, a supermarket, a gym, a Kidzania, plenty of restaurants and high-end shops.

You can also go in a few minutes by car to Senayan City, Plaza Senayan and FX Sudirman.

Supermarkets:
There is a Jason’s Supermarket on the ground floor of Residence 8, 4 minutes away by foot. It is small, but you’ll find most products you may need. For more choice, you can also go to Grand Lucky supermarket in SCBD (5 minutes by car). It is one of the most complete supermarkets in Jakarta for expats as it has many imported products. Alternatively, Kem Chicks in Pacific Place is also pretty good (but expensive).

Restaurants and Nightlife:
SCBD and Senopati are among the best locations in Jakarta for eating out and partying. You will have plenty of options, such as Potato Head, Lucy in the Sky, Monty’s, Cork & Screw, Paul, Hakkasan, etc.

Education:
Two expensive private universities have a campus nearby: Binus and Pelita Harapan.
There are no international schools but Al Alzhar and SMA 82 are reputed among Indonesians.
There is an Apple Tree preschool on Jalan Senopati, just across the street from District 8.

Hospitals:
Siloam Semanggi, just 10 minutes away by car, is recommended.

Parks:
You can reach Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in about 15 minutes by foot. It is suitable for running or walking.

Transportation

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
The nearest stop, Bunderan Senayan, is 600 meters away.

Bunderan Senayan Transjakarta Bus Stop

Is there a train station nearby?
No.

How about the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or LRT (Light Rail Transit)?
The nearest stop will be in Bunderan Senayan, just a few minutes walk away.

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

What is the reputation of the developer?
The developer of Senopati Suites is a relatively unknown company called Asiana Group (Mahkota Asiana Graha). They are behind several luxury properties (hotels, villas and apartments) like La Joya Biu Biu Jimbaran, Ra Simatupang, or Nirvana Kemang.

Interestingly, the company is officially owned and run by a former model named Loemongga Haoemasan Nasution. She is married to a powerful politician, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, a Minister of Social Affairs under Jokowi, and son of Ginandjar Kartasasmita. The latter, close to Suharto, was Minister of Mines and Energy from 1988 to 1993 and signed a controversial agreement with Freeport in 1991. I let you connect the dot on how Senopati Suites was financed.

My personal experience with smaller groups like Asiana is that while they offer a different experience and unique product, they are generally run less professionally. This means you may administrative issues or maintenance issues. Be extra careful and try to ask for advice from current residents before committing to renting/buying.

Who is the architect?
Aboday was the main architect of Senopati Suites. It is an award-winning company that also designed Morrissey Hotel, Ra Simatupang, or Menara BNI 46 among others. Singapore-based Aedas International Architects was also involved.

Who is the contractor?
The contractor was PT Hutama Karya, a large government-owned company that has built many large projects, including the Jakarta MRT or the Bakrie Tower.

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):

Senopati Suites Jakarta

The architecture of Senopati Suite is modern and quite unique in Jakarta. Personally, I find it stylish and elegant

Architecture of Senopati Suites Building

Architecture Senopati Suites

Entrance:

Entrance to Senopati Suites from Jalan Senopati

Senopati Suites Entrance

Entrance Door Senopati Suites

Reception/Lobby:

There are several lobbies and sitting areas in Senopati Suites. I didn’t take a picture of each, but here are a few:

Waiting Room Senopati Suites

Lobby Reception Senopati Suites

Sitting Area in Reception Senopati Suites

Reception Desk Senopati Suites

Landscaping and Public Areas:

Overall, I found that the green space was limited in Senopati Suites (considering it is a luxury property).

Senopati Suites Pool Area Panorama

P Kid’s pool (or pond?)

Senopati Suites Pool Area

Resting Area Senopati Suites

Corridors and lifts:

Private lift: In some of the apartments, the lifts arrive directly in the living room. It’s a bit weird and I didn’t like that.

Lifts Senopati Suites – Lobby Area

Luxen Lift Senopati Suites

How spacious are the apartments?
There are various types and sizes of units in Senopati Suites.

– 2-bedroom units = 131m2 to 167m2 (2 bathrooms, maid room available in some units)
– 3-bedroom units = 181m2 to 289m2 (3 bathrooms, maid room available in some units)
– 4-bedroom units = 337m2 to 440m2 for the penthouse (3/4 bathrooms, maid room)

Each unit has a balcony and a private lift.

Amazing views from the balconies facing Jalan Sudirman

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 the common areas:
Tiles lobby: 7
Painting: 7
Lighting: 7
Doors: 6
Ceiling: 8
Elevator: 7 (Luxen brand – Hyundai)
Gym equipment: 7
Pool equipment: 7
Furniture: 7
Artwork: 8

In the apartments:
Tiles/Parquet: 7
Ceiling: 6
Bathroom equipment: 8
Kitchen equipment: 8
Doors: 7

Overall Quality: 7.5/10

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– Swimming pool: Each tower has its own pool. The size is disappointing and the area surrounding them not particularly luxurious. I was a bit disappointed.

Swimming Pool Senopati Suites

Senopati Suites Pool

Pool Senopati Suites

Jacuzzi Senopati Suites

Pool Area Senopati Suites

– Gym: It is also medium-sized with limited equipment.

Senopati Suites Gym

– There is also a library and a multi-purpose room:

Multi Purpose Room Senopati Suites

Library Senopati Suites

What are the services available within the property?
The services available on site are limited. I’m not even sure there are ATMs or laundry services. You do have a restaurant, though:

Restaurant Senopati Suites

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

Are their issues with parking?
No, each tenant gets a parking space.

Are there enough lifts?
Yes.

Atmosphere

Is the property busy?
Yes, but reasonably as there aren’t that many units. It is probably more intimate than much larger complexes like the nearby District 8.

Is it noisy?
I didn’t think it was. However, I didn’t visit any of the units facing Jalan Senopati which are probably a bit noisier.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
The residents seem to be a mix of expatriates (Japanese, Koreans, Westerners), Indonesian Chinese, and some Indonesian Pribumi from the upper class.

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
The property was completed between 2010 and 2016.

Are there visible damages?
There are not a lot of damages, but some areas need maintenance. That’s quite disappointing considering the price of the apartments.

For instance, this is near the swimming pool:

Maintenance Issues Senopati Suites

Cleanliness

I found the property to be clean.

Gardening

The garden is well-maintained.

Security

– Guards on duty at the gates and reception: 24/7
– CCTV cameras: Many in the lobby and the lift.
– Access: You need an access card and to use your fingerprint to enter the lift area and to reach your floor.

Hospitality

The staff is friendly and professional. Since it is a boutique residence, you can expect the staff to know you rather quickly.

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Senopati Suites 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 (178m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: Approximately IDR 480 million (or 40 million per month)
• Buy: Approximately IDR 8,500,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 17,7 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 47.8 million/m2

Investment Potential

Is there a potential for a price increase in the future?

A normal price increase would be around 5% per year. Here are some of the factors that may affect this rate:

– Factors pushing the prices up:

• The further development of South Sudirman as a business area.
• The arrival of the MRT in Senayan

– Factors pushing the prices down:

• Increasing competition with the construction of several luxury apartment towers in the business district area
• Potential maintenance issues

Overall evaluation of the price: Would I buy here?
The prices in Senopati Suites seem overvalued. I don’t see what justifies such huge amounts considering the limited facilities and services. I would not buy there.