Istana Sahid Apartments is an upscale residential complex with two towers (Mawar and Melati) of 22 floors for a total of 188 units. Located in the heart of the business district of Jakarta, this boutique property was built by the Sahid group in 1995-1997.

I visited it with an agent, and this is my complete review of it:

Location:

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is Istana Sahid located?

Location Istana Sahid Apartments

Istana Sahid Apartments is located in the district of Tanah Abang, in a 5.5-hectare superblock called Sahid City. The latter consists of several properties like Sahid Jaya Hotel (1974), Sahid Hospital (2009), Sahid Sudirman Residence (2009) and Sahid Sudirman Center. It is only a few hundred meters away from Jalan Sudirman, the most important street in Jakarta, home to the majority of the city’s skyscrapers (mostly office buildings).

This is a great location if you work in the business district, especially on Jalan Sudirman, Thamrin, Senayan, Mega Kuningan or SCBD. It is also interesting for those who enjoy shopping or hanging out as it is close to several famous malls and restaurants.

Jalan Sudirman at night – View from Sahid Sudirman Residence

By car, with normal traffic conditions, how far is it from:
– Jakarta Airport (CGK): 60 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 10 minutes
– Sudirman Business District: 5 minutes
– Kota Tua: 45 minutes
– Kemang: 45 minutes

How does it look like around the apartment?

The surroundings of Istana Sahid are quite modern, with proper sidewalks (rare in Jakarta!) and several high-rise buildings:

Street view near Istana Sahid Apartments

Street view near Istana Sahid Apartments

What are the important landmarks nearby?

Nearby, there are a few landmarks you can go to:

Malls:
Citywalk Sudirman is about 3 minutes walking distance from Istana Sahid: It is a boutique mall, with many affordable restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and a bar. There is also a supermarket Papaya (a Japanese brand, quite expensive), a Gold’s Gym, three hairdressers, an ATM center, a private school (Raffles Institute) and a function hall. Note that there are no retail shops. At lunchtime, Citywalk is always packed with office workers, but it is quieter in the evening. If you enjoy street food, there are at least 30 stalls just outside the mall.

You can also go to Grand Indonesia (10 minutes by car), one of the largest upscale malls in Jakarta. It has pretty much anything you may need, including 2 supermarkets, a huge cinema and 3 department stores (Sogo, Seibu, Central). It is also a popular hangout spot with plenty of coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. Next to Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia is another option, more luxurious.

Supermarkets:
There is a small supermarket in Istana Sahid, Daily FoodHall, and a Papaya (Japanese-owned) in Citywalk Sudirman. Both are rather small but they have many imported products. For a wider choice, you can check Ranch Market in Grand Indonesia or FoodHall in Plaza Indonesia.

Restaurants:
Walking distance, there are several restaurants in Sahid Sudirman Residence (Misticanza), in Grand Sahid Jaya (Bengawan Solo, Bushido), in MidPlaza (Rasa, HonZen) and in Sahid Sudirman Center (Johnny Rocket’s). You also have many options in Citiwalk Sudirman. For fine dining, go to the retail area of Pavilion apartments where they have Cassis (French), Harum Manis (Indonesian), Tucano’s (Brazilian), and Hokkaido Izakaya (Japanese).

Bars and Nightlife:
Nearby nightlife areas are near Grand Indonesia (Skye, Cloud), in Mega Kuningan (Basque, Loewy) or in SCBD (Fairgrounds).

Education
This is not the best area if you have kids or if you are a student. There are not many universities or International schools. Here a few within a reasonable distance:

– Universities: Atma Jaya Semanggi, London School of Public Relations, Sahid University, LaSalle College
– High schools: Only local schools (SMA)
– Preschool: Da Little School, Kinderfield Sudirman Park, HighReach Sudirman Park

Hospitals and clinics:
Sahid Sudirman Memorial Hospital/Sahid Sahirman Clinic (connected to Istana Sahid Apartments)
Takenoko Clinic (inside Sahid Sudirman Residence – Japanese)
SOS Medika Clinic (expensive – international quality)
Siloam Semanggi

Parks:
None nearby. The closest ones would be the Monas or Bung Karno.

Offices:
Plenty of offices nearby: Sahid Sudirman Center, MidPlaza, Sampoerna Strategic Square, IFC, World Trade Center, Indofood, etc.

Transportation

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
The closest one is in front of MidPlaza (5 minutes by foot).

Is there a train station nearby?
The closest one is Sudirman station, about 2.5 kilometers away. From this station, you can take the train to CGK airport.

How about the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or LRT (Light Rapid Transit)?
The MRT station Setiabudi is located within 5 minutes by foot (in front of MidPlaza).

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

Who is the developer?
The developer is the Sahid Group. It has a portfolio of around 20 hotels, including the 5-star Grand Sahid Jaya.

Overall, the reputation of this company is average.

Who is the architect?
I didn’t find this information.

Who is the contractor?
I didn’t find this information.

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 towers look rather nice, especially considering they are more than 20 years old:

Istana Sahid Apartments Architecture Jakarta

Istana Sahid Apartments Entrance

Entrance:

Entrance Istana Sahid Apartments

Car drop off Istana Sahid Apartments

Entrance to lobby Istana Sahid Apartments

Entrance to lobby of Istana Sahid

Reception/Lobby:

It is a bit old-fashion but comfortable and elegant:

Reception in lobby Istana Sahid Apartments

Lobby Istana Sahid Apartments

Landscaping and Public Areas:

There is a pool and garden in the back. The size is relatively small, but it looks pleasant and relaxing:

Pool area of Istana Sahid Apartments

Garden near the car drop-off in Istana Sahid Apartments

Corridors and lifts:

Lifts Istana Sahid Apartments

Lift Istana Sahid Apartments

Lift in Istana Sahid Apartments

Corridors in Istana Sahid Apartments

Size and Types of Apartments

The apartments’ size is approximately the following:

2-bedroom units: 130m2 and 146m2 (1 bathroom, maid room)
3-bedroom units: 180m2 (2 bathrooms, maid room)

Here are some photos that I took from a unit:

Living room in Istana Sahid Apartments

Bedroom in Istana Sahid Apartments

Bathrooms in Istana Sahid Apartments

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: 8
Tiles corridors: 7
Painting: 6
Lighting: 6
Doors/windows: 6
Ceiling: 6
Elevator: 6.5
Gym equipment: 6.5
Pool equipment: 7
Furniture: 6.5

In the apartments:
Tiles/Parquet: 6.5
Bathroom equipment: 7
Kitchen equipment: 6

Overall Quality: 6.5/10

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– A mid-sized swimming pool with several sun beds to relax. Pleasant area. There is also a pool for kids.

Pool of Istana Sahid Apartments

Pool in Istana Sahid Apartments

Pool in Istana Sahid Apartments

Pool area Istana Sahid Apartments

Swimming pool for kids Istana Sahid Apartments

– The sports club is managed by Odiseus. The equipment is a bit old but you have a lot of machines and free weights.

Gym of Istana Sahid Apartments

Fitness room in Istana Sahid Apartments

Gym Istana Sahid Apartments

Aerobic and boxing room in Istana Sahid Apartments

– Other facilities:

Squash court in Istana Sahid Apartments

Tennis and basketball court in Istana Sahid Apartments

Ping pong table in Istana Sahid Apartments

Games for kids Istana Sahid Apartments

BBQ area Istana Sahid Apartments

Steam room in Istana Sahid Apartments

Pool table Istana Sahid

What are the services available within the property?
There are several services available: Supermarket, laundry, ATM, clinic, coffee shop:

Supermarket Istana Sahid Apartments

Sahid Sahirman Medical Center

Coffee shop in Istana Sahid Apartments

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

Are their issues with parking?
None that I know about.

Are there enough lifts?
Yes.

Atmosphere

Is the property busy?
The lobby was busy, maybe because of people going to the clinic or the gym. The property seems quiet, though, as it only has 188 units.

Is it noisy?
Istana Sahid is located between a large road (Jalan K.H. Mas Mansyur) and a mosque. Choose a unit facing the garden to avoid disturbances.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
Most residents I saw were Indonesians. There are some Japanese expats as well.

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
The property was completed in 1997.

Are there visible damages?
Yes, the property has aged quite a bit. In a few areas, you can see some issues like moisture, broken tiles, scratched paint, etc.

Overall maintenance rating: 6.5/10

Cleanliness

I found the property to be clean enough.

Overall cleanliness rating: 7/10

Gardening

The garden is well-maintained.

Overall gardening rating: 7.5/10

Security

– Guards: On duty at the entrance and lobby 24/7
– CCTV cameras: In the lobby
– Access: You need a card to reach your floor

Overall security rating: 7.5/10

Hospitality

The staff is friendly and professional.

Overall hospitality rating: 8/10

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Istana Sahid 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 are a few examples of prices and ratios for this property:

2-Bedroom (130m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: Approximately IDR 336 million (or 28 million per month)
• Buy: Approximately IDR 3,800,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 11.3 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 29.2 million/m2

Investment Potential

Reasons to buy:
Very central location
Walking distance to several offices
Many facilities and services
Reasonable price
MRT Station nearby
Interesting ratio rent/buy

Reasons NOT to buy:
Aging property with less demand from renters
Not very well-known
Most apartments need to be refurbished

Would I buy this property? (On a scale from 0 = “not at all” to 10 = “yes absolutely” ): 5/10