Pearl Garden Resort Apartment

by | May 18, 2020

Pearl Garden Resort is an upscale residential complex located on Jalan Gatot Subroto, near Semanggi. It has a boutique concept, with only 195 units spread in several medium-rise buildings all around a pleasant pool area.

It was developed in 2007 by the group PT Unggul Indah Cahaya, a chemical manufacturer, via its subsidiary PT Wiranusa Grahatama. To my knowledge, it’s the only property they own.

I stayed in the complex for a few days and this is my honest review about it:

Location

Neighborhood

The area around Pearl Garden is not really nice as there is nowhere to walk to. As you exit the complex, you arrive directly on Jalan Gator Subroto, which is possibly the busiest street in all Jakarta. It is noisy and polluted, and anyway, there are no interesting places to go to by foot (except maybe Plaza Semanggi).

Pearl Garden Jakarta Entrance from Gatot Subroto

By car, however, Jalan Gatot Subroto is one of the most strategic locations in Jakarta. That’s why there are so many office buildings and hotels there. Something to consider, though, is that it can be hellish to make a U-turn when you want to go from Pearl Garden to the south of Gatot Subroto. For instance, to go from Pearl Garden to Pacific Place Mall (700 meters away on a map), you may need 20 minutes because the U-turn is near Jalan Rasuna Said. On the way back, it is much faster, fortunately.

Some of the important landmarks near Pearl Garden are:

  • The Mega Kuningan area, with its offices, restaurants, bars, supermarkets, luxury hotels, embassies (10 minutes). Popular with expatriates, excellent if you plan on having an active social life.
  • Several malls: Lotte Avenue (10 minutes), Plaza Semanggi (5 minutes), Pacific Place (20 minutes), Plaza Senayan (20 minutes)
  • All the offices on Gatot Subroto: Wisma Mulia, Menara Global, Berita Satu, etc.

Transportation

Jalan Gatot Subroto is next to the Jakarta Inner Toll Road that goes all around the city, up until the airport (45 minutes away). It is also near the Semanggi Interexchange which makes it convenient to access Senayan and Thamrin, via Jalan Sudirman. You can also reach key locations of the Central Business District easily, for instance, Mega Kuningan and Jalan Rasuna Said.

As I explained above, you need to make a long U-turn before going to the south so it is not that close to SCBD, Senayan or Senopati. If you are courageous, it might actually be faster to cross the road by foot (there is a bridge 200 meters from the residence).

The Transjakarta Halte of Semanggi is less than 10 minutes from Pearl Garden. It is a large hub where you can take the lines 1, S21, 4C, 9, 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9H, 6M, 6B, B11, B21 and 13C. They can take you directly to Kota, Pinang Ranti, Tosari, Block M, Pluit, TU Gas, Bunderan Senayan, Bekasi, Grogol, etc.

Pearl Garden is not a very famous residence, so you can expect that some taxis and delivery services will have difficulties to find it.

Building Quality

Design and Architecture

Pearl Garden is designed as a resort. It consists of several large swimming pools in a garden surrounded by medium-sized apartment buildings. It looks relaxing, but maybe they could have added more trees and plants instead of having so many pools. The ones on the side are useless as they are small and always in the shade.

The lobby, the gym and the spa are in the center of the complex, hidden under a pool.

Apartments Pearl Garden Resort

Swimming Pool Jakarta Pearl Garden

Entrance to Pool Pearl Garden

I don’t find the design, external and internal, to be extraordinary. Apart from the floor-to-ceiling windows in some rooms, nothing struck me as particularly upscale.

One thing I didn’t like is that the entrance to Pearl Garden is not pedestrian-friendly. By car, it is easy: You go to the parking, and then you go directly to your floor (via a semi-private or private lift). If you are walking, there is not even a painted path on the ground, nor any directions to find the lobby.

Entrance Gate Pearl Garden – No Pedestrian Access

Building Materials

The building materials seemed decent, with nothing more than what is standard for a 4-star residence.

Comfort

Facilities and Services

Pearl Garden has some excellent facilities, such as:

– A large and long swimming pool, ideal for swimming, with warm water (no tall buildings are hiding the sun). There are several tables and lounge chairs available, and even a swim-up bar (not operational).

– A complete fitness center, with quality machines (a bit old for some) and a sauna. Together with the spa, it is open to outside guest. The name is Il Primo Clubhouse.

– A BBQ area

– A restaurant

– ATMs

– A laundry service Prima

– A minimarket. What I missed the most was not having a larger supermarket nearby with fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. For that, you’ll need to go to Ranch Market in Mega Kuningan, 10 minutes away by car.

Indomaret Pearl Garden

Atmosphere

The aim of the architects was to create a holiday atmosphere in a complex of moderate size. The central area feels indeed like an oasis in the middle of Jakarta, which is very enjoyable especially if you don’t feel comfortable in big cities.

I barely met anyone during my stay. Since you can go directly from the parking to your apartment, the contact with other residents is limited. It also means that you don’t go through a receptionist which can be quite impersonal. The swimming pool was also quiet, apart from a few expat wives getting tanned.

Management

Maintenance

The maintenance was decent, but I saw several defects that are not acceptable considering the prices in Pearl Garden. The worst was the wooden deck of the swimming pool where some planks were in terrible shape.

Damaged Wood in Swimming Pool

There was also a broken lamp by the pool:

Broken Lamp in Pool

Cleanliness

Overall, the property was clean.

Security

24-hour security at the gate of the property, then at the entrance of the parking. Lifts are only accessible to those who have an access card.

Hospitality

I didn’t meet any staff apart from security guards and cleaners.

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Pearl Garden may vary depending on the floor, the unit type, the room condition and the furnishings. Be aware that you may also need to pay the service charge, the IPL (Iuran Pemeliharaan Lingkungan), the parking, the electricity, the water, etc.

The apartment range varies from studio units (starting 58 m2) to huge 4-bedroom units (564m2). On average, you will pay the following:

Studio Type (58m2) – Furnished:

  • Rental 1 Year: IDR 11M per month
  • Buy: IDR 2.500.000.000
  • Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental: 18.39

2-Bedroom Type (122m2) – Furnished:

  • Rental 1 Year: IDR 30M per month
  • Buy: IDR 6.000.000.000
  • Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental:16.67

Investment Potential

There are few units available for sale or for rent.

It seems to me that the price of buying is too high compared with the expected rent. The location is not that interesting as it is sort of isolated on Gatot Subroto and it takes time to go to the South of Jakarta. The maintenance is questionable, and this developer does not have a lot of experience with other properties.

For me, that’s a no.

Address

Pearl Garden Resort Apartments
Jalan Gatot Subroto No. 7,
Semanggi, Setiabudi,
South Jakarta 12930, Indonesia

Ratings

Pearl Garden Resort Apartment
3.1 / 5 My Rating
{{ reviewsOverall }} / 5 Readers' Rating (1 vote)
What I Liked
- Boutique property with a resort concept
- Spacious bedrooms, perfect for families
- Location in the city center close from Gatot Subroto
- Excellent swimming pool and gym
What I Didn't Like
- It feels like a gated compound with no neighborhood surrounding it. You cannot walk anywhere from Pearl Garden.
- Not a welcoming atmosphere inside
- Maintenance has some issues
Location
Quality
Comfort
Management
Value
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