Somerset Grand Citra is an upscale residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in front of the mall Lotte Shopping Avenue. It has both individually-owned apartments and serviced apartments, the latter being managed by Somerset.
Somerset Grand Citra from Google Street View
Entrance gate
Car drop-off
Completed in 1995, it consists of two towers of 20 floors for a total of 305 units. Monthly prices start at US$ 2,500 for a spacious 1-bedroom serviced apartment.
I visited this property in 2020 and here is my review with photos:
Management
Somerset Grand Citra is managed by The Ascott Limited, the largest operator of serviced residences in the world and a subsidiary of the Singaporean-based company CapitaLand. It is actually owned by the Government of Singapore, via Temasek Holdings.
Currently, they have more than 700 properties, mostly in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, under various brands: Ascott, Citadines, or Somerset, to name the most famous ones.
Rooms & Prices
Since this is an aging property, it is not uncommon to encounter some issues with the equipment, for instance, the water heater or the AC. Also, don’t expect the furniture and the design to be very modern (except in the renovated units).
Type of Room | Surface | Average Monthly Price |
1-Bedroom Executive | 96m2 | US$ 2,500 |
2-Bedroom Executive | 136m2 | US$ 2,800 |
Normally included in the price: Utilities (water and electricity), Wifi, buffet breakfast (continental and Asian), daily housekeeping (except on Sundays and Public Holidays) with linen changed three times per week.
Note that the price can be negotiated if you contact them directly. They may offer you a discount if you stay at least for a year, or if you cut back on some of their services (no breakfast for instance).
Room Amenities
You should know that the units are currently being refurbished one by one, starting with the two-bedroom apartments. Make sure you request these if you book a stay with them.
I’ve taken photos of both type of units (old ones and renovated ones) so you can compare:
Kitchen
Kitchen in a renovated apartment
Kitchen in an old apartment
All the units have a kitchen equipped with an oven, a fridge, a microwave, cooking utensils, a toaster, and a boiler. The new rooms have a ceramic stove and a rice cooker.
Living room and bedroom:
Bedroom in a renovated apartment
Bedroom in an old apartment
Living room in a renovated apartment
Living room in an old apartment
All the apartments have a flat-screen TV with cable channels in both the bedroom and the living room. There is also a telephone line and WIFI.
The study desk is in the bedroom.
The master bedrooms have a king-size bed (200cm X 200cm). In the other rooms, you have 120 cm single beds.
One advantage of the newest bedrooms is that they have plenty of power plugs near the bedside table where you can charge your electronic devices.
Bathroom:
The bedrooms have not been renovated. They still look fine as they were tiled with marble. The large bathtubs are quite nice.
Facilities and Services
– Swimming pool: It is set in the middle of a spacious garden, with a large statue of 3 horses above it. It receives enough sunshine so the water is rather warm. Quite pleasant overall.
A beautiful swimming pool
Small walking track around the pool
– Gym: The photo below only shows the cardio equipment, but there are also quite many weight lifting machines. It is old stuff, but sufficient to do a decent workout.
– Restaurants: There are several restaurants, including the breakfast lounge on the 24th floor (2nd and 3rd pictures), The Den Of Kahala, and Ruth’s Chris Steak Lounge.
Entrance to the Den Restaurant (Western food)
Breakfast lounge (indoor)
Breakfast lounge (outdoor)
– Playground and playroom for kids:
Playground
– Mini market:
– Pool table:
– 24-hour reception and lobby with concierge service
Reception desk
Seating area at the lobby
– Elevators:
Corridor on the ground floor
Lifts going to the apartments
Other facilities and services available:
– Meeting/Function room
– Tennis court
– Spa
Location
The location of Somerset Grand Citra is in the heart of the business district of Jakarta, in a neighborhood filled with office towers, hotels, government buildings, malls, and embassies.
Distances:
- Jakarta Airport (CGK): 70 minutes
- Grand Indonesia Mall: 15-20 minutes
- Sudirman Business District: 5-10 minutes
- Kota Tua: 70 minutes
- Kemang: 40 minutes
Surroundings:
Somerset Grand Citra is within a larger complex called Ciputra World 1, which consists of Lotte Avenue mall, Ascott Kuningan, Raffles Hotel, and the DBS tower. You can easily walk around in that area and access plenty of shops, cafés, and restaurants.
A bit further, but still reachable by foot, you can also go to Mega Kuningan and to popular malls like Ambasador and Kuningan City.
Nearby landmarks
Malls:
Lotte Avenue
Kuningan City
ITC Kuningan/Ambasador (for cheap stuff and electronics)
Supermarkets:
Ranch Market in Lotte Avenue (expensive)
Transmart Carrefour in ITC Kuningan (moderate)
Lotte Mart in Kuningan City (moderate to expensive)
Food and Nightlife:
Being near Mega Kuningan, this is a great location to live in Jakarta if you like to eat out and party.
First, you will find many restaurants, from cheap to expensive, within Lotte Avenue. For expatriates, the most popular ones are Bacco and JJ Royal.
If you need more sophisticated venues, you can head to Mega Kuningan, where the current hotspots are Basque and Loewy.
Finally, there is also cheap, but delicious, Indonesian food in the food court of the mall ITC Kuningan.
Hospitals:
MMC Hospital
Siloam MRCC
SOS Medika Clinic (expensive – international quality)
Parks and Recreation:
No parks nearby. If you want to walk, you can go to Mega Kuningan where the streets have proper sidewalks.
Transportation
Road:
Somerset Grand Citra is on Jl. Prof. DR. Satrio, a busy street often clogged with traffic. It is a very strategic road as it connects Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Rasuna Said, where the largest office buildings in Jakarta are located.
Train/MRT:
There are no train station or MRT station nearby. Tebet station is the closest, but it is 4 kilometers away.
TransJakarta:
There is a stop in front of Lotte Avenue Mall where you can take the lines 5F, 6C, 6D, and 6E. These lines are not very interesting as they don’t have a dedicated corridor and they don’t go very far. They are mostly used by office workers who need a way to go to Tebet train station.
Map & Address
Somerset Grand Citra
Jalan Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav 1
Kuningan, Jakarta 12940, Indonesia
Phone number: +62 (0) 21 2995 6888
Website: Somerset Grand Citra
Ratings
- Many restaurants and bars nearby
- Spacious apartments
- Pleasant pool area
- The price is quite expensive, you pay essentially for the location
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