Marbella Kemang Residence is a midrange apartment complex on 9,800m2 of land featuring 2 towers of 19 floors (449 units in total). Completed in 2008, it was developed by the group PT Pudjiadi Prestige Tbk, the owner of properties like the Jayakarta Hotels and Marbella in Anyer.

I stayed there for a few days and this is my honest review of it. If you know about this property, please add your own comment and rating at the end of the article.

Location:

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is the complex located?
Marbella Kemang Residence is not exactly in Kemang, but rather in Pela Mampang, a low-to-middle income residential neighborhood about 1 kilometer from Kemang.

How does it look like around Marbella Kemang Residence?
While Kemang is a popular area for expats, with plenty of cafés, restaurants, and beautiful villas, Pela Mampang is more traditional. Around the residence, you have several kampungs (low-rise accommodation for Indonesians) and a variety of shops (restaurants, minimarkets, pharmacies, car repairmen, etc. As you go towards Kemang (South) or Senopati (North), you can feel the atmosphere changes to become wealthier and more cosmopolitan.

How far is the complex from:
– Jakarta Airport: 65 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 60 minutes
– Kota Tua: 80 minutes
– Kemang: 5 minutes
– Senopati: 15 minutes

What are the important landmarks nearby?

Malls:
There are no malls or shopping centers nearby.

The nearest one is Lippo Mall Kemang, at least 15 minutes away by car. It is a mid-to-upper class shopping center with a cinema, an Ace Hardware, a Hypermart, banks, pharmacies, fashion boutiques, restaurants, salons, etc. Not too big but enough for most of your needs.

Apart from this, the choice is poor. You can try the boutique mall Dharmawangsa Square (20 minutes away) or the cheaper Blok M Plaza (25 minutes away).

Supermarkets:
There are 3 supermarkets in Kemang (10-15 minutes from Marbella): Kem Chicks is in the Ground Floor of Kemang Mansion (expensive, with many imported and quality products), Hypermart in Lippo Mall Kemang Village and Lotte Mart in La Codefin building.

Restaurants:
In Kemang, there are plenty of restaurants serving affordable Western food, such as Eastern Promise (Indian and British cuisine), Die Stube (German), Toscana, Queen’s Head, Warung Turki, El Asador, etc.

Nearer from Marbella, there are some Indonesian food restaurants, warungs and kaki limas.

Bars:
With dozens of fun bars and clubs, Kemang is an ideal location for those who want to socialize with other foreigners. Some popular bars are Eastern Promise, Hooters, Beer Brothers, Dronk, Murphy’s, Hotel Monopoli, FJ on 7 Rooftop, Frank’s Bar and Parc 19. Most of them are located on Jalan Taman Menteng (less than 3 minutes away).

Universities:
There are not many universities nearby except some specialized schools like ESMOD (fashion) or the Indonesia Banking School.

Schools:
Some of Jakarta’s best international high schools are in Kemang. Among them, the Australian International School (AIS), the New Zealand International School (NIS), Mentari Intercultural School and Pelita Harapan.

Hospitals:
Kemang Medical Care
RS Pondok Indah
RS Gandaria
Brawijaya Women and Children Hospital

Siloam Hospital should also open soon in Kemang Village.

Parks:
None nearby.

Offices:
Kemang is not a business area and there aren’t any significant office buildings nearby. If you work in the Central Business District of Jakarta (Sudirman), you’ll need to spend around two hours per day in a car.

Transportation

What are the main roads or highways nearby?
The location of Marbella Kemang Residence is not very convenient as there isn’t any important roads nearby. The main street in front of the complex, Jalan Bangka, is a simple single track road that is often congested.

The nearest highway is the Jakarta Inner Ring Road (going to the Airport), 15 minutes away. The Jakarta Outer Ring Road, is 30 minutes away.

What is the traffic situation near the apartment?
Jalan Bangka has traffic jams most of the time and particularly during peak hours (7AM-9AM and 5PM-8PM).

Is it easy for taxis/Uber/Grab to find the location?
Yes, relatively easy.

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
Unfortunately, there aren’t any.

Is there a train station nearby?
No.

How about the MRT?
It is not planned nearby.

Are there sidewalks? Is it possible to walk around?
There isn’t a proper sidewalk so it’s difficult to walk around.

Is it a flood area (banjir)?
Yes, Jalan Bangka has been flooded a few times in the past. In that case, it might take longer for you to go home.

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

What is the reputation of the developer?
The developer, PT Pudjiadi Prestige Tbk is a group known as the owner of the Marbella (3-star) and Jayakarta (4-star) hotel brands. Their properties often lack proper maintenance and I would say their reputation is average.

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

Who is the contractor?
I don’t have 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)
From outside, Marbella doesn’t look very appealing. The facade is really damaged and needs urgent repainting. I’m surprised the construction is only 11 years old as it looks much older.

View Marbella Kemang Apartments

Marbella Kemang Building

Facade Marbella Kemang Apartments

Balconies Marbella Kemang Apartments

Entrance:
There is a security checkpoint at the entrance and proper signage indicating Marbella Residence. It doesn’t look so nice, though, as the colors are bland (grey, black). The road and sidewalk near the entrance is damaged too.

Entrance of Marbella Kemang

Reception:
The reception would have looked nice in the 1970s, but it is really old-fashioned in 2018. Still, it is clean and they’ve tried to build luxurious features like marble flooring, some artwork and a false ceiling. The furniture could be changed as it is quite ancient. The AC in the lobby was not working.

Reception of Marbella Kemang

Lobby Marbella Kemang

Landscaping:
There isn’t much space for the public areas, unfortunately, so concrete occupies most of the space. The garden area with the pool is narrow and it only has a few plant pots.

Parking Marbella Kemang Apartments

Pool Area Marbella Kemang Apartments

Pool Area Marbella Kemang

Corridors:
Basic, with uniform ceramic tiles. The painting of the wall is damaged in some area.

Corridors Marbella Kemang

Door Marbella Kemang Apartments

How spacious are the apartments?
The apartments are rather small, slightly more than those of a budget property.

– 1-bedroom units = 35m2 (1 bathroom)
– 2-bedroom units = 66m2 (1-2 bathroom)
– 3-bedroom units = 120m2 (2-3 bathrooms)

Materials, Equipment, and Finishes

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):

Tiles Lobby: 7
Tiles Corridors: 4
Tiles Apartment: 4
Painting: 2
Lighting: 4
Doors: 4
Ceiling: 5
Elevator: 6 (Mitsubishi brand)
Gym equipment: 4
Pool equipment: 4
Furniture: 4
Artwork: 4

Overall Quality: 3.8/10

What is the quality of the finishes?
Average quality. There are still traces of paints and drips of cement from the construction.

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– Swimming pool: It is quite small, with a jacuzzi (or kids pool) next to it. They have installed a few tables and lounge chair around for people to relax. The view from the pool is nice.

Pool of Marbella Kemang Apartments

Swimming in Marbella Kemang

Pool And Jacuzzi Marbella Kemang Apartments

– Gym: The quality of the equipment is average (semi-professional).

Gym in Marbella Kemang Apartments

– A Tiny Indoor Kids’ Playground:

Indoor Playground and Arcade in Ground Floor Marbella Kemang

– Tennis Court and basketball court: In a terrible condition, it needs to be renovated urgently. There is a kid’s playground next to it as well.

Tennis Court and Kids Playground Marbella Kemang Apartments

What are the services available within the property?
A few services are available: ATMs, laundry, a preschool, a restaurant (closed when I was there)… A minimarket is available outside.

MBE Cafe and Restaurant Marbella Kemang

Are there issues with the electricity supply?
Not that I know of, but make sure you ask what is the voltage limit of your apartment.

Are their issues with parking?
Not that I know of. If you have a car, ask your landlord or seller if a parking space is included.

How many lifts are there in each tower?
There are 3 residents lifts per tower. This was sufficient and I never had issues waiting for too long.

Marbella Kemang Apartments Lifts

Floor of Lift in Marbella Kemang

Elevator Marbella Kemang

Does the apartment have centralized hot water?
No, you will need an electric water heater.

What is the air-conditioning system used?
There is no central air-cooling system so each unit has its own individual electric AC.

Atmosphere

Is the property busy?
It is quite busy, especially the pool area where you often have large families.

Is it noisy?
Yes, you can hear the sound of several mosques nearby.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
Most residents are Indonesian “Pribumi”. There are also a few Indonesian Chinese and a few foreigners. They are from the middle class in majority.

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
It was completed in 2008.

Are there visible damages?
Yes, there are many damages as you can see on some photos I’ve posted before. This property is not well-maintained at all. Here are a few more examples:

Rust in Marbella Kemang Apartments

Bad Maintenance Marbella Kemang Apartments

Facade of Marbella Kemang Apartments

Cleanliness

The cleanliness is decent, but it could be improved. One thing I didn’t like was that I could smell cigarettes smoke in the lobby.

Gardening

It is satisfactory.

Security

– Guards on duty at the gates and reception: 24/7
– CCTV cameras: I didn’t see any.
– Access card: Yes, you need an access card to enter the lift area.

Hospitality

The staff was friendly and professional. I felt there wasn’t enough staff to handle all guests requests.

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Marbella Kemang 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 are a few examples of prices and ratios for this property:

1-Bedroom Type (35m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: IDR 60  million (or 5 million per month)
• Buy: IDR 725,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 12.1 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 20.7 million/m2

2-Bedroom Type (66m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: IDR 96  million (or 8 million per month)
• Buy: IDR 1,350,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 14 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 20.45 million/m2

Which units are the best?
Units facing the West and the North have a nicer view (without the noise from the mosques on the East and South).

Skyline View From Marbella Kemang Apartments (West View)

View from Marbella Kemang (South View) – See the Mosque on the Left

Investment Potential

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

Here are some of the factors that may affect the prices of Marbella Kemang Residence:

– Factors pushing the prices up:

• If the owner decides to invest and refurbish the whole complex (it’s unlikely, though)

– Factors pushing the prices down:

• Bad maintenance
• Competition from newer projects (Kemang Village for instance)

Overall evaluation of the price: Would I buy here?
I would not invest as the overall condition of the property is too bad.