Jakarta's BEST Apartment? Simply Studio at Centro City Residence!
Centro City Residence: Is Simply Studio the Jakarta Apartment Dream? Let's Dive In (and I'm Already Sweating)
Okay, folks, buckle up. I've just spent a week at the infamous Centro City Residence, specifically the "Simply Studio" option. Jakarta, you are a beast. The heat alone…my god, it’s like being wrapped in wet, warm concrete. But! Let's talk apartments. Let's talk Centro City Residence: Simply Studio. Is this the promised land of Jakarta living? Well, let’s get messy with it, shall we?
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First Impressions & Accessibility: A Tricky Dance
The moment you roll up, you're smacked with the scale of the place. Centro City is…big. Like, lost-in-the-shopping-mall-sized big. Finding the actual Simply Studio section felt like a treasure hunt. Accessibility: This is where it starts to wobble. While there are elevators (thank heavens!) and facilities supposedly designed for guests with disabilities, the overall vibe isn't exactly "smooth sailing." I'm not reliant on a wheelchair, but I noticed certain quirks. The pathways weren’t consistently wide. The ramps sometimes felt a little too steep. Navigating the sheer volume of people and the often-chaotic traffic outside was… an adventure, to say the least. (Accessibility Score: 6/10 – could be better, folks!)
The Room Itself: Simply…Decent?
The "Simply Studio" is exactly that: simple. It's well-equipped, though. I mean, Air conditioning is a MUST in Jakarta. And thankfully, we had one that worked really well and even better, the Wi-Fi [free]. The Internet access – LAN and Internet access – wireless were both solid enough for streaming and working. The Daily housekeeping was an absolute godsend, keeping the room from becoming a biohazard in the humidity.
- Positive: The bed was comfortable (extra points for the Extra long bed!). The Blackout curtains were a lifesaver for sleeping off the jetlag. They also provide Complimentary tea and two Free bottled water were nice little touches. The Refrigerator was a must, although small. TV with Satellite/cable channels was a good thing to have.
- Quirks: My room had a bizarre seating arrangement – a tiny sofa practically glued to the wall. The Closet was surprisingly small, which I found amusing, and no, I’m not a minimalist.
My Honest Opinion: The room itself, as with most hotel reviews, feels like a compromise.
Cleanliness and Safety: Is My Immune System Ready?!
Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: COVID-19 precautions. Centro City tried. Honestly, they really, REALLY tried. I saw staff diligently cleaning, masks were obligatory in public areas, and there were hand sanitizers galore.
- They Were Doing Things RIGHT: Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer everywhere, and Rooms sanitized between stays were visible everywhere. The big things!
- Feeling Safe: I appreciate the CCTV in common areas and Security [24-hour]. The Fire extinguisher and Fire safety felt… reassuring.
- Room Sanitization Opt Out Available: This is a nice option.
Overall Cleanliness Score: 7.5/10 - They’re working at it, I’ll give ‘em that!
Food & Drink: From Buffet Mayhem to Poolside Chill
This is where Centro City shines. The sheer variety of options is insane. The Restaurants alone are many! It's a food destination.
- Breakfast, The Good, the Bad, and the Buffet: [Breakfast [buffet]]… oh god, the buffet. It's a glorious, chaotic free-for-all. I’d usually find myself drowning in the Buffet in restaurant. Asian breakfast was usually a safe bet, but I enjoyed the Western breakfast offerings too. [Breakfast service] was also available.
- Coffee & Snack Madness: The Coffee shop served amazing coffee! They also had a Snack bar, convenient for a between-meals bite.
- Dining, Good Times: The food options are so good, you can find A la carte in restaurant, Desserts in restaurant, or some good old Soup in restaurant.
- On Site: I found myself having a Poolside bar was something special so the Bottle of water was important.
- Room Service at 24 hours: You have no idea how much I valued this. There were some days in Jakarta where being out was simply not an option.
Foodie Score: 9/10 (Seriously. Bring your appetite!)
Relaxation Station: Spa, Gym, Bliss…But It's a Process
Okay, time to unwind. This is where things get interesting. Centro City has a massive spa and fitness complex.
- Spa Day Dreams: The Spa facilities were extensive! There was a Sauna, Steamroom, pools, as well as Body scrub, Body wrap, and Massage options. The Pool with view was a total highlight.
- Fitness Freak in Training: The Gym/fitness center was seriously well-equipped. It was a bit intimidating (serious gym bros everywhere!), but the equipment was top-notch.
- Quirks: Getting an appointment at the spa could be a bit of a logistical nightmare, the place is huge, there's usually a queue and it doesn’t feel organized.
Chill-Out Score: 8/10 (If you can navigate the crowds)
Amenities & Services: The Good, the Bad, And the Bureaucracy
Centro City throws everything at you.
- The Essentials: Concierge, Doorman, Elevator are all there. The Cash withdrawal and Currency exchange are extremely convenient. Having a Convenience store on-site is also a plus
- The Not-So-Essential: The Business facilities are extensive.
- Annoyances: There was some (very minor) bureaucracy.
- Getting Around: The [Airport transfer] was reasonably priced
Service Score: 7/10. They try hard, but it feels a bit impersonal.
Things to Do: Beyond the Apartment Walls
Centro City is in a decent location, close to… well, everything in Jakarta.
- Shopping: Lots of choices close by
- Eating Out: The sheer variety of restaurants means you can try something new every night.
- Getting Around: Taxi service available.
Location Score: 8/10 (Convenient, but Jakarta traffic is a beast!)
Overall Verdict: Simply Studio at Centro City – Worth It?
Alright, let’s get to the nitty-gritty. Is Simply Studio at Centro City Residence THE Jakarta apartment?
- The Good: The location is pretty good, the amenities are abundant, the food is incredible, and the rooms, while simple, are perfectly functional.
- The Bad: Accessibility could be a lot better, the sheer size of the place can be overwhelming, and service, while present, felt a bit…distant.
Final Score: 7.8/10
Would I Go Again? Absolutely. Despite its flaws (and Jakarta’s general chaos), Centro City delivers. If you want a comfortable, convenient base for exploring Jakarta, with a massive array of food and relaxation options, Simply Studio is a solid choice. Just… be prepared for the heat, the crowds, and the occasional minor bureaucratic hiccup. You're in Jakarta, after all. It's part of the adventure!
P.S. They need to fix those damn Internet cables that keep getting tangled in the elevator doors! But hey, it's Jakarta, right? Perfection is overrated.
Escape to Paradise: Jacksonville's Marble Waters Hotel & Suites Awaits!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into my Jakarta adventure at Centro City Residence. This isn't some perfectly polished brochure, it's real life, baby. Expect the unexpected. Expect me to whine. Expect me to love and hate things in rapid succession. Let's go:
Centro City Residence - Jakarta: The "I'm Exhausted But Also Kinda Excited" Edition
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Apartment Hunt (and the AirCon Battle)
8:00 AM (Jakarta Time, Ugh): Landed at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport. The humidity hit me like a wall of warm, slightly spicy soup. Already sweating buckets. This is going to be interesting. Got through customs without incident, which frankly, felt like winning the lottery.
9:30 AM: Uber to Centro City Residence. The traffic… oh, the traffic. Think a chaotic ballet of scooters, cars, and the occasional bewildered-looking chicken. My driver, a lovely man named Pak Budi, kept apologizing for the delays. "Jakarta, madam," he sighed, shaking his head. I just nodded. Embracing the madness.
11:00 AM: Arrived at the Residence. "Centro City Residence" sounded so fancy. The lobby was a decent enough, but the check-in? Ugh. Took ages. They "lost" my reservation (they found it, eventually). Ended up waiting in a lobby that smelled vaguely of… cleaning products and maybe a hint of desperation.
12:00 PM: Apartment Check-in! Finally! The room… well, it was small-ish. Okay, it’s small. But it was clean-ish, thankfully. BUT the AC? NOOO. It was barely puffing. I was already drenched in sweat. The first 2 hours was spent trying to figure it out and finally calling the reception to fix it. I had to call the reception 3 times before they sent someone over. Eventually, a very nice young lady with a bewildered expression tinkered with it, and, hallelujah, a chilly breeze emerged! Saved by the Indonesian air conditioning gods! I need to find snacks immediately and not be moving too much or I'm back at square one!
1:00 PM: Quick grocery run to the minimart downstairs. Grabbed some instant noodles, a questionable-looking mango, and about five bottles of ice-cold water. Dehydration is not my friend.
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Nap Time & "Is It Dinner Time Yet?" Slept for three glorious hours. Woke up bewildered. Is it day or night? Is this the real world? The mango was surprisingly delicious.
6:00 PM: Attempted to order food through a delivery app. Disaster! The whole process was an experience. The app didn't understand my location. The driver got lost. My dinner order of Nasi Goreng arrived cold and with the wrong drink. But hey, at least I had food? Ate it anyway.
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Debated a leisurely stroll. Gave up because it's still crazy hot outside. Spent way too long scrolling through Instagram, feeling weirdly jealous of everyone’s perfect travels. Must. Resist. Comparison.
9:00 PM: Bedtime. Praying for a functional AC unit to get me through the night from sweating.
Day 2: Exploring the City, or, "Why Did I Choose This Time of Year?"
8:00 AM: Woke up surprisingly refreshed! The AC did its job, thank goodness!
9:00 AM: Had a mini-meltdown trying to figure out the best way to get around. Google Maps was… actively hindering, not helping. Finally, took a Grab (Southeast Asia version of Uber) to the National Monument (Monas).
10:00 AM: The Monas was impressive, but the crowds! Dear god, the crowds. It’s like a human river trying to get somewhere. The view from the top was worth it! Jakarta sprawled out beneath me. I could almost feel the energy of the city.
11:30 AM: Stumbled upon Merdeka Square. It was packed with families and vendors. I bought a questionable-looking, but delicious, fried snack from a street vendor. Food poisoning is a risk I'm willing to take!
12:30 PM: Lunch at a local warung (small restaurant). Ordered something I couldn't identify but smelled amazing. It turned out to be sate ayam (chicken satay). Succulent!
01:30 PM: This is where it went a bit left. I thought it would be a good idea to visit a museum, I don't even remember the name any more, I got there, and it turned out it was closed. I got upset for a moment, and then I realized: I'm on vacation! I'll just go for a coffee!
2:00 PM: Coffee break! Found a trendy little cafe, took a few pictures, and then stared at the rain outside while drinking my iced cafe latte.
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Attempted to visit the National Museum. Got lost. Gave up. Spent an hour people-watching instead. Not a bad trade.
6:00 PM: Dinner at a restaurant I found on TripAdvisor. This time, I knew what I was ordering. The food was good, but the ambiance was… well, it was there. There was a family next to me that had a screaming toddler the whole time, lol.
7:00 PM: Back to the apartment. Exhausted. Showered. Collapsed on the bed, ready for another round of AC bliss and another attempt at instant noodles. Another Grab ride and a traffic jam, ah yes, Jakarta!
8:00 PM: Made a mental note: learn some basic Indonesian phrases.
9:00 PM: Bedtime.
Day 3: The "Let's Do One Thing, and Do It Right" Day (Shopping and Shopping Only)
- 9:00 AM: Okay, this time, I'm hitting up Grand Indonesia Shopping Town. Because, priorities!
- 9:30 AM: I take a walk to a nearby cafe, bought some breakfast and then I got an Uber to the mall.
- 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Got dropped at the entrance, and, well, let the shopping spree begin!
- 1:00 PM: Lunch time! I decided to go with the restaurant with the most people in it (the line looked reasonable!), and I got a tasty pasta and a good cold beer.
- 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Shop, shop, shop. I found a lot of things, everything was so cheap! I bought some shoes, some clothes, and some souvenirs for the family.
- 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Uber back to the apartment. Exhausted from all that shopping.
- 6:00 PM: I decided to order food for the apartment, I had a really good meal and then I went straight to sleep.
- 7:00 PM: I decided to turn off the AC and let the room breathe a bit.
- 8:00 PM: Bedtime.
Day 4: Departure - Until Next Time, Jakarta!
- 8:00 AM: Last wake up in Jakarta! And what do you know, it's raining! But I'm ready to leave.
- 9:00 AM: I'm going to have a final meal.
- 10:00 AM: Check-out time. Now it's time to go because my taxi is waiting.
- 11:00 AM: Airport and final goodbyes to Jakarta.
Overall Thoughts:
Jakarta is a chaotic, humid, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately amazing city. It's a place that challenges you, makes you sweat, and leaves you slightly bewildered, but also enchanted. I'm already planning my return. Maybe next time, I'll learn some Indonesian and survive more than a few days without losing my mind. And maybe, just maybe, I'll find an apartment with a truly reliable AC.
This is just a bare-bones itinerary. Expect delays, change of plans, and a whole lot of "I don't even know what's happening!" That's Jakarta, folks. Embrace the mess, roll with it, and prepare for an adventure!
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Jakarta's "Best" Apartment? (Or, My Love-Hate Affair with Simply Studio at Centro City Residence) - FAQs, My Way!
Okay, okay, is Simply Studio at Centro City Residence *actually* the best apartment in Jakarta? Be honest.
Look, "best" is subjective, right? Depends if you're looking for the best five-star luxury, or the best "survive-the-Jakarta-heat-and-traffic-and-still-have-a-place-to-shower" option. Okay, so, I'll break it down. I *loved* it, and then I *hated* it, and then... well, you'll see. It’s not some gleaming, perfect tower. It's more like… a strategically placed island of sanity. Sometimes. Let me put it this way. If you were to describe it, it wouldn't be pure perfection, but more like "charmingly flawed" - and I swear, sometimes those flaws WERE charming. Other times? I wanted to scream into a pillow at 3 AM.
What's the *biggest* selling point? Like, the one thing that made you choose it?
Location, location, location! Seriously. It's supposed to be near the Central Business District, right? I mean, technically, yes. In reality, you are five minutes to the office and there's no more traffic for the rest of the day! Trust me on this. I lived in a place that was, on paper, "close" before. "Close" in Jakarta sometimes meant a two-hour battle with motorcycles and stubborn bajaj drivers. Here? I could roll out of bed, grab a kopi-o, and *walk* to work. Bliss. Absolute, glorious, traffic-dodging bliss. The money you save on transportation... well, you need to put it towards the general Jakarta survival budget, but still!
So, it sounds too good to be true. What's the catch? 'Cause there's *always* a catch.
Oh, there's a catch. Several, actually. First, the "simply" in "Simply Studio" is a bit of an understatement. The rooms themselves are… compact. Think airline cabin, but with less legroom. And the storage space? Forget about it. I swear, I’m still trying to figure out where that one pair of shoes vanished to. Also, let's talk about the building's "personality". The elevators break down, and the pool sometimes looks more like a swamp. And the noise! OMG, the noise! You have the sounds of the city that is the cacophony of the streets, then you've got the construction from building next door at any time of the day or night. Also the neighbors partying. Also, it's Jakarta, so anything is possible. Still, after all, I miss it.
Talk to me about the amenities. Pool? Gym? Anything decent?
Okay, the pool... let's be honest. It's small. And sometimes, it's a weird shade of green. I think they try to keep it clean, but the sun and general Jakarta-ness conspire against them. The gym? Well, it *exists*. It had some weights, a couple of treadmills that might or might not work, and a general atmosphere of "mild despair." I would sometimes go there, and I'd go to the pool sometimes. I will never forget that one time, after a terrible client meeting, I was so down in the dumps, I went to the pool. It was like a watery haven. I felt better. But it was because the sadness just needed some water therapy, not because the pool was anything special. The mini-mart in the lobby? Essential. Definitely essential. Helped me out of so many late-night sugar cravings.
The internet speed? Because let's face it, that's *critical*.
Okay, this is where things get… interesting. The internet can be spotty. I repeat; it can be spotty. Some days, it's lightning fast. Netflix, Zoom calls, the whole shebang. Other days? You're watching a video buffer...and buffer...and buffer… so much, you could go make a pot of coffee, take a shower, do your laundry, and it's still buffering. I tried complaining. I really did. It didn't always get better immediately. That's the Jakarta way. You learn to be patient, even if you want to throw your laptop out the window. But hey, at least it got you out of your room, right?
Is it easy to find food nearby?
Food? Are you kidding me? Jakarta is a culinary paradise! There's *something* delicious within a five-minute walk, guaranteed. From street food (absolutely try the sate ayam!) to fancy restaurants, you're covered. I became obsessed with the nasi goreng stall around the corner. Best nasi goreng I've ever had. Seriously. Worth the potential digestive issues. (Joking! Mostly...) And the delivery options? OMG. You'll discover your new favorite foods. Just try them all, eventually.
What are the neighbors like?
Mixed bag. You get the gamut. Some lovely people, some… let's just say, “enthusiastic” karaoke singers at 2 AM. You'll hear everything from babies crying to construction workers hammering to religious chants. Welcome to the Jakarta symphony! I made some good friends there, actually. We’d sometimes convene in the lobby to complain about the elevators breaking down. Misery loves company, right? But seriously, the neighbors are part of the experience. You’ll either love them or hate them… probably both, at different times. And I still miss them now.
Would you recommend Simply Studio at Centro City Residence to a friend? Or a stranger?
Depends. Are they adaptable? Do they have a sense of humor (or at least the ability to learn one)? Are they okay with occasional chaos and a little bit of grime? If yes to all those things, then yes! Absolutely. It's not perfect. Far from it, actually. But it's a home. It's a launching pad. It’s a place where you can get your nasi goreng, complain about the broken elevator, and maybe, just maybe, find yourself falling a little bit in love with Jakarta. It's a warts-and-all experience. But that’s what makes it Jakarta, right? And honestly, if you're *not* going to find some amazing things, what's the point? You'll never be bored. So, yeah. I'd recommend it. With a giant,Hotels Near Your
