Retreat at the Woodlands Apartments

Current Resident 721915

Resident • 2013 - 2014

My husband and I moved to The Retreat from Phoenix, AZ due to employment. We've never lived in an apartment/condo community and were very nervous about this. From the moment we contacted the staff (was Megan and Karen at the time), we were treated professionally and Karen was extremely polite and helpful. She even stayed late as my husband was driving from Hobby to view the apartment. I haven't had any interaction with the new management (I believe Karen is still there), but my husband has told me very nice things about the new staff. Jay and his assistant are in charge of maintenance and they are absolutely the best. Not only knowledgeable, but professional and efficient. They even respect the fact that we don't wear shoes in our apartment and have given us any problem about wearing shoe covers or removing their shoes. We've never had to wait more than 24 hrs. to get repairs completed. They are an integral part of the great reputation that The Retreat carries. We have one car and pay $35 for covered parking, so I can't comment on whether or not parking is a problem. When we changed apartments, Karen called us to ask if we wanted to change covered parking places to be closer to our new apartment building. We thought that was pretty thoughtful. I agree with others that the appliances are not top of the line, but they are adequate and look great. I love the extra large island in our kitchen. The fuse on our microwave blows out about twice a month or so, but Jay showed us how to reset it in the 2nd bedroom. The only big issue I have is the water tastes absolutely, horrible. It smells like lake water. We had to stop making ice cubes because it alters the taste of our cold drink. We now buy ice at the store. We may put a Pur water filter on the kitchen faucet to see if the taste improves. I don't use the dishwasher for that reason. It stinks when you open the door. There is a certain amount of noise (we moved from the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor). When we lived on the 2nd floor, we could sometime hear the occupants above us walk around or close their door. Now that we are on the top floor, we try to be respectful of noise for the occupants below us. But, we do have to live in our apartment and unfortunately there is going to be some noise. Never heard anyone talking through the walls, toilets flush, tenants talking outside, etc. Do hear dogs barking occasionally, but they are dogs and that is what dogs do. I agree with the previous reviewer that the people who have written really bad reviews probably have never experienced apartment living and/or want the same conditions associated with a house or very well-built condo. Since I do not work outside my home, I am able to utilize the clubhouse during business hours. If I worked until 5:00 p.m. or so, I would not like the idea that the clubhouse is always closed for my use, except on Saturdays. It isn't the staff's fault that the rules are such, but maybe the owners of the managing company could address this issue and try to come up with a solution so the beautiful clubhouse can be utilized by all residents. We are very happy living here and hope to renew our lease in a few months. We can't imagine that it could be any better anywhere else. I'm looking forward to meeting the staff when I return from Arizona and hope they are as great and efficient as my husband tells me. If you are considering an apartment rental in The Woodlands, I hope you will not hesitate to lease here.

Current Resident 750683

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I lived in The Retreat for 14 months (Nov 2012 - Jan 2014), and can honestly say this has been one of the nicest communities I have ever lived in (I have lived in 3 properties in the Houston area over the last 3 years). I would renew my lease, however, I commute to downtown and am moving closer to work. If you work downtown, do not let anyone convince you the commute isn't that bad - it takes 1.5 hours in standstill traffic to get downtown during rush hour. Not worth it. If you will stay in The Woodlands / Spring / Conroe area for the most part, this is a great place to live! People complain about high rent, but comparitively to downtown and communities near The Woodlands Waterway, rent is pretty fair (but increasing). Parking: I have never had an issue getting parking at my building, but sometimes I do have to park around the side of the building from where my unit is due to the lack of "free" spaces. On a typical side of a building there are maybe 10 free spaces, 8 covered parking spaces (approx. $35/month) and 5 individual garages (approx. $100/mo). The free spaces tend to fill up pretty quickly after work, but it really hasn't been that big of a deal to me. Noise: My wife and I are in our early 20s and have noticed that most residents are either young professional type or retirement age, so the complex is relatively quiet. People who complain about noise in this complex probably have not lived in many apartment communities. Grounds: The community is very well kept, the pool is super nice, the gym is small, but works. The other amenities that you'll never use (like that conference room in the front office or the party room that you can rent out) are also nice. Only complaint is that the only dumpster for trash is in the back corner of the complex, so not very centrally located. We typically end up putting our trash on our patio until we have a couple of bags to walk over. Every couple of months, the compactor seems to have some sort of issue and trash is piled up outside of it, but it is out of sight and management takes care of the problem pretty quickly. Safety: I have never felt unsafe on this property - I usually leave my door unlocked when I go to check my mail still to this day. Keep in mind this is a fairly new property still (opened April 2012) - but I can share the few safety concerns that have come up over my year of living here. When I first moved in, there was a peeping tom that was spotted on property - management immediately sent multiple emails to residents warning of the man with his description. The man was arrested within a week and his picture was circulated around the property for future reference. Later, two ground floor apartments were broken into (on the same day). Again, management sent an email letting everyone know of the break-ins, they changed the gate codes, and hired a police officer to live on site permanently - he parks his police car out front and we have had no issues since the police officer has lived here. Finally, the only issue I personally had was that package was stolen from my door while I was out for the day. I took it up with management, who actually changed their entire package handling policy as a result (they used to deliver packages left in the office at your door, now you go and claim it). So overall, some minor issues, but I have never felt uneasy on the property at night, and feel that management has responded well to each issue. Construction: Overall, I really like the exteriors and interiors of the apartments. Sure, the finishes aren't top of the line, but for an apartment complex, they look really nice and they aren't cheap like they are falling apart either. I really love the cabinets, as well as the gigantic kitchen islands available in the larger units, plus some of the units have a built-in desk/bookshelf which is really nice. The appliances are stainless steel and have had no issues with them. I do wish there was a 2nd sink in the master bath, as the vanity is definitely big enough for a second sink but my wife has used this area for her makeup collection. The bedrooms are pretty large, and the closets are walk-in, big enough for my wife and I to share. The patio is large too, we don't really use it much especially in the summer, but if you have outdoor furniture, it is a good size. Plus, there is a pretty large storage closet on the patio as well. The only complaint I really have about the apartments themselves is that the water for the shower doesn't get hot enough...it gets to a tolerable level (a little more than luke warm) to take a shower, but definitely wish it was hotter. Maintenance: Only maintenance issue I have had is that our A/C stopped working twice due to a clogged drainage line. Both times, the maintenance guy came within an hour of me putting in the request (including after hours) and fixed it without issue in 10 minutes. The only stupid thing is that new management recently took over (Riverstone I think) and now instead of calling in or submitting a request online, you have to physically go up to the office to fill out a maintenance request form. I'm guessing this will change once the new management settles in. Staff: Overall, the staff has been pretty understanding and straightforward. You get a bill every month for your full amount of rent water owed, and the bill provides details as to what you're paying for. The staff is really a mixed bunch of high quality and incompetent people. A couple of the staff members are the type of people that don't understand that you have a life too ("I understand you're at work and that we close at 5:00, but we can't put in a maintenance request unless you come fill out the form in person while the office is open."). While other staff members are really great (the "No problem, let me just email the form to you real quick" types). The staff is REALLY good about emailing events, deals, reminders, etc. without over-doing it to the point that you feel like you're getting spammed. I even got a personal email & voicemail to remind me that I hadn't paid rent yet on the 2nd and that they were trying to help me avoid late charges on the 3rd. I definitely recommend living at the retreat. The issues that I mentioned above are REALLY minor in the grand scheme of things. I felt the need to put together this review since there are some really negative reviews out there that are way overly dramatic (some people just are not made for apartment/community living). As I mentioned before, if it weren't for the commute, I would be renewing my lease. Good luck in making your decision!

Current Resident 465961

Resident • 2012 - 2013

My husband and I were relocated to Houston for his job and ended up at The Retreat and this is our opinion of living there: Pros -Nice clubhouse. -Nice pool. -Apartment layout is nice -Fairly quiet complex Cons -Cheap fixtures. Both my washer and dishwasher have flooded multiple times. -Unsafe. I never felt safe living at The Retreat. Theft and people breaking in seem to be very common at The Retreat. Someone attempted to break into my car and my apartment while we were living there. My neighbor actually informed me of this (she was the one who called the cops) instead of the apartment staff which I thought was strange. They do send out emails about the crime that's going on but it never is very current. I work nights and there was a 3 week span when I would come home, I would run into a police officer because of a break in or suspicious activity. This is something that I am not used to dealing with and it made me very uncomfortable. -Bug infested. The apartment complex is surrounded by woods so I specifically asked if they spray. They said that they spray often and they don't have a problem with insects. Spiderwebs, however, are everywhere outside my door! The bugs have gotten so bad outside our building that tenants have taken it upon themselves to spray raid on the property. I have even seen black widows hanging around the mailboxes. Granted it was very late but no apartment complex should have poisonous insects hanging out by the mailboxes. -Clubhouse hours/No bathrooms. The clubhouse is very nice but it is only open 8:30-5:30 Monday-Friday which means, if you work normal business hours (like my husband) you can't use it durning the weekdays. Also if you use the pool or gym when the clubhouse is closed you will have to walk back to your apartment to use the bathroom. It's minor but it gets annoying. -Staff. I've read a few reviews about how the staff are amazing and it completely blows my mind. We have had such a different experience with the staff and management. Not only are they rude and unapproachable but highly unorganized. We have had to sign a lease 4 times with them because of something they messed up. Each time when they realized our lease was incorrect, they would shove our lease under our door with a note saying "feel free to use your concierge service to send it back, you get two free a month!" I'm not certain why we would have to use our services for something the property messed up on? Two of the times we had to resign something was because they never received our newly resigned lease even though I personally put it on their desk. They have also lost payments of ours, good thing we keep receipts. We ended our lease about a month ago and they misplaced our final rent check so even though we don't even live there anymore we still have to send them bank statements, talk to their billing company, etc. It really is a pain. Out of the many apartments we have lived in we have never had problems with the staff which for us was the worst part of living at The Retreat. Overall, The Retreat is a deceiving, overpriced, unsafe, and poorly managed property. I would really encourage future tenants to not be swayed by the nice clubhouse (you'll never use it anyways) and pool and really explore your options. I would recommend looking next door, their property is a lot less and have much better amenities. Don't settle on The Retreat you'll regret it.

Dntmoverhere2477

Resident • 2012 - 2013

The Retreat at Woodlands, is a poorly managed overpriced, unsafe, poorly kept community. The money they charge to live here, is not worth it at all. Every week I've received pathetic emails, about the ridiculous rules and regulations that include not wearing your shoes in your apartment, however management doesn't keep the grounds clean, the breezeways clean, or the BBQ area clean. The material used in the apartments are cheap and fall apart, and the grounds have a lingering smell of dog ----. I've received several emails about apartments being broken into, it doesn't seem like its a very safe neighborhood. The first courtesy officer was on point and always kept everything safe, this new one doesnt seem to do much except park his car in the front of the neighborhood. The noise here if you don't live of the top floor is horrible, they have no weight restrictions on dogs, and every morning you will be woken by barking dogs left on the balcony by there owner. Last but not least PARKING IS HORRID. There is literally nowhere to park and at times I've had to take the risk of parking in handicap. Just do yourself a favor and don't move here.

diac

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I followed the staff from my old complex to this one for the reason that they were always attentive, courtious, kind, always professional and at the office when I needed them. I've been happy so far. Love the community.

Current Resident 357469

Resident • 2012 - 2013

What to expect here... Apartments are new with granite counters and stainless steal appliances. It's expensive but what isn't in The Woodlands. The one thing I'd caution about is the number of spam emails that come from the office. They are written by children for children. Believe it or not in the last 60 days they've sent out emails about: how to use the drive way, take your shoes off when entering your house and don't smoke on your patio. Seriously... The other complaint is the trash. There is only one trash "bin" for THE WHOLE complex! It's too far for a normal person to walk from one side of the complex to the other while carrying garbage bag. So I reluctantly buckle my trash into my car and then my children. By the way, the complex offered Visa gift cards for positive reviews.

dkac

Resident • 2013

My husband & I moved into one of their brand new apartments while our home was being built. This is a very pretty complex & the grounds are well maintained. Although the stainless steel appliances are attractive, they are very cheap: dishwasher is LOUD & its door seal kept falling out; when we opened the refrigerator door too quickly the bottom shelf would pop out and our milk, orange juice, etc ended up on the floor. The stove top showed every little splatter & never looked clean. However, our main complaint was the noise above us, which which often lasted until 1am. Although we phoned many times to report this, the noise persisted. Lastly, don't expect a deposit refund. They won't do a final walk-through with you, but will later charge you for a spot on the carpet, etc.

mrscm3

Resident • 2013

My husband and I just moved here from north Texas, and in a word The Retreat is "home." We had numerous problems at our previous apartment, the biggest one was noise. Our upstairs neighbor was horrible and I really wondered if I could stomach another apartment. The Retreat has been wonderful. It's quiet, people aren't racing through the parking lot, the gym is big and the equipment is new, the poolside grills are cleaned daily, and the apartment is well-designed. As with any apartment we've found some quirks, for example the water heater is on a shelf just above the dryer, so you've got to duck underneath it to start the dryer. For me personally that's a small price to pay for the security and incredible amenities. We love our apartment about a million times more than our other place. For the record we downsized to an apartment from a house, and our previous apartment was of the same caliber and price per month as our apartment at The Retreat. We're new to apartment living but we plan on staying at The Retreat for as long as we live in the area.

Paolaberis

Resident • 2012

The apartments are very spacious and beautiful. The distribution is great. The grillers by the pool are also great and easy to use. The pool and club house are a dream. So far I can say that we have a great community. Maintenance has responded in time to the few details I have reported. The downsides are: There are a few dog owners who don t pick up after their dogs. The beautiful clubhouse with amenities is only open during business hours, so its really very limited to people who work. The complex advertises as being green, but in reality its not. I see the sprinklers on during heavy rain, we don t recycle, or have any kind of alternative energy savers for common area lighting. In the overall its a great place to live I do only wish that we had more access to the clubhouse

MauiMocha

Resident • 2012

Really awesome apartments! I moved to Houston from Maui,HI a little over a year ago, where I had the luxury of residing at a five star resort in Wailea. The resort-like atmosphere at The Retreat reminds me a lot of that experience. I love the on-site gym and outdoor facilities around the pool for parties or small gatherings. Management is very responsive and polite, as is maintenance. I highly recommend living here. LOVE IT! Aloha!

C01050

Resident • 2012

We moved in from Japan. It is easy for us to lease this apartment because the administrators are very kind. They have explained about the leasing in more detail. There are ample parking and the covered parking is cheap. The fitness gym is good and we can have a coffee .

kdavis10

Resident • 2012

Love my apt! Been here about 4 months. Lots of space for a 1 bedroom, lots of closet room, like coming home to a resort everyday! Management is very courteous and responsive. Location can't be beat. No better place to live!

lindseymiller11

Resident • 2012

I moved in shortly after the Retreat opened. I never loved living in an apartment before, here I feel like I'm coming home to a resort. I love that the complex is hidden by the trees, it seems to help keep things quiet. The pool is beautiful, the staff and neighbors are friendly, I've had no issues here. The only improvement they could make is to install lighting in the living room.

axle512

Resident • 2012

The Retreat at The Woodlands is a wonderful community. I moved in right when my building opened and it is wonderful. The amount of space in a one bedroom apartment is great. The floor plan was very well thought out and there is plenty of storage. I have already recommended and had 2 of my friends move in! The staff is very friendly and they host regular events for residents. The clubhouse and pool are beautiful. I spent my whole summer at the pool! They have a wonderful splash pad for kids and music and grills for the adults. I previously lived at the boardwalk and they claimed it was "luxury living"; The Retreat has them beat!!! This is definitely much nicer than any apartment I have lived in. I would recommend it to anyone!!

eortiz615

Resident • 2012

We checked out every apartment complex on College Park and in the Woodlands and we chose the Retreat. It is always clean and always quiet which is something that was very important to us. My A/C went out one night and it was fixed with in an hour literally. Very impressed with the staff and the way the complex is run.

Maryna44

Resident • 2012

Brand new apartment complex at a super convenient location in The Woodlands. The grounds are pristine and the whole complex is very well maintained. The pool is wonderful, and the BBQ grills around are excellent. It has a feel of a holiday resort.

travisgasper

Resident • 2012

The apartment is absolutely beautiful - granite countertops, dark wood counters, spacious floor plans. We love it! The staff is very friendly, and the maintenance manager lives on site. So we never have to wait long if we need assistance. The location is great as well, close to I45 and great shopping. We would recommend this complex to anyone.

cjp663

Resident • 2012

The apartments are brand new and energy star rated - which is awesome. Any problems with minor maintenance issues at move in were fixed immediately. The staff is always welcoming; from calling to get more information, to taking a tour, to actually moving in. They never make you feel like you are bothering them. There is plenty of room in the smaller one bed room. One major draw back, I wish there were more covered parking options to rent. I, personally, have not had a noise issue - it is very quiet. There is a wide variety, from young professionals to some families.