Alister Arlington Ridge

Current Resident 629879

Verified Resident • 2017 - 2019

The residents here have had to put up with a lot. Dogs not on leashes, office staff almost never know how to resolve basic issues or needs. Amenities dont work, arent available or are taken away. Its very hot in the summer time. They dont turn on the air conditioning till mid summer as they believe its not warm enough, even thought most units are between 80-82 degrees by early April. They just need to truly invest in the residents and prioritize their needs and concerns.

Current Resident 623387

Verified Resident • 2018 - 2019

The quality of life and customer service has dramatically declined since the Alister suddenly took over what use to be The Harlowe. Like most residents, I was cautiously optimistic and waited to see what day-to-day life would be like, but we've had more issues since their arrival in the past 2 weeks than I have ever witnessed during the entirety of my life here at these residence.

Current Resident 453308

Resident • 2017 - 2018

I moved to this apartment complex thinking I had made a great decision given its location; the fact that the building was old did not bother me as property management had done a great job renovating and making it look as good as possible, and from experience, old buildings tend to be quieter (construction materials). I was not here before the renovations took place, but based on what I hear it was for the better. Anyways, the location, amenities, and overall appearance of the building are good, and if you work in downtown DC, you are likely to find a good place in this complex with everything you need. But if you need to be comfortable, with working AC when it gets really hot, THINK AGAIN! When I moved in, I was told by the leasing consultant, at the time of signing (after I asked as the building was HOT AND HUMID) that the AC unit would turn on if the temperature was 65 degrees of above, and that it would turn off if the temperature dropped below this value. She mentioned that at that time it was not working but that they were diligently working to get this resolved. She was so nice that we took her word and decided to sign. We moved in September, when it was still hot outside. After a few days, as we were getting settled I noticed that the AC was still 'off' and called them. Again, they came up with an excuse and I dropped it. To make a long story short, last year it was a nightmare. Temperature in my apartment reached 90 DEGREES (I am not exaggerating) and the AC was either broken, turned off, and no one from the office would say anything until someone complained. This had become unmanageable and we finally started complaining about it. This is were we realized how much in trouble we were; the staff was horrible, all they did was come up with excuses, or lie in order to get us to drop the subject. The staff would just say that it was broken or something and that it was going to be turned on later on in the week because of XYZ reason. Finally, winter came, and the problem went away for a few months. During the holidays, they replaced the staff and having in mind all my complaints, emails I thought they had checked the unit proactively and fixed it before season; that would have been the smart/professional thing to do. Obviously, this did not happen, it is 85 degrees INSIDE my apartment at the moment, I have all my windows open, and two flor fans at full power, and I am still sweating. This whole week has been like that and after the 4-5 emails, and the 3 calls my wife has made, the staff has not done ANYTHING but give everyone an attitude and come up with more excuses (and they still never replied to my emails). STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE.. IF you think an AC system is important here in DC, STAY AWAY.. There are MANY other locations to chose from in the area, with working AC and nicer staff. Don't let them fool you into signing solely because they renovated the building; ask about the condition of the ac system (get something in writing), ask about the driers and washers (they WILL mess up your clothes), ask about pests (I have seen a few cockroaches the size of my hand down there), they will lie and lie to get you to sign, just like they did to us a year ago. If she had said something about the AC, I would have ran away, it would have been a deal breaker if they had told me how things were from the get go - A working AC is the least you can expect when leasing an apartment in this area for this price. Keep in mind, I am writing this review in 90+degree weather, after trying to get them to focus on this, or to tell us what is really going on - it really gives It gives me the impression that no one is accountable for anything in this place. They recently changed the staff, and the new staff is even worse than before. My wife tried calling today to see what the update was, and the lease consultant gave her a horrible attitude saying that the AC was broken and that it was going to be fixed tomorrow (and something tells me that it will NOT happen). The staff once told me that BY LAW they had to turn the ac off if the temperature was lower than 65 degrees. I asked her which law this was, and well... she had no clue. They lie to tenants, they are just plain unprofessional. Summary - If I had known ... had I only known about the deal with the AC, I would have left. I would not have signed my life away in this place. It is VERY uncomfortable to be in your apartment in 90+ degree weather, for which you pay utilities and rent every month sweating, with no other choice but to buy a floor fan, open up windows to let that hot air circulate, and just wait until someone gets off their back end to do something about it, which never happens. It is very frustrating, I cant even think of the right words to express the anger I am feeling right now. I have written 5 emails to them and have not received ONE reply. As far as I know their job is to make our lives comfortable right? Well, think again if you are thinking about moving here. Oh, and there are HUGE roaches. HUGE.

Andrew236

Resident • 2014 - 2016

Don't live here. For the money you need to find something else. They are super shady and will charge you for things that are not even covered in your lease. So glad I'm moving.

Current Resident 761714

Resident • 1992 - 2016

This used to be Country Club Towers where i have lived for 20 years. Since the management change to the Harlowe it has become a lot worse. We no longer have any concierge staff and after hours the phone goes to Texas, so any problems are not handled. The staff no longer takes packages, so you have to give your credit card number over the web to an automated Parcel Pending service or they will send the packages back without telling you. If you ask them is the service is set up correctly and they believe it is when it is not, they will send your packages back without telling you. You will find this out much later. They practically insist that you use automated deposit for your rental payments, but this does not ensure that the correct amount is deducted. You will find this out later. And yes, you are charged for utilities using some sort of estimate using floor space, since there is not an individual utility account for the apartments, nor is there any way for an individual apartment to turn on or off the heat or air conditioning, this is done centrally. You will however get many emails from them and paper under your door, and you will be evicted if your friend smokes outside on a bench in the middle of the parking lot. During business hours (10am to 6pm) there is only one helpful human being, and if you don't see her, all hope is lost. And good luck with parking.

Current Resident 139354

Verified Resident • 2015

Management is professional, kind and informative. They are always willing to answer questions. They always say, hello when you seem them and most importantly they always make sure you are happy tenant. I would highly recommend Country Club Towers to a friend.

Current Resident 138776

Verified Resident • 2014 - 2015

My experience at this community has been good. I like the location and the easy access to public transportation. My neighbors have been quite mast of the time. I do not have any complain. Except that with the new management there is a charge of almost $5.00 to pay the rent online in addition to the $5.00 they are already charging to process the monthly bill. Also, it could be good to have utilities based on actual consumption of utilities of each tenant.

Current Resident 124852

Verified Resident • 2013 - 2015

Excellent staff. Never any issues. The only traffic noise I ever hear is an occassional Emergency Vehicle - Fire Engine, Ambulanc etc ... Staff is available 7 days a week! Off hours a Concierge available most of the time. Covered parking and secure entrance!

Current Resident 123997

Verified Resident • 2009 - 2015

Pros: Maintenance requests handled quickly, rarely hear neighbors within my apartment, reasonably priced for the size, office staff is friendly Cons: Office staff not always available in person, yearly rent "bonuses" (such as having an accent wall painted for you [for $15/month]) are ridiculously overpriced, no ventilation in bathrooms

Current Resident 878536

Resident • 2014 - 2015

Atmosphere/neighbors: other tenants are a mix of working professionals, young families, and a few odd ducks here and there. Most everyone in the building is polite and keeps to themselves. Noise: soundproofing between apartments is garbage. Anytime your neighbor turns on the radio, television, or other electronics, be prepared to hear it. Facilities: laundry rooms are actually quite nice and cheap. Never crowded. Pool, exercise, and community rooms are all very nice and clean. Staff: management ranges from brusque to downright rude. Maintenance staff is incompetent to the max - sometimes they forget to fulfill part of a request, other times you have to call them out multiple times to resolve an issue. Parking: plenty of spots in the early evening, but the lot usually fills up by 9pm/10pm. Be prepared to circle or potentially park in street parking if you get home too late. Apartment itself: the actual apartment (appliances, paint, floors) are okay. Nowhere near great, but definitely not bad. Fresh paint, clean carpets, clean bathrooms, efficient layout. The appliances are a bit older though.

Current Resident 119878

Verified Resident • 2014 - 2015

For the heavy amenities fee, residents do not reap much benefit. They offer coffee in the morning, but only for a few hours. So don't expect to get one by 11 AM. The coffee was very low quality and just recently upgraded to a Kerig machinese, which should be done considering the $400 amenities fee. The paper is often out of the printer, and usually no one there to replenish it. Twice I have gotten packages that sit in the mail room for several days and I was not notified they were there, I had to go looking for them. Other apartments used a computer database to track mail packages received and even send email notifications when resident's packages have arrived. The gym is very small and hard to get a run in if you are on everyone else's 9-5 schedule that want to workout after work also. Last of all, the carpeting job is very low quality. It was falling apart, fraying pieces everywhere, unsealed and removed from the floor and uneven padding throughout the entire apartment, yet the office told me it was "new carpet". The contractors that came in to do work on my apartment obviously were very comfortable by themselves unsupervised by property management. They used the restroom and were kind enough to leave both toilet lids up just in case I have any future male visitors.

Current Resident 119754

Verified Resident • 2014

Building exterior is very deceiving to this property. Looks like a ------ building in serious need of refacing. However, the interior is clean, updated, and very nice! Very spacious apartments, new appliances, new cabinets, and clean! 3 Elevators and an entrance on every side of the building is great! Only complaint about the interior is that it still has old single pane windows that need to be updated to save energy and reduce outside noise. Best price, for the space, that I've found in the area. Biggest complaint is that the Leasing staff has VERY poor customer service, after you agree to move here. They're very unaccommodating and a bad attitude anytime they get a little busy.

Current Resident 97376

Verified Resident • 2014

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Current Resident 93694

Verified Resident • 2014 - 2015

Great place to live. The apartment layouts and renovated looks definitely outshine the exterior of the building. That's something you just can't keep up with since the building is a little older. The rent is reasonable compared to other apartments in area, so I'd give it look.

Current Resident 90048

Verified Resident • 2014 - 2015

It's a good place to live with a friendly staff. My only real complaint is the lack of bike racks outside. They only keep them in the garage (for which you need to pay for access), and they threaten to cut the locks if anyone locks their bikes to the railings outside. Other than that, I am very happy with the place. The other residents there are very friendly, and haven't had problems with any of them.

Current Resident 89420

Verified Resident • 2014

The staff is very friendly here and willing to answer any questions. The concierge, depending on who it is, is pretty helpful, and here for a few hours at night. The building is clean and the head of maintenance lives here, so they are prompt in dealing with problems. The apartment was renovated within the last couple of years and looks nice at first glance, but the craftsmanship is really poor. Everything works and the appliances are nice, but the painting and tile work aren't great. Some of the hardware they chose is pretty cheap, too. I like that the apartment has plenty of closet space, lots of natural light, and a balcony with a beautiful view. There's a laundry facility on each floor, elevators, a business center, a pool, a fitness room, a community room, and trash chutes. And they recycle! The windows are single-pane, so they let in a lot of noise and don't seal all that well (they slide horizontally, not vertically). It's a little noisy, as it's overlooking the highway, but it makes for a great location as far as convenience. 395 is just down the street! The free parking is first-come-first-serve and limited if you want a spot later in the evening, but you can rent a garage spot if you want (great for winter). Guest parking is anywhere in the lot until the office closes at 6pm, then they need a visitor's pass and can only park in one of the few guest spots until midnight. After midnight, they have to park on the street. If you don't mind a 3-7 minute walk to the apartment, there's usually something on the street, but it's in a neighborhood that's not quite as nice. Apparently, the apartment building is a street or two over from the seedier part of town (but, face it, in Arlington it only gets so seedy...nothing like DC). Security for the building is a key fob to enter and you buzz guests in from your phone. For the price, I'm pretty content with this place.

Current Resident 89069

Verified Resident • 2014

I am very pleased with my decision to move to Country Club Towers. The property is extremely well managed with staff members that are always willing to help with your residential and communal needs. I recommend Country Club Towers as a top choice.

Current Resident 87506

Verified Resident • 2014

Just moved in , friendly tenants and staff. Any problems identified during move in were immediately fixed. Pet friendly community. I have only been there a week but feel very comfortable about my decision to move to Country Club Towers. Shirlington and Clarendon can be easily accessed from thos apartments location.

Current Resident 79985

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2014

I love Country Club Towers. I have made some nice friends and it is a community. However, recently I have had a situation where my apartment was rented without my consent. I am disappointed and upset. I love the Christmas party and the picnic too. It is a friendly building.

Current Resident 79770

Verified Resident • 2014

Country Club Towers was the first apartment complex I looked at when looking for apartments. It set the bar high, and after looking at 3 other complexes, I ended up back at the Country Club Towers asking about their next available apartment. The apartments and the complex itself is all remodeled and for the price and location, it is a steal.

Current Resident 77572

Verified Resident • 2014

The leasing staff was very helpful, in particular Capri. She was very knowledgeable, and quick to respond to any questions. She provided GREAT customer service. No pressure, just very helpful. Greatly appreciated her assistance with all aspects of the leasing process.

Current Resident 76150

Verified Resident • 2014

Ok. So far. The staff has shown accountability & awareness and outside of processing taking a bit of time, the experience has been satisfying. I can definitely see myself offering this service to a fellow colleague or family member. Thank you.

Current Resident 73093

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2014

Overall, I enjoy the apartment and the staff (office, cleaning, maintenance) try their best to assist/ satisfy residents. Rent and parking fee increases haven't been so great, especially since haven't seen any upgrades/changes. It's definitely an older builder. Yet overall, a good place to live.

Current Resident 72833

Verified Resident • 2013 - 2014

After 8 months of living here, things are going pretty well. The windows are old, so you won't get good insulation and you will hear outside noise more than necessary. I'm on the top floor, which tends to run hot because the ceiling is not well insulated. You can adjust the thermostat in the unit, but the fan only runs at one speed from the A/C unit near the window. The building is generally quiet and neighbors are good. Parking is limited and getting a garage spot will cost $65/month. Staff is friendly and the concierge service is helpful. They respond quickly to service requests (I've only needed some light bulbs replaced). The lobby area is cleaned daily, there are vending machines and free morning coffee.

Current Resident 51745

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2014

I pretty much satisfied woth this community. I have been heree for 2.5 years and it is pretty good. I do not like dogs barking. Sometimes they bark for hours and this is annoying. Somtimes peiple around are noisy too. Otherwise everything is fine. Thank you.