Port Royal

I have lived here for about 1 yr and it really isn’t a bad place at all very quiet and extremely clean. Stephen is the New Building mgr and he is trying to have different events and he has made a lot of positive changes
If you rent here DO NOT USE ALEXANDRIA PROPERTY MANAGMENT they will keep your deposits, After charging me 2 months deposits they are really dragging their feet its been almost a month and I still don’t have my security deposits back 2250.00 You have been warned!!!

Thanks to my fellow Unilocalers and Justin S. who have been so kind to answer all my questions; I’ve decided to move here. This is my first apartment so I wasn’t really picky about where I was living as long as I was near public transportation that would make my commute much easier.
I got a Studio apartment and so far so good. I have had only three problems since moving in, clogged sink, clogged bathtub and leaky faucet. I don’t drive so I can’t tell you about the parking lots or garage and I don’t have pets.
The front desk is very nice except this one woman whom I used to say greet every morning but not anymore as she’s turn cold and grouchy. I was looking forward to the gym membership but that is no longer the case and the «discount» everyone is talking about is close to $ 70/​month.
There are two washing machines and two dryers on every floors which is ok. The building is quiet and the area is prime.
ETA: I am adding since I’ve been here a year. They recently changed the washing machines and dryers after they keep breaking down. It was about a month before we finally got them replaced. The mail services sucks; I don’t know what happened but we fought to have one main mail-​person on our route to delivered a certain time but not anymore.
The front desk morning/​early afternoon shift is terrible about writing notices for packages to a point where I have to monitor the tracking myself.

I’ve been very happy living here (renting) and my 4-​star rating reflects this, however if I were to recommend this place to a new person coming in (renting or buying), I’m not sure it would rate as high. I think the other review posted here covers all the highlights that I agree with, so I’ll just touch on other areas:
–They just completed a painful, long elevator renovation. But since that renovation was completed, I have never had to wait for an elevator– big deal when you’re more than 10 stories up. There’s one freight elevator and it’s on the smallish side. My couch almost didn’t make it in (37.0“Lx90.0“Wx36.0“H)
–Spiders: the exterior of the building is infested with them. Honestly, I don’t think there is anything the building management can do about it as spiders are considered «good» for eating mosquitoes by most pest companies. But I’ve run screaming from my balcony at sunset (they only come out at night) when dozens and dozens emerge and start spinning their webs. The rooftop is generally spider-​free and is a much better place to be at night as a result. I have no problems with spiders coming inside my apartment.
–Old Town Sport & Health decided to discontinue the free gym use perk. Residents still get a slight monthly discount and sign up fee, though.
–The building, as far as I can ascertain, came under new management recently. As a result, there have a been a lot of changes enacted (and sometimes revoked). This is why I would be hesitant to recommend to a new renter or buyer– at this particular time there seems to be too much uncertainty in rules and regulations that may be important to someone. A recent example was additional parking. You used to get 2 outside spaces, then they started charging for the second space. Clearly it wasn’t popular and they recently went back to not charging for the second spot. Some new rules also include a one pet rule for new residents… personally if I were buying a condo and wanted a pet, I would want the option to get a second pet if the first one took to destroying the carpet out of loneliness. They are also now charging a pet fee (for those who rent, it could be on top of a pet fee the landlord charges). There are apparently some new annual fees that will be levied on those who rent their units (even if the same tenant lives there year after year).
I’d consider buying in this building some day, but I will definitely only consider after things settle down a bit.

I lived year for over a year, and I’ll have to admit: if you can get past the inherent problems of living in a 340 sq ft room, this place isn’t bad. (On related note, while I lived here I heard that Lindsy Lohan threw a tantrum at a hotel manager for putting her in a suite that was only 500 square feet.)
*Building
The heat & AC are included, and although the building can only offer one at a time, both are extremely effective. This does however mean that in the spring & fall there will be a few days were you’ll be either a bit hot or a bit chilly… but it wasn’t bad.
I had no bugs and no major building problems.
I looked at a lot of «inexpensive» options in Alexandria, and this building stands in a category of cleanliness I literally couldn’t find anywhere else I could afford. It might be the only small apartment tower in the city without weird-​smelling hallways.
There are laundry facilities on every floor, and aside from possibly Sunday night, it’s never hard to find an open machine.
*Occupants
While I was there my floor was mostly occupied by young professionals who in typical fashion were nice, but too shy to ever offer more than a passing smile or quick hello (myself included).
The door guys were always really cool and friendly.
*Parking
There’s both indoor & outdoor lot parking (indoor spots are bought or rented)
Street parking is not metered, but there is a maximum time limit of a few hours.
Guest parking was never a problem.
*Perks
All residents get a free membership to Old Town Athletic Club
which is only a two minute walk away.
The building’s roof is open year round. Great for grilling, taking pictures, having dinner, or hosting a party. The view is spectacular. If you’re having a party, I think there’s a fee attached… I never tried, so I don’t know the details. It’s a great, if not amazing spot for a sweet romantic dinner for 2, especially if you can cook, be sweet, and are constrained by budget!
Balconies! I highly recommend getting a unit with a balcony. They’re just the right size to set up a bristo table for dinner & drinks. My spot on the 5^th floor had a river view and I’ll miss many a good night out there.
There’s public tennis courts are across the street, but they were full every time I thought to play.
*Community
I lived here with a car for 3 months and decided to get rid of it when I realized that I hadn’t used it in a month… the neighborhood is totally walkable.
King St is a 10 minute walk away, through a decent area.
The Braddock Metro is ½ a mile away, but the last few blocks go through a project… I don’t recommend walking alone at night. I saw 1 armed robbery and several beatings walking past the projects there.
There’s a giant, a Trader Joe’s, liquor store, Blockbuster, and tons of restaurants extremely close by. Again, the neighborhood’s safety is not bad unless you head out towards the Braddock Metro, and even that area seems to be getting a lot better.
The area is QUIET. Nightlife needs to be metro’d to, unless you don’t mind the local bars and tourist spots on King st.
*Landlord
If you’re considering renting here I highly recommend renting from Jo Lynn Ricks (5 star landlord review!). As my landlord she was responsive, friendly, and possibly the only person I’ve ever rented from that fairly returned my security deposit. She can be reached at
and owns at least a few units in the building.
If you want to live alone, or are new to the area, Port Royal’s a pretty safe bet. Living in a studio apartment has a lot of drawbacks, but finding better options on a budget in Old Town could take a lot of time.