Windsor at Arbors

I have been a resident here for about 1.5 years and really enjoy living here. Bottom line, I definitely would recommend it to others. I’d like to discuss what I love about Windsor at Arbors first and then there are two things that I don’t like about it.
First things first: the management is great. They do have a high turnaround of personnel there, but all of them have always been really nice. All of them are friendly and are accommodating. I enjoy chatting with them and never dread talking to them about any apartment/​lease problems I have as they always try to resolve it reasonably.
The apartment itself: The apartments are great! I have absolutely gorgeous view from my balcony; sunrise here is just to die for (see pictures). The apartments are really well maintained and are very clean when you move in (I have a slight OCD, so I notice the littlest things). The kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity cabinets are new and look modern. They are designed wisely, so there’s room for everything. Bathrooms are large and there’s just an abundance of space to store your stuff in (I am a very high maintenance girl with too much stuff, but there’s room for everything!). I also enjoy closets everywhere throughout my apartment and the one in the bathroom is just so convenient There’s lighting in every corner you can think of. I love having washer and dryer in the unit; they work well with all kinds of fabric (never had an accident there…). And I cannot forget to mention the fireplace… it’s SO nice for this winter weather. Overall, I LOVE my one bedroom and will miss it if I have to relocate. The layout is very convenient.
The building: OK, so I do live on the top floor, so I cannot comment on whether I can hear my neighbors living above me. But I do know that I have neighbors on both sides of my apartment, and I have NEVER heard a peep from neither of them. It’s quite here; neighbors are respectful and nice. The hallways are well maintained, always clean, never smell bad. I am never embarrassed to have visitors over.
The community: so pretty during the summer time! The trees and grass are so well maintained and it’s always such a pleasure to walk around the property. There’s a gym open ²⁴⁄₇; they have enough equipment for a usual, nothing too crazy work out (plenty for me!). (But I will say that they can do a better job cleaning the gym, though…) The pool is open in the summer time and can get crowded at times although it’s always clean! The shuttle to the metro is very convenient. It comes every 20 minutes and is very reliable. The driver has never been late and is a nice guy (they used to have this other company and one of the drivers from another company was constantly hitting on me, which made the rides uncomfortable… as I was about to complain, they changed the driver and then the company. So that problem was resolved). The majority of the neighbors are on the younger side (mid 20s to mid 30s) and are very nice. You get to know people and make friends as you take the shuttle every morning. I see some people complain about the parking… I don’t know. I personally have never parked in a garage and outside parking is just fine. I have never had a problem there finding a space there.
Now the two things that I don’t like it here: When I moved in, my apartment did not have the newest carpet. It really should have been replaced before I moved in, but I guess they decided to give it one more round (one more resident, that is). Like, there weren’t any stains or anything, it just looked old and it drives me crazy to this day. Plus, there’s some weird extra padding added in one of the corners in my living room… so I cant put anything there because it will fall. The second issue is that the hot water tanks are just WAY too small and there’s barely enough hot water for one longer shower. (Excuse if TMI), but if I need to shave my legs, scrub my body and wash my hair (I would say 20 minutes shower), I never have enough hot water and I always end up rinsing my hair with cold water. OR, there will be JUST enough hot water to fill up the bathtub. So once you soak there for 15 mins and the water cools off and you want to add more hot water — OOPS, no more hot water and your bubblebath time is over! So I really have to think how to go about my showers if I don’t want cold water. When my mom and sister were visiting me over the winter break, we had to put together a shower schedule because the tank takes 2 hours to reheat. Awfully inconvenient. I contacted the leasing office about it and I was told that nothing can be done about it because the tank itself is just small. I feel like it will be fine for guys, but for us, high maintenance girls, the hot water situation is an unfortunate. But then when I walk out of my bathroom and see the view, I forget about it and remember how much I love my apartment and start the fireplace .
I do love it here and do recommend it!

I am writing this on January 24, 2016. After the snowstorm, the maintenance people are doing more than just clearing a path through the community. They are actively removing snow as close as possible to all the vehicles that are snowed in to allow the people to get their cars out more easily. This is awesome for those who park in the lots, and I am thrilled to see them take this much interest in the well-​being of the residents.

I’ve been living here since September, and had an awesome amount of help from the leasing office in regards to my move in. They were VERY accommodating and understanding that I wouldn’t be available as I would be at work when my belonging would be dropped off. One person, in particular, has been a huge help.
Brittany, has always greeted me with a smile, and a warm hello whenever I have stopped in for a package or to ask a few questions about certain things. Never a condescending tone, and still tries to give some pep even if it’s towards the end of the day. Thanks a bunch!
The apartment complex is 25 years old, so the construction is better than most for the area. Being a firefighter, I consider these things when going to look for a place to call home. The walls aren’t too thin, though, you can hear the neighbors above you, but it’s much more insulated than other places in the area. Maintenance can be hit and miss depending on who you speak with. Satch is great, but when your apartment floods, and the maintenance folks don’t get back to cleaning the carpet they left marks on unless heavily reminded? It can be a source for disgruntlement. And any comments regarding the constant sirens from the fire station down to street? I’d rather hear help that’s really close by and know that they will arrive within less than 2 mins vs. trying waiting for them to come from the other end of the city for medical or fire emergencies. And really, the sirens aren’t THAT loud.

My boyfriend and I went to see a one bedroom apartment. The leasing agent was not welcoming at all. She was very short and only started to be more welcoming when we asked to see an apartment. Improvement in customer service is necessary.

This place is the worst. My apartment was broken into. There was some weird guy walking around behind the building. I called the office to report it, they said to call the police and that they couldn’t help me. The walls are super thin. I can even hear my neighbors phone vibrate. The office is unhelpful. There was no after hours emergency for the whole time I lived there. They finally got one last month. My toilet broke down so many times and it took them weeks of trying to finally change it. The rent so high for something so small. The area is unsafe. I just moved out so glad I’m done with them and I do not recommend this Windsor at arbors to anyone especially for women who leave alone.

I have lived at Windsor for almost a year now. The Property Management staff is great! They plan several tenant events and respond promptly to all service requests. They have a complimentary shuttle which leaves every 20 minutes in the morning for those who wish to take the Metro. Thank you Windsor!

I’ve lived at Windsor at Arbors for nearly two years now. The apartments and facilities are kept in top shape, the management staff is really kind and always on the ball, and the amenities are as good as you can get for anywhere in the area. They host nearly monthly community events ranging from beer tastings to omelet mornings on weekends to Hawaiian luaus. Rentals are not cheap, but you get what you pay for. Worth every penny. Would highly recommend this apartment community for singles or young couples. Not good for children, nor folks who have pets. (Although cats are permitted.)

I recommend Windsor at Arbors for its proximity to DC. The development has a pleasant town-​style architecture but you get the benefit of having an elevator. I especially enjoyed it’s 24-​hour fitness space. With the location close to parks, restaurants, a massive library, supermarkets you can’t go wrong living here. Unfortunately I had a bad move out experience but Heather Chumera did an excellent job resolving the issue and compensated me for my troubles. apply today!

I have lived here for almost two years and it has been a good experience. The day we moved in there was a problem with the unit we were assigned that made it uninhabitable at the time, and the office management very quickly leased us a new unit so we could get our belongings moved in and the truck returned on time. The office staff, especially Amanda, have always been incredibly friendly and helpful, which is very important to me. That did not change once we signed our lease. And all of our maintenance concerns have been addressed within 24 hours.
The location is very convenient both to driving or taking the metro to DC and also to Old Town or Springfield. Additionally, there is a shopping plaza with a grocery store about three minutes down the road, which is very convenient. There is a fire house across the street so it is not unusual to hear sirens, however my unit is farther back in the complex and so it just sounds like normal city noise. As someone who moved to Alexandria from DC to get away from some of the noise that was keeping me up at night, I have never found noise to be a problem here.
For those who are complaining about hearing their neighbors, when you live this close to other families you have to expect that. Of course I can hear others at times, but the noise is never loud or obtrusive, its just normal apartment living.
Finally, the complex is well groomed and maintained. I really appreciate all the pretty flowers and green spaces in the spring and summer; it doesn’t feel like you are living where you are. The pool is very attractive and well maintained in the summertime. Also, there is a 5 acre park just two blocks down the road which is ideal if you want to get out to run or have a little more space.
I have rented from many different places over the years, and no apartment complex or geographic location is perfect. But at Windsor, I have always felt that the staff were friendly and responsive in addressing questions and concerns. I have been happy here!

I lived at the Windsor at Arbors from the summer of 2014 to the fall of 2015, and it was great.
First, the location is fantastic. Close to the 395 and the 495, a Harris Teeter and Giant are both super close, plus a bunch of restaurants and the Landmark Mall. It is not really walking distance to the metro (Van Dorn) but it is a short drive, and there is a free shuttle during commuting hours.
Second, the price. I live in a one-​bedroom, I have a cat, a covered reserved parking space, and a storage room — and my rent is great. The apartment is just what I need in terms of size, and the utilities are very reasonable.
Third, the amenities. There is a pool that is open during the summer, a business center with computers and a TV, and a small workout room. The workout room can get crowded and it is not as big as some place, but it has everything I need to get in a good workout.
Fourth, the people. The people seem generally friendly, and I have made some good friends. The leasing office hosts monthly resident events, and those are usually a lot of fun. And of course, the leasing office staff is great. Friendly, helpful, and responsive.
I have read some of the negative ads, and I am really surprised because that has just not been my experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my time living here, and I would recommend it to anybody without hesitation.

I have lived here for almost 6 years and it has been a wonderful experience! The staff is so friendly and helpful. The grounds are very well maintained. Maintenance is very responsive and timely. I don’t agree with any of these negative reviews. As for noise – it’s an apartment… you’re gonna hear things! (As you will in any apartment complex). I highly recommend Windsor at Arbors for anyone looking to move to the Alexandria area.

Poor construction, intrusive maintenance staff, excessive noise, horrible parking set-​up (this includes the garage parking in which the spaces are so small that you would have a difficult time parking a lawn mower in your space), $ 50 charge for said horrible parking where my car consistently gets hit by other drivers doors, over priced rent, inconsistent office staff due to the high turnover rate of temps that have no idea what they’re doing, absolutely disgusting water (I wont even cook food with the water from the tap), barely any closet space, over priced storage units which should be free considering how there isn’t any space for basic storage and whenever I call the office for anything during normal business hours I usually have to try 5 to 6 times before anyone will even answer. Overall I am extremely disappointed with my experience living in this apartment.
The other day the maintenance crew was going from apartment to apartment to swap out the sprinkler system. I was home with my girlfriend enjoying a day off when out of nowhere, without a knock or even announcing themselves as the maintenance crew, they walked right into may apartment. I actually grabbed my pistol thinking someone was breaking into my house, they’re lucky I didn’t shoot them both. After they informed me of what they were there to do I respectfully asked them to give me a few minutes considering I was still in my underwear as was my girlfriend. While I was attempting to change they kept walking into my apartment repeatedly even after I told them again that they need to give me a minute. You would think that this would stop them but no. There they were, standing halfway in my apartment with me and my girlfriend exposed. GREAT customer service there, right?
Another issue is the fact that they recently changed out the floodlights/​spotlights/​parking lot lights and for some odd reason they thought it was necessary to aim the newly installed LED bulb which seems to emit more light than a flash bang grenade right on my bedroom window. We went out and bought an expensive set of thick, lined curtains to shield some of the light with no success. I could legitimately read a JR Tolken novel in my bedroom, at night, with no lamp on now. This issue makes any effort to sleep futile.
I have neighbors above me that I hear almost 24 hours a day minus the occasional break from the noise while they’re sleeping. It must be nice to be able to sleep without a synthetic sun blasting light through their bedroom window. It sounds as if they are rearranging furniture on a daily basis, or perhaps they installed a bowling alley without managements approval. I was told when I took the tour and when I first moved in that sound is never an issue and that the buildings are well equipped to reduce noise coming from other apartments. That is an absolute lie. I am considering making an audio recording so the staff can hear what I’m talking about. Maybe perhaps I should take some picture of my bedroom at night as well, I mean why not? It seems to be lit better than most professional photographers studios are.
Bottom line is, don’t waste your money here. There are far better places for a better price with non of the headaches. I am thoroughly looking forward to the end of my lease after making 2 verbal complaints and 2 written ones with no response. I am under the impression that rather than keeping their current residents satisfied their business model must be to completely ignore the residents and do whatever they can to con some fresh blood into moving in. If I could give some of these categories no stars, I would. Unbelievable!

I want to give this place 0 star. Unless you have a top floor unit, expect to hear EVERYTHING above. Walls are paper thin and have no insulation at all. water pipes make loud noises during the winter. Management staff doen’t care about you after you signed the lease, all they want is your money.

It’s quiet, except for the fire trucks blaring their sirens and horns as they come out of the station across the street (on Paxton), and into the intersection in front of the complex entrance. So, don’t expect to work a night shift and expect to sleep during the day. Ever. Management certainly won’t tell you about this before you move in — I mean, after all, they can’t help it, right?
Expect to have your vehicle towed right out of the garage spot you pay $ 50/​month for without warning because «the towing company didn’t see your permit». I don’t drive often because I take the shuttle (when it’s not full), and found out that my car had been towed three days after the fact. No, management didn’t bother to be proactive and contact me, even though the towing company took pictures of my vehicle and sent them to the property manager, so they knew. Good thing filing a small claims lawsuit is easy in Alexandria.
After paying your rent on time for a full year via automatic military allotment, expect that your rent will be raised by $ 100/​month, but «new tenants» will be offered a lower monthly rate to move into your place (as another reviewer mentioned).
Don’t expect to enter the office and get your packages if the staff is in the middle of «making a sale» — you’ll wait forever without acknowledgement. Have a cookie, though.
The carpet was filthy and fraying at the baseboards and corners when I moved in. Management had it cleaned a second time, but stains were still left on the carpet, and there was nothing they could do about the fraying except replace it… but of course they didn’t do that.
Good luck.

In a pinch, Windsor isn’t bad. It’s convenient, there are some truly good restaurants nearby which I terribly miss and it does the trick of ‘we have to be in DC next month and have no where to live.’ That’s why almost everyone lives in Landmark. I think Landmark gets a bad rap– it isnt charming like Old Town and it isn’t a nice grassy suburb BUT, there is a great library on Duke Street within walking distance from Windsor, now a decent Harris Teeter, and very good restaurants abound, Edgardos, Yazamoto, Duke Kabob, to name a few. If you like international food, you will love it. Just about every country has representation in both food and residents, which I personally loved. Also, a few minutes down the road and you are in Old Town with shopping and restaurants and the nice, giant whole foods. Windsor is a little noisy, parking is a nightmare and when we lived there we finally gave in and got two underground parking spots but overall it was decent. It wasn’t terribly clean but I never saw bugs, ie roaches like some other posters. It’s an ok place to call home for a about a year, any longer than that and you will be looking for something else, most likely bigger, these apts are pretty small.

I’ve lived at Windsor for almost 15 months, and I’m a fan. It’s in the middle of the Landmark area of Alexandria, which means it’s close to basically everything, there is also a shuttle in the morning and evening to the Metro Stations, so if you want to go out in the evening (the last run in the direction of metro is at 7), it’s ideal for that.
The apartment:
The complex is pretty new, remodeled in the last few years, and has a lot of the amenities that you wouldn’t expect to find in this price range and area. Each apartment has a pint sized washer/​dryer so you generally won’t have to drag your clothes around the complex, or to a laundromat, you also get a patio, there is also a fitness center, a pool, and a business center (a room with a TV, some couches, computers/​printers, etc)
Transportation:
The placement of the complex is pretty much perfect for mass transit, as it sits within a very short hike of a lot of bus transportation with quick, direct routes to either King or Van Dorn Metro Stations. The complex also sits within a stones throw to grocery and other stores, you almost don’t really need a car. If you do drive, it’s just around the corner to 395, and a short drive from there to the beltway, D.C., wherever. There’s also the metro shuttle as described above.
Parking:
Garage spaces are available for a nominal fee, there’s also private lot parking, but the spots aren’t assigned, and you aren’t guaranteed a spot… although it’s rare that I don’t get a spot, and in that event, overnight (but not during the day) parking is available on Valley Forge drive, which is at the back of the complex.
Staff:
The staff, in my experience, is knowledgeable, competent and friendly. Service, although occasional, was always handled quickly and efficiently. I’ve never had any problems… actually, they were way easier to deal with than the other place that I was planning on living at… I probably would have ended up there, if it wasn’t for the other complexes demand for all payments to be either by cashiers check or money order.
Resident Events:
These are always a lot of fun… they are opportunities for you to meet your fellow residents, and usually have a few drinks in the process. Blast. That’s all I can say.
In summation, this has been a good experience for me, and I plan to stay until I move into something that I own.