Zen Apollo

Zen Apollo is the perfect combination of space, price, location, and amenities.
I live in a studio that is the perfect size (not too small– has all the space I need). I love that I have a full-​sized oven and fridge.
The prices are about average for DC, but considering the niceness of everything it’s a steal.
You can walk to all the restaurants, etc on 14^th street, in Chinatown, downtown, Shaw, even Dupont if you like to stroll (about a mile away). Within ½ mile of all metro lines (McPherson, Metro Center, and the Convention Center).
Amenities: Pool on the roof is awesome. There’s an option gym. I don’t pay for it but I’m considering adding it on. Front desk attendant at all times and everyone is super friendly and helpful. Dogs allowed!
Love living here.

Working with this concierge desk is so easy! Residents that live here are lucky to have such an attentive team looking out for them.

I lived in my studio for 3 years and had my shares of ups and downs with the place. Despite keeping my apartment incredibly clean, my apartment saw its fair share of cockroaches (despite the building wide mandatory removing of all food from the kitchens for pest control treatments), and other minor problems (my neighbor smoked in her bathroom and the smell entered my apartment though the shared bathroom ventilation duct). After I discovered leaks and mold in my apartment, I decided it was time to server the ties with the place. I lived in a «Junior Efficiency B» on the 9^th floor and paid $ 1250 a month (utilities included).
After I came home and discovered that my cupboards in my kitchen were leaking water (not normal), I called management to get it fixed. The next day they removed the cupboard and discovered that there was black mold growing due to leaks from the ceiling above. They then proceeded to «fix» the problem by scraping the mold off the dry wall and them painting over it. After directly confronting the management and citing that the DC housing code requires that any discovered mold must be completely removed, they finally agreed to come back in and replace the dry wall in the kitchen. They were efficient in getting it replaced a second time. However, by the time I moved out, I had never received any indication on if they had fixed the leak. All I knew is that they were «working on it». Luckily the management was willing to let me terminate my lease early, without penalty, and was actually very helpful during the whole process.
The apartment is in a great location, very convenient, the roof top pool is nice. Rarely no one used the gym, but its ridiculous they charge you to use it. But painting and putting up séance candles in the hallways and changing the name from The Massachusetts House to Zen Apollo does not hide the major interior and structural defects of the old building.

I loved living in this apartment. I moved into a studio here as a single woman and am only moving out because I just got married. Zen Apollo is in a great location that perfect for for someone that would like to be in the heart of DC, pay affordable rents, and feel a sense of security when they come home.
Over the years, I have made friends in the building and feel like I am part of the family with the staff. There is a definite sense of community within the building. All in all Zen Apollo was a great place to call home and I will miss living here.

I have lived in the Zen Apollo since August 2012 (at that time it was called The Massachusetts House). If you want to live in the heart of Washington, DC and receive the best value the city has to offer, then choose Zen Apollo. The apartments are clean and renovated, the service/​maintenance is fantastic, and the staff is great.
I live in a studio and have really enjoyed my time here at Zen Apollo. Everyone in the building is friendly (both staff and tenants). There’s a great mix of tenants as some have lived here for many years while others are relatively new. It’s not surprising that people live here for so long because the management team understands how to keep tenants happy. This is one of PNGS’ few residential properties (I believe it’s their only residential property in DC)…and it makes a difference when it comes to service. All maintenance/​service requests (I have had 2 in my 2+ years living here) are handled within 24 hours, and usually within the same day! I once needed something fixed with the AC — I put in the request before work and when I came home everything was working properly (I had received a notice that maintenance had been to my apartment to fix the issue).
Taking location, price, apartment layout, and service into consideration… I believe there is no better place to live in DC!

Here are the pros: Great staff. I loved the front door people and the management. They really take care of you. Maintenance is on top of things. The building is run fantastically– the service is top-​notch. Pricing was (I don’t know if prices have gone up) very competitive. The rooms are large, and there is a pool, shared laundry, gym, and parking structure. It is also located near Logan and Chinatown, and is close to the metro and many busses.
The downside is that in certain apartments there is a big roach problem. They do have weekly free pest services, but it never seemed to help our apartment. I heard the same complaints from neighbors. The windows are also really thin, and the building is located near a fire station, so on my side of the building it was extremely noisy. I often heard conversations from the street, and I was on the 7^th floor.
That said, my roommate and I lived there for 3 years, mostly due to the good cost, great location, and the good management. The building needs an update, and the roach problem is a shame, but otherwise it’s not a bad place to live.

I’m amazed that I don’t see any other reviews for Mass House on here. I’ve lived in a studio for 2 years and it’s been an absolutely fantastic experience. I’m only giving it up now because I’m moving in with the bf and needed to find a more central location between my work and his.
The building itself is in a prime spot, convenient to every metro line. 14^th Street, Chinatown, and Dupont are walkable or literally a 5-​dollar cab ride; you can also get to Georgetown on the $ 1 circulator bus that stops 2 blocks away. Even my dentist is across the street — it doesn’t get much greener than this, folks.
The building manager changed shortly after I came on board, and I have only good things to say about Kyle and the team. The few maintenance requests I’ve needed to make were addressed almost immediately. No noise from neighbors above or to the sides, although if you live on the back side of the building you do get sirens from the firehouse at 13^th and L.
Rent-​wise Mass House is extremely competitive, and includes all utilities. I have a car and don’t rent a parking spot (a little pricey, as you’d expect in a high-​traffic area) but I don’t have any trouble finding street parking between 12^th and 10^th streets. Even better, the residential permit is Zone 2, which goes all the way from the convention center to GW hospital.
Shared laundry is on the top floor and has at least a dozen washers and as many dryers. I think I waited for laundry once in the two years I’ve lived here. Pool on the roof is great, fitness center is small (and an extra $ 25/​month) but there is a gym a block away that some other residents I know belong to. And of course, it’s less than a mile jog down to the National Mall!
All in all, a great value and wonderful experience living at Mass House. Thanks for a great 2 years!