I've only lived here for a month so far, and I've been pretty satisfied. Living in a high rise in or around DC is pretty pricey in general, but Highland House seems reasonable. My rent for an efficiency (bigger than a studio, but not quite a 1 BR) includes all utilities (gas stove, heat, AC, water) and for the location -- right by Friendship Heights metro station, Giant, across from Tiffany's, and other high end stores (which I'll never shop at!) -- $1,300 is not outrageous. If you're an NIH employee, you can get a discount, so be sure to ask about that! Garage parking is an additional $100. I'm not sure if $1300 is a special, given the economy, since previous review(s) are indicating higher prices.

My floor has been super quiet and I don't hear anything from the outside (my floor faces an office building). The few times I had to call maintenance, they came by the same day, and I hear that's standard. One inconvenience is that you HAVE to call during business hours, 9 to 5, to put in a request. My fixtures all seem on the newer side and modern, and the kitchen is spacious. I have three closets -- one narrow one by the entrance, a regular one in the hallway where I keep boxes, vacuum, and other household items, and a decently sized walk in closet that comes with some built-in shelves and tiers -- excellent.

The people I've run into in the building have all been very friendly and cordial. On my move-in day, existing residents told me they were happy with Highland House, which was definitely good to hear. The building has a mix of elderly, middle-aged, and young professionals. The entrance doors to the building lock after 7 PM, and a doorman or woman is always present, but it's pretty easy to get in. I wouldn't say security is high, but then again, I don't think the area requires maximum security. I've walked from the metro to the building between 9 - 10:30 PM, and I've always felt safe.

My one complaint, so far, is my toilet. It looks like a new toilet, but the water level is oddly low and so if you can imagine, the bowl requires frequent cleaning. The water also splashes/sprinkles upwards when I flush, so I have to close the lid. I don't think this applies to all units, but it's definitely not cool for someone who hates bathrooms to begin with. Maintenance came by, but it didn't really fix the problem. I think this may be something I have to live with.

There's a smaller sized gym in the basement that has three treadmills, two ellipticals, two bike machines, and a few weight machines. I've never had to wait for a machine. I don't think many people in the building work out.

Because I wanted a place on the more "affordable" end (meaning <$1400, preferably closer to $1300), but still live in a more modern building, along a metro line, it wasn't easy finding buildings that met those requirements. I initially was not even going to tour Highland House because the call center said they had no availabilities, but when I did a walk-in, the realtor (Chris) thought of a few efficiencies that were available. I saw a humongous 1 BR, which was $1700.

Other areas I scoped out were Grosvenor station (there are some high rise condo buildings by the metro -- the units there are spacious, but the upkeep totally depends on the owner. There's also nothing "happening" around that area) and Rosslyn. Of all buildings I looked at, I think my efficiency in Highland House was the best bargain - for the space, location, and quality of the unit.

If you're not familiar with the area, these reviews may be all you have to rely on, so I wanted to return the favor to others whose reviews I relied on. I find that disgruntled rentees often seem to be the most vocal, and for good reason, but it helps when satisfied rentees also chime in. If something terrible happens, I'll try to edit my review, but I can't imagine anything that bad happening. I was also impressed at the consistency of positive reviews for Highland House.

Happy apartment hunting!

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