My fiance and I moved into The Grand a year ago, but we've been counting down the months until we can move out! Each apartment complex will always have its pros-and-cons, but for us to be paying such a HUGE amount of rent per month, we really did expect near-perfection.
Our rent is exorbitantly high ($1800 a month "preferred rate" - LOL - for 1 bedroom den and 1.5 bathrooms), which doesn't include $110 per month for ONE very narrow and very inconvenient parking space and utilities (these run VERY high, especially the heat in winter - the bedroom windows aren't insulated, the wind whistles right through, and we can barely feel the heat with the door shut). Our air conditioner didn't work until we called the maintenance department (a bright star in the otherwise slow administration), and our gas range has never worked, period.
While the gym facilities are very large, the exercise equipment is of a lower quality than that found at the YMCA. There are two pools, indoor and outdoor, but neither are long enough to swim laps - these are much more like recreational pools for all of the unsupervised children and teenagers who frequent them. We used to soak in the indoor hot-tub in the evenings, but day after day it was drained or broken, so we couldn't use it - not to mention that it was only open until 9:00 or 9:30 pm, depending upon the lifeguard-for-hire's personal choice.
Our next rental is $500.00 LESS per month, 3 blocks from The Grand, and is BRAND NEW! The facilities are modern and immaculate, the amenities are equally as luxe, and it's way more convenient (as in there's a Starbucks and 24-hour grocery downstairs)! The big deal-sealer for me: the kitchens aren't mid-1990's white-on-white (The Grand's kitchens are... yuck), but have dark green granite countertops, honey-maple cabinetry with silver fixtures, and NEW black appliances! Did I mention that the tenants we've met are friendly and young, not elderly, snooty, and rude'!

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/04/2009
Why would you EVER rent an apartment for 1800?? I have a house for 1245 monthly...in a beautiful area (not in the city) Doesnt seem smart on your end...lol
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/04/2009
Yes, finally somebody say "The king is naked". Thank you for your review. I think the same.
From: JanineKarina	Date: 03/23/2009
What do you think of your "new" apartment so far?
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/05/2009
Yes, I completely agree! Also do not recommend living here...for many reasons.
From: KensingtonKutie	Date: 04/05/2009
JanieKarina: I would LOVE to say that we're thoroughly enjoying our new apartment, but there's been a problem! When I went down to the management office at The Grand to give a written 30-days-notice as a courtesy (even though our lease was officially up at the end of March), the stringent administrator informed me that 60-DAYS-NOTICE was required and that we could not vacate our apartment until after that period even though our lease expired earlier!! We had been out apartment-searching with the assumption that when our lease ended, we would leave The Grand free-and-clear, one year exactly from when we moved in. Our feelings are that they want to "trap" us into giving them more money. In fact, they are going to charge us $300 MORE than we've been paying for the extra month (we received a generous *LOL* pro-rated rent when we moved in)!! Once we found out about this problem, we had to cancel our application with the beautiful new apartment I described above because we couldn't move in within the couple weeks that we originally thought (the very favorable reduced rent at the new place was only applicable if one moved in a.s.a.p., otherwise it would have been the same as The Grand). I'm VERY upset with The Grand and their miserly policy! I don't understand why, when they have 2000 apartment units with each paying no less than $1000 a month, they should 1-keep us here beyond our signed lease end date and 2-ask for an increased fee for the final month?! In dealing with this debacle, my fiance and I concluded that we have wasted SO much time and money at The Grand. On a side note, when my fiance was cleaning out the dusty air vents inside our apartment, he found that the air filters used were 30-day temporary filters... and they're replaced every 6 months! As someone who has serious dust and pollen allergies, it's no wonder I've been feeling like I've had a chronic cold for the past 5 months! One of the major "selling points" that the sales department (and I call them that for a good reason!) uses is the valet service. As swanky as this sounds, it's a complete pain-in-the-rear for us and definitely deters our friends and family from coming over to visit. While it's sometimes a reassuring feeling to live in a fortress, the snooty (and snotty, yes!) employees do not make one feel 'at home' when they make our guests sign in, state their time of departure, and completely disregard their presence if they're not wearing expensive clothes. In closing, my fiance and I have decided to rent a small house in the area: no valets, no lifeguards, no screaming children, no haughty administrators, and certainly a lower monthly rent. We're on a first-name basis with our new landlord who treats us like we're human beings. We look forward to sitting on the large back deck overlooking Rock Creek Park for, oh, $500 less than The Grand. Good riddance - when they let us finally leave!!
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/07/2009
Hi! Sorry to hear about your problems with the management at the Grand. But could you tell me something- did you get your deposit back? How much did you pay for the utilities? Thanks.
From: ironpuppy12345	Date: 08/09/2009
I lived at The Grand and found it pleasurable. The lease does say that you have to give a 60 day notice of vacating, just like The Grand needs to give you a 60 day notice after the lease if they want you to leave. I now live at the new apartment complex with the grocery and starbucks (i.e., Wentworth House). I am moving out when my lease expires (will give them a 60 day notice per the signed lease) because the trains that pass by blowing their horns really interfere with my sleep.
From: Anonymous	Date: 10/04/2009
Re the comment from ironpuppy, don't you hear the trains from Wentworth House as well? Which side of The Grand did you live on? Does that make a difference in terms of train noise?

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