In March 2008, I got a new job in the DC area and headed down here from my old digs in Manhattan. My boyfriend and I were looking for a nice apartment that would allow both of us to commute to work. I need the Metro and he has to drive towards Reston, so we had a lot of trouble finding the right combo -- everything was either tiny, or ridiculously expensive. Then we lucked into Lyon Village and I'm so glad we did!

The building and the property are beautifully maintained. The neighborhood is just phenomenal, and all of the neighbors we've met seem friendly enough. Despite being on a main thoroughfare (Lee Highway, with I-66 visible from our windows), the apartment is quiet at all times. (Except for the odd fire truck, but obviously that could happen anywhere.)

Having the Lyon Village plaza across the street is immensely convenient, particularly the 24-hour CVS. We read about parking problems in the past, but since they built the lot behind C building before we moved in, there hasn't been an issue for either one of us.

The apartment itself has gorgeous detailing; I'm particularly fond of the parquet wood floor. The one-bed we share has few rooms (a bedroom, a kitchen, a "dining room," and the living room) but is surprisingly large. I'm big on personal space and I have never felt crowded in this apartment, even when we're both home. I think the living room measured at 23 feet -- it's enough space for anyone.

The management and maintenance are amazingly quick to respond! We called one Thursday afternoon with a non-emergency problem -- the string in one of the bedroom blinds had frayed out -- and they had it completely replaced within 20 minutes. We had another incident on a Sunday where our A/C unit started leaking into the hall. It was during a major (100-degree) heat wave so we decided to call the emergency repair line. Even though we pretty much ended up dragging the poor maintenance guy out of church (sorry!) it was still completely repaired within two hours.

This is without a doubt one of the nicest places I have lived, in any city. That said, it isn't perfect. My real gripe is LAUNDRY. From our third floor corner unit, it's three indoor flights of stairs, an outdoor flight of stairs, and then another two indoor flights just to get to the nearest laundry room -- and reverse all that to come back. Having to take the laundry outside is frustrating when you get a week of seemingly nonstop inclement weather, and having to go down and then back up six flights of stairs several times (once to bring it down, another to move it, another to retrieve it...) is murder on the knees.

Still, even with the laundry gripe, I love it here. The office manager is a sweetheart and has never failed to address our concerns in a prompt, timely manner. The only other thing I can say is... if you're coming or going, tip your movers really well. Those stairs are brutal!

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/08/2009
Hi Anonymous, 1.) It's 0.6 miles, 10-15 minutes, to the Clarendon Metro. I walk it twice a day (going to work and coming home again). 2.) In the winter, we pay about $30 - $40 per month for electricity; in the summer, more like $60 - $80. 3.) Between the Metro and the apartment, there's no problem walking at night. It's all single-family residences. 4.) We had a chipmunk inexplicably under the sink for a week, and a few beetles the very first warm week of the year, but that's about it.

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