The Residences at Westshore Marina

Overbilled for cleaning; nice for pets, pool, gym.

Since new management took over, this apartment complex has gone downhill fast. For three months in a row, we’ve had extra rent charges mysteriously appear on our account. Each time, we were unable to get them removed over the phone and had to go into the office in person. The timing of these “errors” is highly suspicious at it seems like a sneaky way to increase revenue, banking on residents with autopay not noticing or not wanting to take the time to dispute the charges. Despite the high rent and amenity fees, they no longer provide basic maintenance items like air and water filters after six months. The 24-hour coffee machine now has limited hours, and the gym temperature has been steadily increased (67 degrees when I moved in to now 71 degrees), making workouts uncomfortable, especially the cardio machines by the windows, where the heat builds up in the afternoons. The thermostat is located on an interior wall, failing to regulate the actual temperature where it matters most. Maintenance staff is friendly but severely limited by management’s unwillingness to invest in proper repairs. We’ve had soil and dirt coming in from gaps between our floor and baseboards twice! Both times leading to worms and ants inside our apartment. The first “fix” was a cheap patch job, and the issue returned. We also developed mold over our front door despite no leaks in our unit or the one above us. It took 2.5 months to get a replacement dishwasher after ours broke, and even then, the affected baseboard near the sink was never replaced, despite being told it would be. Over six months later, the damaged baseboard is still sitting there. This complex prioritizes cutting costs and squeezing more money out of residents over maintaining a decent living environment. If you are willing to pay high rent for a luxury apartment do not move here. Also, be aware of the good reviews on Google; many are not residents here.

I want to start by saying that the maintenance group here are fantastic. I give them five out of five stars for professionalism and quick service. The office staff is rude and uncooperative, the grounds look like hell (lots of diseased dog poop) the hallways are stained and gross. Everyone smokes weed here so it stinks. The pool area is often loaded with drunkards who don’t live here and leave messes. I’m not sure what the management group does here but the fail in more ways then I can count. Whenever I’ve reached out for anything at all (other than maintenance) I’d get a canned response, “thank you, we’ll check it out”. Don’t expect much help here, they don’t seem to care.

After living here for over a year, stay away. The community, staff and apartment were great at move-in, but have since learned it was a facade I regrettably wish I knew before. The staff in the office do not communicate any resident events in a timely manner and their communications are filled with spelling errors and incorrect information. Maintenance is horrible about communicating, they do not read instructions on service tickets and move tickets to hold status to not ruin their metrics. The maintenance manager can be found anywhere on property smoking his cigarettes, in our 'non-smoking' community. Residents are horrible about being good neighbors, dogs are often off their leashes daily, poop on ground/sidewalk, and the dog service stations are never maintained. On weekends, the pool is filled with non-residents, from people parking off the main street and simply walking in because all community access gates are not effective. Overall, it's evident from the management here they are simply in it for the business, and do not care about their residents.

The pros: great storage, exceptional maintenance team. The cons: common areas, especially hallways, elevators, and stairwells are beyond filthy and not regularly cleaned. Some residents do not clean up after pet accidents in halls and elevators. Some residents routinely put garbage out in bags on non-collection days, where it sits for days, leaking and stinking. Management will do nothing about it, instructing neighbors to inform on each other, rather than doing spot checks or enforcing rules. Appliances are basic models and very noisy. A train runs by 3-4 times a week around 9pm, blasting the horn. Traffic is insane, and people are always trying to make left turns against traffic (there is a cement divider between lanes) at the back gate, causing back-ups and occasionally accidents.

What a terrific group of people taking care of business here at Bainbridge at Westshore Marina! We have now lived here six months so feel we can be objective about our chosen community. This is the first time we have rented an apartment in 20 years and were a little unsure what to expect, especially in a brand new complex with a lot of construction going on around us. Here is our unsolicited review. First of all, the apartment. Design and size is absolutely perfect. Great closet space, lots of storage and shelving, full laundry room, plenty of cabinets, large pantry. And who wouldn't love a 5’ square glass-enclosed shower with dual showerheads?! Or a nice balcony to enjoy our phenomenal Florida sunsets? Next, the management team - they could not be more responsive and supportive. Bree, Ashlie, and Morgan are always ready and willing to help, making certain our questions are answered, requests responded to, and commitments are kept. And Farrah absolutely excels at taking care of the residents, making sure we feel safe, secure, and valued while keeping a professional, positive attitude and a warm smile on her face. We have been beyond touched by their kindness, caring, and genuine concern. When it comes to maintenance, Adam, Tito and John have exceeded our expectations. No request has been too much to ask or too much of a challenge. In fact, each and every one of them has gone out of their way to help us personally, always in a timely, friendly manner. The location is ideal. Super easy access to top-notch restaurants and shopping in both Tampa and St. Pete. Only wish Google and Apple Maps would get their apps updated so Uber and food delivery drivers could find us. Overall, no regrets…only relief. We are in a great place for this chapter in our lives, and look forward to many years in this exciting development!