Colony at Fashion Island Apartments

This posting should only reflect the experience related to the Irvine Company apartment complex "The Colony" Newport Beach, CA.

The office staff provides lip service when it comes to why the common areas are not regularly cleaned. It has been explained via email from the staff that they only clean if there is a complaint. Then they still do not clean what was complained about two days later.

Be forewarned that this is an ongoing issue with the current management based upon other residents'... feedback.

FYI: Elevator certificate of inspection which was more than one year expired, was only updated as of today's post!!!

BEWARE! Read More

This is an absolutely beautiful apartment complex. It is publicized as one of the Irvine Company’s top communities, and having lived in a few of them, I can confirm that this one is the best. Community staff are top-notch and treat residents like guests in a fine hotel. They’ll call a limo to take you to nearby John Wayne airport (for free… though if you want to set up a return trip, you have to pay for it yourself), take care of your plants when you’re away, pick up your trash at your door… the... list goes on. During the summer, complimentary treats and drinks are offered at the pool. Regular resident events are held every month, and nearly all are also free. Community residents skew older - while there are a few young families, peace and quiet are valued here. Maintenance is excellent and responds quickly to even minor requests. Appliances are top of the line. On the Fourth of July, you can watch multiple fireworks displays from the top floor. Noise from neighboring apartments is almost nonexistent, except occasionally from above or below in unusually noisy cases.

Does it sound too good to be true? It isn’t… provided you have the money to pay for it. Rents for even the smallest apartments (one bedroom and den) start around $3000 and go up (steeply) from there. The complex is also in the midst of a renovation, which may send rents even higher. Last year, they rose by 10% or more.

The only other drawback is if you choose an apartment that faces the exterior of the community – especially the neighboring businesses. Construction and landscaping noise can be loud, frequent, and unpredictable, even on weekends and early mornings.

But if you have the money and choose an interior-facing apartment, you can’t beat this community. Read More