Gables Woodley Park

The quality of the renovations is not anywhere near the prices they are charging. While the desk staff is extremely nice, the leasing staff are unable to respond to tenant requests that go beyond very limited corporate policies.

I moved to Gables Woodley Park earlier this year. I had previously lived in another high-​rise luxury apartment in Logan Circle for 9 years where I had a great apartment, but was able to find a terrific apartment here at a much lower rent. So far, I am thrilled with this property.
First, the leasing process was very easy. The leasing representative I worked with, Daniel, is very knowledgeable, friendly and incredibly responsive.
Second, the location is great. It’s still close enough to Logan Circle, U Street, Adams Morgan, and Dupont that I can easily get to that area for dinner, trying out the new restaurants on 14^th Street, meeting friends, etc. Woodley Park is also very nice and the location of this building is perfect; it’s essentially right at the entrance to Woodley Park (near both bridges), but is far enough back that you actually have a tree-​lined street right outside the front door and nice views of Rock Creek Parkway just a 2 minute walk from the building. It’s really nice to be back to having some nature around. (Logan is great, but, other than the circles, there’s very little nature.) There are a number of great restaurants very close by (5 – 7 minutes walking distance), too.
Third, the building itself is well-​maintained. The interior is gorgeous and the exterior is well landscaped. The building is a little older (I believe it was built in the 90’s or 80’s) and it shows in the elevators, but they’ve done a good job keeping it up. The décor and lighting in the resident hallways is classy. There is a great business center with state of the art Mac computers, and a printer/​copy machine that actually is stocked with paper! The fitness center is very nice, and includes complementary hand towels that you would find at a good gym — a very nice touch! The lobby area café has a great coffee machine that makes the best coffee I’ve ever had from a machine (it puts Keurig and Flavia to shame!). You can order your drink on a touch screen, and have it made however you like, and then it is freshly made (you actually hear the beans being ground!) The free breakfast in the morning is nice (there is no amenity fee at this building, so yes, the coffee, breakfast, gym and other amenities truly are free!) although sometimes there is not much food left if you get there after 8:15 (one suggestion: order more bagels, croissants and fruit). The concierges are fabulous. Extremely friendly and personable and very knowledgeable. (I’ve mostly interacted with Michelle in the morning and Lyndy in the evening so far and they are a delight!). The maintenance team is terrific and the building calls later in the day to verify that you are satisfied with the service. The other residents are very friendly. The tenants seem less transient and more engaged than the ones in Logan Circle (but that’s just my perception, don’t know if it’s actually the case). The building is also very pet-​friendly and I’ve already had a chance to meet some of my neighbors’ dogs, which I love.
Fourth, the apartments themselves were recently renovated. Nice wood/​laminate floors, great granite countertops, new appliances, and very nice upgraded plumbing fixtures (I went through an upgrade at my prior apartment and, I have to say, the fixtures they used here at Gables were definitely top notch (can you say adjustable rain shower head), even a step above in comparison to the good renovations at my prior location). There is recycling on each floor (along with trash) which is nice as well.
I’ve seen some of the reviews on Unilocal regarding rental increases, and I can’t speak to that yet. They do cause me some concern. But, for now, I’m very pleased with what I am paying (and the fact that there is no amenity fee!). I’ll be sure to write back after I’ve lived here for a longer period of time and/​or when my lease comes up for renewal and let you know if that changes my assessment. But, I can tell you that I am currently very happy with my new home.

I would just like to echo what many reviewers here have already stated. While Gables Woodley Park is a nice, safe environment to live in, the entire move out process was such a headache. Once your term nears the end, they will majorly increase your rent price. And while we are all quite accustomed to that in D.C., the move out process is a total nightmare should you choose to forego the large rent increase. My roommate and I stayed for our year lease and then were only offered to extend it for a few months due to their need to renovate the place. At least that’s what they told us when we asked for a longer lease at a cheaper price. They refused and said their deadline was the first of the year for the construction to be done. So we signed on for 4 more months and when that neared the end, they of course offered us another couple of months at again a higher cost. (So much for that first of the year deadline?!) We had finally had enough.
We found a new place, paid our final month’s rent, hired movers and were on our way out the door with all things handled. Or so we thought. As we were exiting, they slap us with a $ 1500 bill forcing us to pay 11 extra days beyond our lease at a prorated cost. They claimed it was a move out process rule that we violated. I looked through the hard copy of our lease and the stipulation was nowhere to be found. After bringing this up with the leasing office, they stated that it was an «addendum» added a few months ago and sent us the electronic copy of the lease with it included. Funny how they forgot to add that «addendum» in the hard copy, the only copy we could actually look back at and reference during move out. (Beware: they add MANY addendums and never actually update the actual lease. It’s just another shady way to screw people over.) Not only did we have to pay for 11 extra days beyond our lease, but those 11 days were not prorated at our actual rent price. They were prorated at their ABSURD $ 4,000 month-​to-​month cost.
It’s sad to a leave a place that we first enjoyed so much in such an awful manner. The front desk staff was always so great, but unfortunately the management continues to nickel and dime any and all residents they can. You and your bank account should steer clear of this place.

I didnt have many issues with management, they were always quick to answer any question or concern I had. Though they really push RNC cable even though Verizon Fios is available, which we werent told about until we say the Fios box in the apartment. They must get a cut for each new RNC customer they bring in.
I did have a MAJOR issue with the year-​round construction going on daily. No place should be this expensive if you’re subjected to unbearable hammering and drilling all day long. They «conveniently» forget to tell you about this before you sign the lease. If you work from home during business hours, or work nights and have to sleep during the day I highly recommend you look elsewhere.

Well a year since the last review and I, unfortunately had a similar bad experience trying to leave the Gables. So… things aren’t changed or fixed, or whatever. I wouldn’t live here again, which is unfortunately because the people are friendly and the location is good.
Rent hikes every time the lease came up were exorbitant. By the end of my time there they wanted $ 4000/​mos for a 2bdrm, 1 ba (I wish I were exaggerating) for a month-​to-​month lease. Anything less than another year’s lease and the monthly increase was between $ 400 – 600.
Moving out was a nightmare. We were told 3 different times that we were all set to move out only to find out 1 week before our moving date that problems with paperwork meant they wanted an extra 10 days rent from us– at $ 4000/​mos. Repeated calls, letters and emails to the leasing office went unanswered and now we’ve been sent to collections. (And did I mention the $ 140 late rent fee they tacked on while we were disputing this?).
It was an unfortunate ending to what was supposed to be a good stay. All in all, just not trustworthy, and once they’ve got you in, they can change your rate however they want… sure you can move out… so if you’re looking for a place where you’ll really only stay for 1 year, move into this expensive building… but don’t imagine for a second that year 2 will be affordable, or that you’ll be cut any slack at all.

If you need an expensive place to stay in a nice area this is the place for you. I just wouldn’t plan on staying more than one year. Another Unilocaler mentioned that they have predatory management that tries to coerce you into another 9 month lease by doubling your rent when you go month to month. While that was true in our case as well it is even more important to mention that even the 9 month lease was a 20% increase!!!
If the building were older this type of increase would be illegal. It’s absurd. If they treated their tenants better they wouldn’t have to increase their rents so much to make up for such a high turnover. Oh well. We got a two bedroom house with a yard in Old town Alexandria for the same price. Ten minute longer commute but well worth it.
The apartment was nice, nothing too fancy, and the front desk people were amazing. They are also super pet friendly. All in all, I think the location, pet policies, and quick openings help to nudge this place up to 2 stars (close to 3).
Also, we had 5 inspections within a 12 month time. With a protective dog, this presents some annoyances. Even in the dorms way back in undergrad I didn’t have that many inspections.

There are some harsh reviews on the Woodley Gables, so here is an even handed take on the building. We lived there for one year, June 2011 — June 2012 and during that time brought home our newborn son. We had an end unit with a patio.
— BUILDING — We specifically chose this building because we knew we were bringing home a newborn. This building is newer construction (no lead paint, etc.) compared to others in the area, has central air, laundry in each unit, large closets, good storage, etc. We looked at many places within the same area. Even within the same price range, the places were falling apart, window a/​c units, communal laundry, smaller floor plans, and overall shabby.
— STAFF — when we first moved in there was a recent management change. The previous staff really were rude like others wrote, but the new group they hired were very pleasant and personal and made a concerted effort to undo the problems with the previous staff. We were always welcome in the front office. They would try everything to accommodate residents. The front desk staff is beyond compare. We still are in touch with two of the most amazing people there — YEAH Michelle and Vanessa!
— LOCATION– It is literally three blocks to restaurants, cvs and red line metro. It was very convenient if you can walk a couple blocks.
–MAINTENANCE — They would come the same day and always directly address the problem no matter how small or big. They building also did preventative maintenance to stay ahead of issues.
–NOISE — We never heard or neighbors. Prior to moving in, I was concerned about the noise after reading reviews, but sound was never an issue in our unit. Grant it, we did have an end unit. Also, units are carpeted which also serves as a sound barrier. But compared to other places we lived with hardwood floors, there was no issue here.
–FACILITIES — A very nice gym for a standard gym (a glorified hotel gym with treadmills, bikes some machines and free weights) and they have small perks in the building (free morning coffee, afternoon snacks, pool table). Very clean and well kept facilities.
–PARKING — ~$ 125 — 175 extra a month but we needed parking with a newborn. There are always spots and it’s extremely convenient because the elevators take you straight to your floor.
–PETS — n/​a
–RENT — Many have said how pricey it is. Well, rent is a bit above average for the area — NW DC, by the zoo. We paid 1550 + 175 parking for a two bedroom, two bath with large patio. And you can definitely find cheaper units in that area. BUT as we did extensive research trying to find the best fit for the new addition to our family, the tradeoff is the nicer units, carpeted, newer construction, two blocks to the metro, clean, safe, gym on site, huge balcony, amazing staff, etc. To us, it was worth the extra $ 150 or so per month we would have saved going somewhere else in that same area. And quite frankly, if you include those perks, the rent is pretty on point for that area. As another reviewer wrote, it’s all about supply and demand. And NW DC two blocks to the red line metro in the Woodley Park area is high demand very low supply.
OVERALL — Reviews can nitpick anything, but for a comparative price, the tradeoffs is a nice building, good staff, great location, nice accommodations, clean, friendly and safe.

Love this place! The fact is this property is in nice part of town with high demand, which means cost is high, and that brings a lot of people with a sense of entitlement. I know some of my neighbors think that just because they thought of something or they WANT something, everyone should just bend over, and if they don’t, of course, they post reviews and state how everyone is stupid and incompetent, and how they ask for a very simple thing that management didn’t do for them (please note that his is in response to a review from apartmenratings :). But, this is so very typical of DC where about 95% of people start the meeting by saying «by the way, I’m a lawyer». Anyway, I hope that as you read some of these reviews, you can differentiate between real concerns and frustrated people who hate their lives.
I wanted to give you good with the bad. Here are some pros: GREAT LOCATION, incredibly helpful management (my experience with them was nothing but great, especially with the property manager; there hasn’t been a time that I walked into their office and truly felt welcome. I can’t comment on managers IQ because I never measured it (previous reviewer compared her to a post), but I am pretty sure she’s much smarter than a post… unless the reviewer knows some pretty darn smart posts) — I have lived here for 7 months and anything I asked for, they worked with me. I truly feel that management really cares and we are here because of their good attitudes. Awesome media room, Friendly concierge, clean property, responsive maintenance, concrete walls, so you can’t hear you neighbors.
Cons: Coming from the south, I am used to slightly more modern for the price, but the tradeoff of living in this area is that you get older appliances, and no hardwood, but you are in the middle of everything. I wish the interior (when you walk in) is a bit nicer, as well as updated common rooms (especially the gym). Building is a bit older and that comes with some issues, but I have lived in many different apartment properties and don’t think this one stands out.
Last note on this — one of the reasons we picked this property was the price (other were more expensive or did not offer as much). I am not a lawyer — I am a businessman, and I understand that pricing is determined by demand/​supply. So, to my lawyer friends, nobody is twisting your arm to stay. I hope that you shop around and make your decision based on actual findings, rather than what you think you are entitled to. I know when I come up for the renewal, I expect the price will change, HOWEVER, I will visit other properties at that time and make SURE I get the best deal possible. If management doesn’t work with me, thank God for the freedoms we enjoy and the fact that I can move out :) I would like to see more businessmen at this building… they are more laid– back and fun to hang out with :)
If you are in the market for a new place to live, I strongly recommend you visit Woodley.

Just signed on for a third year and couldn’t be happier. The building is great and the community is even better. Yes, it’s expensive, but the the great service we’ve gotten from all of the staff and the great location has been worth it for us!

My wife and I lived at Gables Woodley Park for two years and, while it was fine during the most of our time there, it turned out to be an ongoing nightmare.
First, my wife and I paid our rent (which was quite expensive and overpriced) in full and on time every month. After we had given notice that we were leaving (to move back to the West Coast) I asked what the final rent payment would be for the few days we would be there in October. The Assistant Manager, Amanda Stinger, sent me an email reply indicating a specific amount that included utilities. I promptly paid that amount and vacated the apartment without any incident. Several months later, we received a rude and threatening call from a collection agency indicating that we owed over $ 1,700 to Gables for unpaid rent, interest, late fees, and other charges. Baffled we asked for an itemization and received a list of indecipherable charges that also clearly showed that we had paid the amount of rent Gables had specified. We also called and emailed Gables’ leasing office several times but no one ever returned our call or responded to our email messages. After 9 months of harassment from the collection agency and the agency admitting that Gables was in error, we were threatened by the collection agency to either pay or our credit would be damaged. We ultimately ended up paying around $ 700 to stop the harassment.
I was incredibly disappointed with Gables for this horrific experience and their failure to respond to even one of our calls or emails was incredibly disturbing and unprofessional. Gables is a very expensive place to rent. I would have hoped we would have been treated with more respect and professionalism. I would never recommend that anyone rent from them after this terrible experience.

In sum: nice apartments, but predatory management.
I lived in Gables Woodley Park for roughly two years, and during that time I came to appreciate my apartment’s beautiful views, large closets, in-​room washer/​dryer, and convenient location. However, rent was steep (roughly $ 2300 per month) and the rental office (although I hear they have recently had some turnover) could be a headache. One item, fore example, new tenants should be aware of: although the typical rental practice in DC is to go month-​to-​month after you complete a full year, The Gables pressures you into another 9-​month to full-​year lease by stating they will nearly double your rent if you do not. The Gables says they have the authority to do so as the building is not rent-​controlled; however, the DC government says this practice is borderline as it, in effect, can force you to leave if you do not want to stay on your apartment for less than six months.