Richmond Estate

The pool was in good shape, and the grounds are pleasant. I felt fine walking around the community with my family during my temporary rental. The fitness center was the weak spot, though. It was poorly maintained and most of the equipment didn't work.

We had a lovely time and I’d consider buying a home there, as long as it was away from that neighbor on the left. She seemed to enjoy calling security on us, as she did with all the guests at 589 bamboo. The neighbor on the right was the opposite, really sweet and relaxed, and kept bringing us avocados at breakfast. It’s a beautiful, very quiet place, though probably not for anyone under 30 unless they’re there to relax. The pool was unique, and the play house was the nicest I’ve seen in a residential area. We had a decorator over for my husband’s birthday, a chef who cooked for us, and housekeeping every few days. We didn’t have a dryer, so we handled the laundry the old-fashioned way, on a line. The female security officers provided great service, but after three weeks some started asking us to buy things for them while we were out, which felt too familiar and unprofessional. We got away smoothly until the last day, my sister’s wedding day. It was an experience I’ll cherish, and I’d stay in the same place again for a few weeks.

The home itself was comfortable, with good beds, working TVs and AC, and no issues for me. I really liked the grill area and how the pool lights up. It’s in a gated community, and if you’re a creator like me, the house is worth taking photos and making video content in. I left something behind and have been communicating with the host about getting it back. So far, they seem honest.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home worked well for our vacation, and I really liked the pool. The central ring was also important to me because I could walk around it in the mornings. The houses are closer together than I prefer, and we were disturbed by the neighbors fairly often at night. I’m not sure whether they were vacationers too. Getting through the gate sometimes felt like going into Fort Knox. The guards changed often or didn’t recognize our car because we weren’t regular residents, so we were stopped a lot, which was extremely annoying. I understand and appreciate the need for security, but they should streamline things. With all the technology and staff at the gate, including cameras pointed at vehicle plates, surely a plate that had been logged or registered could get a green light.