Domicile Suites at Elliott Bayview

I read a lot of old or useless reviews before moving in, so here's what the place was actually like for the year I lived there. At first it seemed affordable for the area, but the only amenity is the rooftop. I found it overpriced, especially if you need parking. The good parts were that it was fairly quiet, had AC, and was close to Seattle Center for walks. Even though it's near CPA, I never heard concert noise. There were no bugs in my apartment, it felt safe, and I had no stolen packages. There were recurring problems with water shutoffs and elevator breakdowns, sometimes two or three times a month in winter. There's only one elevator. The last reviewer was right about management being unresponsive. There's a leasing office near the mail area, but I saw someone there once in the year I lived there. Calling or emailing doesn't help much. Text is the only way, and replies take a long time. Most apartments face north, so if you need sunlight, this isn't a good fit. On rainy, overcast days it felt awful, and the dark accent wall in my apartment made the lack of natural light worse. There were low cobwebs in the elevator breezeway and trash chute room. From spring through fall, those spots and both entrances were full of flies. There was no regular upkeep. People experiencing homelessness sometimes slept overnight in the nook beside the resident entrance in winter, and it sometimes smelled like piss. I avoided that entrance after dark because the lights reflected off the glass and made it hard to see outside. I once didn't notice a man sleeping there until I stepped out. Parking was limited, about 20 spaces for roughly 50 apartments, and absurdly tight even for a city. The person beside me couldn't fully open their door when I was parked, and it would be impossible if they were larger. Driving around the area was a pain. Climate Pledge has events all year, and coming home from a 13-hour workday through street closures, crowds, and traffic was miserable. The apartments had old, small appliances. The washer couldn't fit a comforter, and the dishwasher was tiny and loud as hell. A few units had newer appliances, but most didn't. The cabinet colors were ugly, and the worn LVP flooring always looked dirty even after cleaning. The bathroom had two recessed lights, one warm and one harsh cool white. Everything felt dated. I didn't realize how much the look of my home mattered until I moved here. The whole building was like that except for the penthouse apartment, with new full-size appliances and light oak cabinets. My apartment hadn't been cleaned before I moved in, even though the previous tenant had lived there nearly a decade and it needed a deep clean. Their keys were still where move-out instructions said to leave them. I reported that and got no response. The dishwasher had food scraps and a grimy filter. There was moldy caulk in the bathroom, hair on the shower ceiling, permanent-looking stains on the sink faucet, and a stained toilet seat that clearly hadn't been replaced. There was sauce on the stove and counters, grease and dust caked on the sides and undersides of cabinet drawers and doors, and years of fabric softener buildup in the washer dispenser. The fridge was missing a shelf-door barrier. The windows were filthy and impossible to clean from inside. My bathroom constantly smelled like weed because of my next-door neighbor. I smoke too, outside. Within the first month I knew I wouldn't renew my lease. I've moved to a place I love, paying a little more, and hate that basic things cost so much extra. Cleanliness and dignity for a property you manage aren't luxuries.

If you're thinking of moving here, know that management isn't helpful. Cherry in the office often doesn't answer calls, texts, or maintenance requests, so problems don't always get escalated. The internet, elevator, and water outages keep happening, and there's no lasting fix.

It's a quiet, well-maintained building.

I loved both the building and its location. My apartment had a panoramic view of the sound and city, AC, and a secure garage. Nnesha, the apartment manager, made moving out smooth, and I'm eternally grateful for her help. Thanks for everything, I'll miss this place.