I went with my son to see an apartment at Sea Castle and the experience with the leasing agent Grace was honestly shocking. She arrived late to the appointment and when she finally showed up, instead of introducing herself or apologizing, she immediately told us to "take a seat and wait" in an incredibly rude and dismissive tone. No greeting, no professionalism, nothing. As a parent, it was embarrassing to see someone treat a potential tenant that way. My son was there seriously considering renting and was ready to pay thousands in rent, yet Grace acted like we were bothering her just by being there. The entire interaction felt disrespectful and completely unprofessional. If this is the way they treat people before they even sign a lease, I can only imagine how tenants are treated after. I would strongly advise anyone looking for an apartment to think twice before dealing with this place. read more

Sea Castle has been my way overpriced apartment since being displaced by the recent fires. The apartment is regularly in disrepair, there is no security despite high level of crime directly in front of the building, (I asked for security after a mugging and a knifing in front of the building but was told they don't provide that) the gym has never been cleaned I"m sure, it is often so loud that it's impossible to relax, there is no room in the garage so I have to deal with the inconvenience of beach parking which is impossible in the summer, Windsor (the management company) is not responsive to community members-in fact they don't list a telephone number probably intentionally so that they aren't "bothered" by unhappy tenants, the elevators and the washing machines are regularly out of service, and a mirror fell off the bathroom wall onto the top of my head, knocking me down (!) and I got no follow up from management regarding a possible injury. I would highly suggest you look elsewhere to live unless you don't mind feeling unsafe, loud music from neighbors and from outside, an overpriced apartment that is constantly needing repair, and no recourse if you have concerns. read more

Former renter, lived there 6-7 years. It got increasingly worse during that time, but I so hate to move, I didn't until I really HAD TO, due to safety concerns and noise so bad I hadn't slept a full night in 6+ weeks. Maintenance- Never had an issue, though see others did- David who ran maintenance was supremely wonderful, an absolute angel who could fix anything and always came over straightaway - 10 stars for him! The rest though... Laundry- almost always filthy and broken. Multiple times my clothes were stolen right out of the machines, or someone left bleach in the (hello it's communal) washer that then ruined my clothes. For the cost of these units, in-unit w/d should be given. Noise- if you're oceanfront, it's terrible. Homeless people is a huge problem in SM/ Venice anyway, but especially at this location, where they congregate at the front door and sometimes sell drugs right outside under the windows. SMPD sirens up and down the boardwalk under your windows 24/7. And drunk idiots walking late night down the beach while screaming, fighting, breaking up, a few times actually shooting each other... etc. Views- mixed. It's wonderful to be oceanfront, but you have to look past a lot of sad things like the ongoing homelessness, drug needles, aforementioned cop car chases, ambulances etc. If you can focus your zen beyond that on the ocean- great. I could not. It ultimately made me sad looking out the window. Appliances- basic. Rooms- tiny. Valet- terrible! Not only did the valet crash my car TWICE, they also stole packages out of the car. Management does not care, will not do a thing. Management- has changed so many times over the years, so idea who's there now. Maybe it's better. But the multiple property managers there when I was went from bad to worse, never replied to anything, never fixed anything, never helped. You pay insane rents, and their attitude seemed to be "if you don't just love it, leave." Rent- way too high. And they jack it up about 800% at each renewal. When I left I was paying literally thousands more than when I moved in. Amenities- meager. There's free coffee in the lobby, but so what. Also the homeless masses outside knew that, and were frequently in the lobby to get their coffee, then loiter. Many times I saw them urinate on the lobby floor. It's... uncomfortable. Gym- teeny tiny, airless, no windows. If you're not the only one in there, it's too small. Equipment not modern and generally broken. Security - none. Multiple incidents, no recourse. Sometimes they'd sporadically hire "security" for a few days- ie someone to sit at the front door and watch people coming and going. But these people, being contractors... had no idea who lived there and who did not. So no use. Neighborhood- gone straight downhill during Covid. Would not live there now for anything. It got so bad I was scared to walk out front at night. When this place was built, it was beautiful. That was a while ago, the area is now loud, crime ridden and unsafe. Don't rent here, find somewhere else. read more

My mother's apartment had a roach infestation but after many months (and many methods!) we finally got it under control. The carpet in the hallways was horribly stained but they replaced it about a year ago. The toilet flooded multiple times and occasionally grotesque black water would fill the entire apartment. We had to throw all our belongings away. I asked the manager, Philicia, if she would unplug a GLADE Plug-in because it was making me incredibly sick. Like many people, I am sensitive to chemicals--especially the endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in synthetic fragrance. Rather than un-unplug it, I received a letter from a lawyer questioning whether I was genuinely chemically sensitive. No joke. I had posted a glowing review of this place and am sad that things turned so sour, petty, and mean-spirited under the new management. read more

I have lived in a studio at Sea Castle for a little under 2 years while finishing up college and have loved it. The only reason I am moving is that I got a job in a new city. The pros: - The location is beach front with stunning views. Walking distance to bars, shops, restaurants, etc. I can't believe how lucky I am that I got to live this beach lifestyle. - I personally always felt safe because of valet. Being able to drop my car off in valet (who is working 24/7) always made me feel safe as opposed to street parking. I would also have Ubers drop me off in valet after going out with friends, and I always felt safe that valet was there to let me in. Whenever a homeless person wanders into the garage, they are very quick to call security and handle the situation. - I rarely had maintenance issues, but when I did, they were quick to respond and SO FRIENDLY. - Everyone in the leasing office is super friendly as well and my move in process was super easy and low stress. - There's an Amazon hub locker for some packages, other packages get held at valet. - I read some of the other comments about the gym being small.. I personally go to a different gym, but my boyfriend will use the one in the apartment complex when he comes over and he has never complained! - The pictures attached to this post are views from my room.. it's breathtaking. The cons: - Yes, the homeless people outside are scary. That has nothing to do with Sea Castle. Sea Castle has security, there was one time I did see a homeless man get into the lobby, but security got him out pretty fast. I feel like there isn't much else the apartment can do about them. The area is a pretty big tourist spot, so during the day the area is packed with beach goers and tourists so it's pretty safe. I wouldn't walk around outside alone at night, but that's any city! - The laundry rooms are kind of a mess. The washers and dryers break a lot and some of the dryers do not dry well at all. This is really my only issue with this apartment complex. - Finally, it's expensive. However, Los Angeles is just an expensive city to live in.. and rent has been rising everywhere. The beach front location and modern building adds up to the price. I would rather pay more for the location, modern building, and valet. I really hope this helps anyone who is looking to rent in Santa Monica! read more

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It's beachfront and all, but there are no amenities and you get no bang for your buck. There's a small gym with nothing of use in it. It's extremely expensive and noisy. Don't be fooled by the lavish landscape. read more

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I am both appalled and disgusted that {THIS SITE} would allow someone to leave such a foul, disturbing "review" as the coward "Paloma" left. [SEE ABOVE]. Clearly "Paloma" is a deranged, cowardly, LOSER to FALSELY attack such an INCREDIBLE all around person as "Paloma" did to Kristen. This should be a 2 part lesson to us all. The first is that {THIS SITE} is WRONG to allow such DISTURBING, HATEFUL "content" to remain on a business profile, FALSELY attacking their AMAZING, incredibly hard working staff. The second lesson is that "Paloma" is the EPITOME of a DERANGED, LOSER, COWARD that hides behind fake profiles and VISCOUSLY, FALSELY attacks without ANY RAMIFICATION. Mark García CURRENT SeaCastle Resident. read more

Sea Castle - Apartments Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Grace I have already contacted your office many times. The time to make things right would have been when I lived there which you did not. You are now just trying to save face. Nice try but your management team is awful and you do not fix situations, only lie about them. read more

There has been no hot water now for 6 days, affecting the top 4 floors of the building. It took them 3 days to get a plumber out, who determined there was a problem with the furnace. 2 more days later the furnace people came out and all day that day there was intermittent no water, and still no hot water. When they finished there was still no hot water. We were told the furnace people wouldn't come back for another 4 days and that means there would be no hot water for 10 days. It wasn't until today that they offered use of one of their vacant apartments on a lower floor that has hot water but only in 30 minute increments. No explanation why the problem cannot be addressed and repaired for another 4 days. The view is great, building right on beach but there are homeless people galore. There is no security present (whenever there has been an issue they have hired a security person, but that person has never seemed to be in place for more than a few weeks and then no one again. The building is very loud. There is a tenant that places speakers in the window and blasts music all through the day, so loud that windows must be closed and sound still an issue. Problem never rectified. Plumbing issues: have had intermittent problem (aside from no hot water) with dishwasher, water back up with overflow onto apartment floors and into closets in the next room. Window washing. Never happens. Were told when moved in they would be washed every 6 months. Valet parking guys: Have been issues with security of cars and safety issues read more

This place sucks. There are homeless outside every night and they are super loud and made me feel very unsafe. Also, management sucks. Kristen (the manager) never responds to anything, other than changing you money. I still don't have a mailbox key after living here for 9 months. Hailee is cool. She lives on 3rd floor. Maintainence sucks. One time my toilet was clogged nobody helped, so I had to pay Tracy $100 to fix it for me. Also hallway smells like trash, because the trash room is always full. Valet guys are cool, but I think they work for a separate company. There are also lots of rent control people live in the building. I came here because of Paula, she's cool. But I think she left the company :/ I think there are other better apartment options by the beach. You make your own judgement and you'll agree with me after you move in for 3 months. read more

The location is great and the management team is nice, however there has been a disgusting gnat issue since I moved in May. Not a few here and there but a complete infestation that makes it unlivable. I can't use the kitchen, I've spent hundreds on buying my own traps, throwing out food, and wine. They are even in the Freezer! Pest control has come out to my place 3x now and as you can see by the pictures, whatever he did, does not last. Pest control assured me it is not an isolated incident and it's a building issue. Usually I wouldn't come on to write a negative review, but it's been months. Below are a few pictures of the gnats I trapped, it's gross read more

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It should be called the Shit Castle. I lived here for 2.5 years and up until the day I left the elevator was still not working. The new management team are so rude and stuck up. Super unhelpful as well. They have power hunger issues especially the main lady with the black hair. She's rude on another level. The only good thing about this place is that it's 5 ft away from the beach. Literally that's the only thing that kept me there was that reason. The carpeting in the entire building is DISGUSTING and it smells like trash in every floor because they can't bother to put in trash shoots. They also fail to mention there's PUBLIC HOUSING when you're touring the place. Of course they'll sell you with "the ocean view" but the min rent there is 3k for a studio. PLUS THEY RAISE THE RENT every single time you renew your lease. Only cool people there are the valet and maintenance (which the leasing office treats like shit). So if you're looking for a beach front place area in Santa Monica I suggest looking somewhere else. Oh yeah, the HOMELESS issue is ridiculous as well. There were so many nights I couldn't sleep due to all the homeless hanging out till 5am. This place would be a gem if management knew how to run things properly. They're investing like 60k into redoing the leasing office but not on new carpeting or a working elevator. PATHETIC. read more

Sea Castle - Regular view - Apartments Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I wanted to update my review, as I happened to come back to live at the the SeaCastle for the past 2 years. In summary: Kristen, Paula, Trace, Tracey, Dave, Ash and everyone who works the valet are absolute rockstars. They couldn't have treated me any nicer, and always went out of their way to make sure myself and my neighbors/friends were accommodated. The management team also worked hard to build a community in the building, which was evident with the parties, yoga-on-the-beach session etc. And as far as I was aware from everyone I spoke to, everyone was generally really happy to live in such a location and building. I don't think I need to review the lifestyle, sunsets, beach life and SM, as I think it already speaks for itself :) All in all, I am grateful for having lived at the SeaCastle for 3 years, and I thank Kristen and her team for making me feel at home every day. Ill be back one day soon again... read more

I have lived in Sea Castle for over 3 years now. Kristen our building manager with David and Tracy have made it feel like an amazing home. Dwight at Valet as well and Edwin have been so helpful as well. They are prompt in responding to our needs and we have so much fun with our Sea Castle Gatherings. I have enjoyed life at the beach with all these great individuals that have become my friends over the years. I definetly believe this is the best place to live in Santa Monica at the beach. Very happy resident. read more

Couldn't figure out how to change my star rating from 2 to 1, so this is an update. Air conditioning broken for a month and it's hot AF. They also just got rid of the guards in the lobby, so I'm buying pepper spray for when I take my dog out after dark. Good times. read more

Sea Castle - Homeless guy asleep in the lobby. Poor guy.... - Apartments Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Air conditioner has been dysfunctional for over 6 weeks, in spite of multiple attempts to try to fix by management with lapses in between from time of request to actual service. And still not working today. My apartment is facing sun, so gets quite hot without a proper functioning AC. Clearly building (or at least my floor or unit) has an issue that they can't fix or at least provide back up plan for. I know they recently had an issue with entire floor not having AC working, so clearly it's system wide issue. Now I'm on own try to solve for. read more

I am an actual past renter. I rented for two months for August and Sept, 2014 to try it out for a possible longer term lease. I paid $4105/mo for an ocean front view. I was given a written quote for 6 months at $3520/mo and 12 for $3285/mo before the start of the 2 months. Then as my two months was ending, they wanted to raise the rent to nearly $6k/month. I said no way, and left. The unit remained unrented for months afterwards. Karma. read more

I recently moved into the Seacastle and started to experience a growing amount of gnats, insects and other bugs in my unit and within the common areas. When I reached out to the Management, they acknowledged that this has been an ongoing issue but responded with little to no solutions to help solve this problem. In their view, it is not something they have to actively try to mitigate/solve. As a month or two has gone by, the amount of bugs have been growing both in my unit and within the common areas and I have had to resort to hiring a private exterminator to investigate and solve the problem. I would pass along caution to prospective renters as this is a typical response from on site management. Please be prepared to spend your own money on fixing your own unit and solving problems like these whereas most landlords would go a step or two beyond the normal scope of service to make sure renters are happy. Some other recent issues include: MANAGEMENT PROMISING 24/7 SECURITY BUT NEVER BEING ON SITE, central air conditioner broke, laundry room went out of service and broken elevators. The on site management here is Kristen Titeca and Hailee Huffman. Until the ownership replaces these two, I would not recommend renting here and please don't make the same mistake I did. read more

I currently live in this building and won't be renewing my lease, however it's not all bad. The good: valet parking attendants are super friendly and fantastic. The location of the building is great. The cleaning staff is always around trying to make the place sparkle (note I say try, see below for dog friendly building comments). Decent gym for an apartment building. We live on the first floor and we rarely hear our neighbors. On site dry cleaning pick up comes in handy and isn't overly expensive. The bad: Dog friendly building = dog pee smell outside and stains/accidents around the building. There really should be in unit laundry if you are paying rent this high as the machines are often full and/or out of service. No guest parking (need a lot permit which are very hard to get). Units are starting to show their age. I moved into a unit site unseen since I was relocating and I have aged appliances, cracked tiles, broken freezer racks etc. In my opinion the units are not big enough for more than one person. When I first moved in there was a cigarette stench that lingered for almost 2 months despite the carpets having been cleaned before I moved in. It took several carpet deodorizers, bottles of febreeze and air fresheners to make it smell normal. All in all I would say live here if you can afford an ocean view apartment with all of the upgrades. If you can't, don't bother. You will get a much better value for your money elsewhere. read more

Really nice place. Great location. If you have a pet this place is wonderful. Pet friendly. The office always had dog biscuits. Beach Pet Care offers house sitting and dog walks for residents. Beachpetcare@gmail.com You can rent bikes near by and there is decent places to eat on ocean Avenue. Neighbors are all friendly. The gym is good for a quick fix. read more

I loved this building! What a beautiful lobby! What a beautiful view! I used to stay here for a bit with someone a while ago. I had a great time here. Great memories. Pros: *** Valet Parking. Valet parking everytime you come home! Sweet! *** Right when you come out of the lobby you're on the beach. *** Ocean breeze when you wake up. *** Great view of the surrounding hotels/SM resorts. *** Cute studios. *** Friendly and helpful staff. *** Convenient to walk around Santa Monica. Walk to the Pier. Walk around everywhere. So nice! *** Great neighbors. *** Quiet. *** Beautiful. Serene. Puts you in a calming mood. Cons: *** Expensive as heck. *** Minimal guest parking options. *** Need to get permits for the next door lots for guests. Good luck! I loved staying here! It was a great part of my life. Life is about experiences! Experience some boojie SM life! :) read more

Ok. The apartment is still lovely. Repairs are made quickly and efficiently. But in our opinion the valet service has really gone down since the new company took over. We're trying to load our car for a road trip and there is not a cart to be found. We were informed my the 2 young men working the valet desk that they don't know where the last gage carts are, nor are they going to do anything to find them. Really a lack of service or caring from this new group of young valets. read more

Honestly, this place is quite misleading. I've lived here for a few years and leaving was the best decision I ever made. This place seems alluring at first but it's anything but when you're actually living here. This is the new skid row. The reality is that you're living in a homeless Santa Monica housing apartment complex which many ex convicts and homeless people are living amongst you. Yes, that's correct- the city actually has laws that certain buildings need to have a certain amount of apartments for housing individuals. They're constantly hanging in the lobby and outside of the apartment complex and quite frankly It feels like a glorified homeless shelter. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to have visitors. The elevators are constantly having problems and management is very unprofessional. I'm not quite sure where they found these people but they're also not the brightest. They used to have great staff working in the office but now it's amazing how these new people have really brought down the energy- especially Kristen. She's incompetent, racist and rude to women. She also dates all the men in the complex, I'm not sure that's professional now is it? Not to mention they raise your rent like crazy! There are so many other issues and there are so many other great places to live. I read more

Lisa and Crystal are the best. Great apartment complex. read more

Sea Castle - Apartments Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've lived at The Sea Castle for over 6 years & have loved every minute of it; from the accommodating maintenance crew, to the friendly front office staff & the valets who amazingly know everyone's name AND their cars: Stupefies me! I love being able to tell people, "I live at the beach!" They ask, "How many blocks from the beach?" I reply, "Right ON the beach. My building literally opens up onto the beach path!" So I can conveniently ride my bike, or go for a run, without having to contend with even ONE stop light. No breathing in free radical exhaust! Only miles of sand, ocean, & daily dolphin sightings. For a PA born & raised girl like me, this is a dream come true; living in a CASTLE on the Santa Monica beach. Jack, Janet & Chrissy never had it THIS good! read more

I personally love living at the Sea Castle! From the clean environment, to the very helpful leasing employees, to the janitorial staff, and to the valet parking attendants I feel very at home and safe living here! They are always right on top of anything I may need fixing and are always willing to hear any feedback I may have! I count my blessings to live not only on the beach but also have such a great company who wants their residents to be happy! read more

The greatest experience, perfect location and apt. The best management and valet. The moment I arrived they made me feel at home.Bless you Kristen,Haley,Jaqueline, maintenance, valet read more

I moved in Oct and I had a great experience so far. My apartment has an amazing front ocean view. Trace Qualls in the leasing office has been really helpful. Trace helped me with measuring the apartment before I moved in and helped since then. The maintenance lady Tracy is very fast and responsive. Valet Parking guy Victor and Jesus (maybe different in Spanish name but they are father and son) are very nice and helpful. Trace, Tracy, Victor and the father &son pairs are friendly and professional. Thanks! The only thing I think need improvement is the small gym--very tiny, poor air circulation and facilities is not well maintenance (guess I am the only one going to the gym) read more

Place was broken into and had several break ins in the last few months. Definitely unsafe. they need security on site

This is my home since 2 months now! And Trace has been a real help for us, especially because this was our first home in LA. We are from Europe and Trace talked to us about everything we need to know, water, electricity, helped us with moving, furniture etc. And plus he is always polite and sweet. Even on Sundays! If you decide to move here you will get all the information and patience you need from Trace! read more

Ive been anxious to leave this place a negative review. I was however waiting for the return of my deposit, in order to do it. Soon after I leave this review, the management will reply with the following : its not true, Im a liar, they were wonderful and Im an idiot. So consider me a lying idiot but check things out for yourself and make up your own mind. First the staff is completely two faced, read previous bad reviews, its all true. They are nice to you when you are going to rent, but the minute that you have an issue, they talk down to you, try and belittle you, tell you things inconsistent with california law, and so on. As well as becoming sarcastic and tell you that your making things up because of course they have all lived there, even people in corporate claim they live there when you point out issues. Apparently they are all jet setters. To begin with I signed what I believe was a forty page lease and filled out a extensive move in/out form, that states it has to be filled out at move out. Due to a serious issue I had in the building , which I wont discuss as it involved santa monica police department, plus the Living conditions at this place , after 30 days I was done. I contacted upper management with my grievance, who attempted to accomodate me by doing me the "favor " of charging me one whole month I didnt live there, plus a another month as a penalty in order for me to be able to leave. When I explained the issues I had with the building, I was asked where I was from, and when I stated out of town, I was told " welcome to california". In addition I offered to leave the property in perfect condition, relinquish possesion as I had only slept in the unit 4 nights, and litigate the liquidated damages clause in court, if they would agree not to file an eviction , which they have no right to if I legally relinquish the unit, just sue me for money damages of the liquidated amount so I could have my day in court. I was immediately told pay the almost 6000 dollars to leave or we will sue you for the entire lease. I took it, because as a new california resident I did not know the laws. Do your own homework on what california law says about landlords having the right to collect a entire years lease from a tenat. At move out I left the apartment better than given to me, I took videos and pictures. The maintenance man came with a attitude as if he owned the building, and told me the carpet, was perfect, but "california law says he has to charge my deposit for a cleaning or I have to provide a cleaning receipt for it". Please research what california law specifies about rights the landlord has to charge you for carpet cleaning. In addition he pulled out a office depot pre made receipt book and wrote "carpet cleaning charge" and the amount. I asked him to fill out the move out form and he argued with me for twenty minutes saying he did not have to. So basically they blew off their own policy gave me a tiny paper without my name and said take it or leave it. Apparently thats this companies motto. I was then charged for keys I was not given because the manager said some other person gave me two sets. When I asked for Proof I signed for two sets of keys I was again hit with the company motto. It should be noted I received my deposit less charges, but this is because I sent about 50 emails to management documenting every single event so that they would be papered to the point of feeling compelled with complying in sending my deposit. I urge you and all residents to review california law, before moving in and out, and to document in writing every event with this company. In addition to all this here is the big prize about living here. The place is poorly maintained and If you want to pay thousands a month to live among the homeless and walk out to the beach and have criminals scream in your face, come live here. Come in the AM and at Night to see what this place is really like before moving in, noise is also unbearable at most times, and traffic keeps you from leaving half the time. read more

BEWARE DO NOT MOVE HERE This is not an exaggeration it is an honest review of the truth I will post photos to prove it. I lived there until recently and paid full rent, It has been A NIGHTMARE Without a doubt the most horrendous place to reside unless you are one of the many on "affordable housing" living there. Interesting to see the other reviews,? Who do you think left them? Certainly not someone who lives or has lived there, or is not on affordable housing or section 8 controlled by management. The location looks idilyic but beware. Hallways soaked and stained with pet urine. Bed Bugs on the second floor went unreported to health authorities or tenants No security easy for outsiders to enter Intruders and homeless sleeping in stairwells, conference room etc Constant theft in laundry Exterior windows rarely cleaned Coffee machine constantly broken Robbery of apartment unreported to police and management reused to hand over security tape to police to aid in ID Laundry machines constantly broken Poor air quality in hallways and apartments Trash rooms unsanitary, no ventilation or purifiers Management a nightmare and highly litigious Management will bill everything to ensure your deposit not returned Rents go up 10-25% after 1 year Noisy location at night Valet nice and helpful but damage cars Maintenance department excellent and try their best with no funds. One cleaner for the whole building, impossible to keep clean. Can never hear the ocean as it is drowned out by the drunks and homeless on the boardwalk Residents constantly moving out. Forget your deposit. Lie about replacing carpet but never do. Anything negative is brushed by management under the dirty carpet I had to give Seacastle one star in order for it to post. Photos to follow read more

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Trace Qualls showed me different apartment units when I was first interested. He helped me settle into the one I live in now. Trace was very knowledge about the different units available, pricing, and move-in dates. It was a pleasure working with Trace. read more

Management is truly unapproachable and lacks professionalism.

I noticed that the people that wrote these reviews weren't actual renters here. The last one posted after I posted mine and suspiciously has 0 reviews besides SeaCastle and sounds like it came from management. We're not that dumb! My bf lived here for a year and a half. Since it's the only apt. building on the boardwalk you pay an arm and a leg for rent. I would not mind paying if we had received the quality that came with the price tag. We had the most horrible rental experience here. First off, the extras you pay for such as water in the gym (never any water), coffee machine (never works and they turn it off at 6 pm or whenever the office people leave, cheapos!), the business center never has any paper to print, there was dog poo outside my door, there's the smell of urine, loud homeless people and random drunk people yelling in the middle of the night. There was a homeless woman that slept in the door of the building for months, I got woken up in the middle of the night because there were homeless ppl who got sprayed by the sprinklers at 2:30 am. Yep, they hear everything and random strangers will walk by asking how much rent we paid.Walls are paper thin and you can hear people having conversations on the phone. Once the trash didn't get picked up for a month and there was trash piled up everywhere and it smelled really bad. washer/dryers are usually full and don't work well. They also sent us a bill totalling a whole year's worth of electric, garbage, water. They had never billed us before and waited a year! Then when we didn't know what it was because we both travel a lot, they sent us an eviction letter after 5 days it was overdue. The worst part is the management. I believe the manager, Crystal, is so incompetent. You get the rent raised after your lease is up. The bf was paying $3200 and they raised it up to $4200 for month to month. Mind you this is a 450 sq foot studio with an ocean view. I noticed when I was waiting in the lobby that they quoted people apartments for $2000 for people who were interested in moving in. We didn't get those rates when we were low maintenance renters who always paid our rent on time. Since we were looking to buy something, we figured we would move to a 1 bedroom for cheaper than the studio we were living in. We had already paid $4200 for half of October. They told us to sign a lease and put a deposit on an apt. Sight unseen. Who would do that? We were to move out October 31st. The apartment would not be available until November 9th. My bf reasonably asked if we could go back to paying $3200 until we moved. The manager said no, told us we were in violation of our lease because I was living there and not on it. Wow! Guess they don't want our hard earned money while they are offering tenants $500 for the 1st referral and $1000 for the 2nd. When we moved in, the nice woman who helped us knew I would be living there and asked if I wanted to be on the lease. Sea Castle was very aware of my existence. I noticed the only people that stay long term are the low income people who are paying $1000 or $1500 for apts. that were way bigger than mine. People are moving out of the apt like it's the plague and they're not happy living there. I'm glad we moved out. It wasn't worth trying to work with dumb, unreasonable people who can't keep their tenants. They are too busy trying to get new tenants in who pay less and to flirt with all the men that come in. Perks of the apt: gym is always open, right on the beach, some really nice neighbors, everyone that works there is awesome and nice besides the office ppl who are fake nice because they make a commission when you sign a lease and try to screw you over, relatively clean building, coffee machine when it's turned on and works, beautiful ocean view. UPDATE: I noticed on the site our old apt is still not rented but they're offering rent at $2800 to $3200 versus the deal we would have gotten at $3600 for three months. Horrible business practice and dishonest is not how you keep renters. UPDATE: I had a very expensive package sent to me after I moved out. The valet signed for it but when I came to pick it up, it was nowhere to be found. After calling the Ladies in the office (I use this term loosely), they tried saying that maybe it was returned to the sender. I had to file a Police report because they would avoid our phone calls. They tried to tell the Police Officer they were not responsible since I was not on the lease. This should never be an issue because 1). it was missing in their possession. Someone employed at Sea Castle STOLE it... Yet it's my fault? Also they tried to lie and say it was because it was a random person who signed for it. The package was logged in their package log. Someone also tried to forge my signature. read more

I lived in the sea castle for a year so this review is from a former tenant not a insider writing a candy coated review. The one star is from the over all experience and obviously the negatives far out weigh the positives in living here.! The theme is constants...... I lived on the 7th floor and the second the dirty elevator door opened the smell of rotted garbage from the the trash area wafted through the entire hallway. The smell of garbage is particularly worse come summertime , even though they do take the trash at7am banging and clanging the smell is constant. Good luck on any resolution as the sea castle is very aware yet does nothing. The coffe machine is gross ,it's dirty and is always out of sugar ,creamer,coffe or is simply just out of order. Consistently there is something wrong with the coffe machine especially down to the cheap nasty liquid that pours into ur paper cup ! I know the disappointment for me was the lack of detail throughout the building. The sea castle boasts as a higher end place of living but don't let the valet fool you. The valet is convenient but when they scratch ur car ,curb rash ur wheels don't expect they will own up to it and don't expect anyone to care. I assumed having my road bike locked inside a locked cage registered with the office and the valet only possesing the key would be a secure place. Well it's not, my 3000$ road bike disappeared with no one knowing anything , the office says well it has happened before. I guess what I'm saying is ur on ur own here . Sure the view was nice but 3k a month for 450 sq feet with a lease that is increased at least by 10% when renewal comes is so not worth it. Once ur in crystal figures that u will pay an increase because moving is too difficult. The only reason to live at sea castle is if u are on of the 40 tenants on low income housing getting the same location for 75% off of what u and I would pay. So if u choose sea castle expect to be disappointed and after a few months that will grow into being disgusted with entire place. I do have to say David in maintinence to be very kind and a pleasure and Regina in the office does her very best! There are a few nice valets "oscar" who is one and the rest are rude and sloooooooow! Before signing anything read and re read what every document says and make sure everything is correct before signing. When I moved in I filled out a damage form indicating cracked tiles ,stained carpet ,laminate peeling from the kitchen cup boards yet in the end they had the audacity to charge me to re carpet the unit which had old stained carpet when I moved in. Crystal also charged me to deep clean the tile grout in another attempt to extort money. I have a house keeper every week so these charges were absurd ! My recourse now is to take them to small claims court but Crystal knows it's not worth my time or effort for a thousand or so dollars and it is just easier to pay it. Just expect all of the hidden charges ,unwarranted extortion and the inevitable rent increase as this building is NOT under Santa Monica rent control. Yes Brett loves the gym because he trains clients at home so if u like to use they gym get ready to share with Brett and friends/ clients and you can thank The manager Crystal Jones for allowing this to go on as she trains with Brett. I can go on and on but I think I have made my point , the sea castle is in a great location but it's not a great place to live. read more

I love this place. It's more than an apt. It's a community! I'm on year 2. Not leaving soon.

Great location/horrible management!! As you can see I normally do not like to leave bad reviews. I prefer to call out places that are great and leave the negativity to karma. However, I hope this review will save someone from having to live in an extremely negative environment. I'll be fair though and split up the good and the bad. All I ask is that people do their own research. Look at the other reviews, most of the good ones are from people that don't live there and honestly, some seem like they were written by management (who also live in the building). GOOD: Location: You really can't beat this location; it is right on the beach and right by the pier. The views are great and the floor to ceiling windows help the small apartments feel a bit larger. Staff: I really loved the valets and some of the maintenance staff. Tenants: The people I met that lived in the building are great and there was a sense of camaraderie, which was nice for someone moving from the East Coast. Could be the perfect find and has all the potential to be a true luxury building with the right management. This is the main reason that I stayed there for 4 years. BAD: Management: To sum up the management in a few words I would say they are unprofessional and malicious. Since the current manager began (~2012 CJ), she has ruffled many feathers in this building. If you move in, expect a nasty letter from management or the lawyers for every ridiculous thing (including not having white-backed curtains). Time is spent on letters, however, questions to management are left unanswered, problems unresolved and interactions are typically unprofessional. Furthermore, from my experience, if you do have a problem or concern that you would like to have escalated to upper management, including Windsor Corporate office, it will likely be ignored. That said, I can't solely blame the manager, as it appears this is condoned behavior by the rest of the corporation. Security: The building is in a highly populated tourist area, we've had people come into the building without appropriate authority, and we've even had people go into people's apartments and thefts. Despite the requests for security, nothing was done. There was one exception when the manager felt threatened; she got security for a few weeks. For the amount they charge for rent and the risk based on the tourist location, it would be beneficial to have it continuously. Poorly Maintained and Overpriced: You pay as if it is a luxury building, but they do not maintain it like a real luxury building. In my opinion the worst part is the air quality, the vents would spew black dirt from them, mostly because they don't change the filters regularly. I was sick more in the past 4 years with respiratory infections than the prior 30 years of my life. As for the upkeep, an easy way you can verify this for yourself when you go to view an apt just look at the carpets in the hallways or the pictures another reviewer posted, which include the air vents. Rent Increases: They will try to increase rent by a minimum of 10% each year, which is much higher than the average rent rates. Lack of Peace: Due to the things I mentioned above, there were times I feel as though I was being harassed. Keep in mind, I pay my rent timely, I am a working professional, I don't have wild parties, I had no complaints from neighbors, my apartment is kept clean, I don't complain about petty things, so there is no reason for me to be harassed, yet I feel that I was. I don't cause trouble for anyone and it saddens me that while I was there I spent valuable time fighting with management. Similarly, it's sad that I'm spending time writing a negative review months after I moved out, yet, I feel it is necessary and I hope it will help people avoid the hassle, or at the very least be fully informed in their decision. On a good note, there is hope, you can find a place with the location, views and even more amenities (i.e. rent control and pool) for about the same price in Santa Monica! If you decide to move in, just buyer beware and here are my suggestions: *Ask what the typical rent increases are each year. They consistently have tried to increase rent 10% each year I've lived here, which is more than double the average increase for LA. *Ask about the upkeep of the building and anything that is important to you. *Write down every single imperfection in the apartment during your initial inspection and get a copy of it. I've heard too many horror stories when people go to leave and get way overcharged for everything. Ask how old the carpets are when you move in, etc, because that matters for when you move out. *Don't get bullied by management. * Read and re-read your lease and do not sign it if you don't agree with it. *Check with the City Attorney's office and Rent Control Board (although it's not rent controlled, they are aware of buildings in the area). read more

"Why would you ever leave this place?" Those are the first words my brother said to me just recently while visiting my Sea Castle apartment for the first time. I've lived here for 3 1/2 years. Now obviously you're wondering why it took my own sibling so long to visit, but let me assure you that our relationship is just fine and it's perfectly ok to go back to focusing on your own interests at this time. Thank you for your concern. This place is great. It steps out on the beach. I could end the review right there and it would still be 5 stars, but I feel like that would be irresponsible reviewing so I'll continue. The staff here is terrific. David is the nicest person you will ever meet. I'm not sure what his job title is, but he specializes in making people feel important. If there's an issue, he fixes it with a smile on his face. I'm pretty sure he knows everyone by name. The office staff is terrific. I've never had an issue with them and my guess is that the only people who have are the type of people who have an issue with everything. Ok maybe that's a bit judgmental. My apologies. Two of my favorite perks are the 24/7 gym and the public workout area just outside the front door (the original Muscle Beach) I'm a fitness geek so this regularly comes in handy. I'm also a Personal Trainer and some of my neighbors workout with me as well (shameless self promotion, I know). Guest parking can be tricky but I've found that acquiring parking passes for the beach lot next door has always been a painless process (you have to bring a utility bill to the Santa Monica parking department so they can confirm your address. I've always been able to buy two annual passes on the spot). I've lived a few places since moving to LA and this is by FAR the best place I've lived to date. Sure it's a little pricier than say Inglewood, but you also get to live on the beach in Santa Monica, so I suppose that makes sense. read more

I've spent the last 10 days or so apartment and dog sitting here. If being at the beach in a heartbeat is your idea of an amazing time, this is the place. It gets no better for such things. The Pier is RIGHT THERE (really... it is). The ocean is RIGHT THERE (really... it is). The only thing this place is missing is a time machine to get all the segway riders off the sidewalk. Amazing space. CJ's review nailed it. Booya. read more