Outstanding location - we have over 100 restaurants within easy walking distance. Two blocks to the Cal train station for easy access to SF and points south. Outstanding and responsive staff - Ben, Amy, and Gary are pleasant and easy to deal with. My unit is quiet and spacious and very comfortable. Really enjoy living here. read more

We just renewed our lease for another year at TWO50 Downtown, and that says a lot about how much we enjoy living here! Ben and Amy have been wonderful property manager; kind, responsive, and always willing to help. We also love the location, right next to Caltrain, surrounded by great food, and just a short walk to Central Park. We're happy to call this place home and look forward to another great year here. read more

Two50 Downtown - The view from our balcony - Apartments Near Me - San Mateo, California

Highly recommended! .Perfect place, close to everything. Ben and Amy are awesome!

Eversince I started renting here Since December 2024 I dont have any complains. Everything is clean. I like the pool and the gym. Our laundry area has a mini library and TV that while waiting I entertain myself. Live the area very close to everything restaurant , park train station and hospital. read more

We are really enjoying living here. The apartment is lovely with lots of space and storage. Ben and Amy are amazing and always around to answer questions, and they do so with a smile. The pool and pool area are inviting and wondeful. The building is in prime location in downtown San Mateo, minutes from anything and everything you would want! read more

It's a wonderful building. Everything works, and Ben and Amy, who manage the whole building, are always available and always supportive. Things just run smoothly. We're staying our second year here now, and I'm sure we'll stay longer than that. read more

We have lived here for over a year and overall have been happy with the place. First of all, the building managers Amy and Ben are awesome. They are super friendly, helpful, and try their best with everything. Gary and the maintenance team are great too, although we have occasionally had maintenance requests lost and had to follow up after a few days. The location can't be beat either - I love how it's walking distance from the Caltrain and downtown. It is great being able to go out to dinner and also not worry about parking because of the garage. One star off because of the pool situation. We love the pool and how warmly it is heated, but it has been closed this entire season due to maintenance, and honestly doesn't look like it will be opening anytime soon. Frustrating since there hasn't been any decrease in the rent (in fact it increased from last year despite the pool and outdoor BBQ area being closed for months). read more

Echoing other reviews on here, we love living at Two50 for the convenience and location, the friendly management, and the large space we have in our unit. The proximity to downtown is unbeatable and we rely on the train for commutes to work. The drawbacks to living here are the age of the building and the high rental prices. We justify the price based on the location, but the building's age (despite the renovations, which are nice) makes the amount dubious. Further, the place is very noisy. Personally, we don't mind the noise and we were well-aware of the risks, but it can be pretty nonstop at all hours. There is a lot of construction in the area nearby that can begin as early as 7am. Overall, we love living here but it wouldn't be for everyone. If loud noises and/or the dated appearance of the building would be a bother, I would recommend looking farther out from downtown. read more

We have officially lived here for 2 months and have enjoyed our experience. Ben and Amy are excellence for any needs that come up. The heated pool and updated gym are a great plus. Being in an older concrete building for us is preferred as sound doesn't travel between apartments. Last but not least the location is unbeatable for a 2 min walk to Caltrain and 100's of restaurants out your door. read more

Great place to live, Ben and Amy are very nice and helpful. Quick to fix issues in the apartment. Great gym and great location close to Caltrain and downtown San Mateo. read more

Many thanks to Ben and Amy for hosting a mixer for the residents. it is nice to be able to have get togethers again after the pandemic. It was wonderful to see old acquaintances and meet new people. Overall, I am enjoying living here. it is always nice to see and chat with Ben and Amy. Gary is quick at fixing any issues that arise and Miguel keeps the place nice and clean inside as well as outside the buildings. Kudos to a great team. Thanks again for a successful mixer. It is a great way of creating a sense of community and i will look forward to more in the future. Suzanne read more

Amazing place to rent an apartment! The place is beautiful and modern with renovated apartments looking absolutely stunning! New and modern lobby with Amazon lockers, up to date and well stocked fitness room as well as a fantastic pool deck with plenty of seating, fire pits, gas grills and of course the pool itself. It was very nice of Ben and Amy to throw a little get together party with some great wine and tapas food. Looking forward to another one when the pool opens after its renovation! Maybe we get a BBQ party? read more

It's great being back after 5 years in SoCal!!!! It's like coming home. The building is in fantastic shape and really well maintained. The management team of Ben and Amy are so enjoyable to work with. They go out of their way to make you feel at home and happy to help in any way that they can. Having just moved back in Gary who manages the maintenance was right there to take care of a couple small items....he's great and along with Ben and Amy, the team really does a great job. I was pleasantly surprised Friday evening as management hosted a wine/beer & food party for all the residents. Just an example of how they go out of their way to make us, the tenants feel comfortable. 250Downtown is an outstanding well managed building located within easy walking distance to Downtown San Mateo and public/train transportation. I would highly recommend 250Downtown!!!! read more

We've lived in this building for a few years now. You might find this review a "bit" long, but it is certainly more balanced and realistic than the recent raving 5-stars. The Good: First off, the best part about the building itself is the on-site crew. That really is true. Amy, Ben, Gary, Miguel, and others do a great job of keeping the building in great overall shape. It's easy to reach them, and all of them are truly friendly and approachable. The overall condition and cleanliness of the place is excellent. Maintenance requests are handled timely and competently. The location is the second best thing. Literally everything you need is within easy walking distance. You will find a wide range of excellent grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, doctors, hairdressers, etc. etc. along and around B Street and Ellsworth Avenue. The location on the Peninsula is convenient for getting to The City, Silicon Valley, and the Pacific Coast. Highways 92 and 101, and Interstate 280 are a few minutes' drive away, and you can easily walk to the El Camino Real bus and to Caltrain. The Neutral: The building dates back to the late 60s. The interior, such as the kitchen cabinets and floor; bathroom vanity, shower stall, and tub; and the aluminum-framed windows clearly show their age. The excellent maintenance alleviates this a bit. Just don't expect the same super-modern feel you get in much newer apartment buildings in the Bay Area. The Bad: The price you pay for the great location is lots of noise. Busy streets border the building on three sides. You will hear idling cars and car alarms on a regular basis. Often drivers and bikers will rev their engines while waiting at a red light. There are plenty of delivery vehicles, early-morning trash pickups, noisy bar patrons, Caltrain train horns, and construction projects. Of course, this is something you would expect this close to a downtown area. What may come as a surprise to new tenants, however, is how much noise originates *within* the building. The Ugly: As you can read in older comments below, ACCO started a major remodel of the building towards the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. It took several years to completely modify the lobby and hallways, and to renovate the outside with new wooden and glass panelling, balcony flooring, and more. *And they are still not finished!* As someone wrote earlier, just when you think they're finally done, they announce yet another measure. For example, the spacing between the vertical rods in the balcony railings were apparently not to code, so they inserted additional vertical rods. That work involved lots of drilling mounting holes, grinding down metal bars, and repainting the entire assembly. And it took weeks to complete the all the railings on all the floors around the perimeter of the building. Most recently, they resurfaced the pool, only to find out afterwards that the fence around the pool deck wasn't up to code, either. That was months ago. They literally still work on this project today, right now. I am not exaggerating when I say that it seems that not a single week goes by during which we don't hear some drilling, hammering, or grinding somewhere in the building. To put the cherry on top, when tenants did complain, ACCO presented all kinds of justifications. Unfortunatly, what they never do is to at least acknowledge the stress and nuisance that this work causes, and show a hint of empathy for us tenants. Read their responses below, and you'll see what I mean. This attitude towards its paying tenants is also reflected in the handful of compensation attempts: For the years(!) of construction during the pandemic, ACCO sent out a few checks. While a nice gesture in principle, the total sum was not even 15% of a single month's rent. Talk about adding insult to injury. As for the resurfaced pool: It hasn't been open for a single day in 2024 yet. Via email on-site management promised to extend the "pool season" into November. Any comment directly from ACCO, though? Nope. No apology and certainly no compensation. Classy. The Bottom Line While the outside noise can be a bit much at times, we love the convenience of the location, as well as the views from our apartment. The on-site team does a great job to ensure a well-kept vibe to the place. And they're just honestly nice people. The never-ending nuisances from on-site construction have gone well beyond acceptable, however. Worst, ACCO's almost total ignorance towards its tenants is simply inexcusable. (That said, I can't wait for further responses, if only for the entertainment value they will provide.) There are so many options for "luxury apartments" on the Peninsula these days. Even though there are a few things to like about Two50 Downtown, do make sure you're aware of what you might encounter here before you sign that lease agreement. read more

Just wanted to say the team here is really great! Ben, Amy, keep things running smoothly and always have friendly faces. Gary is also quick to help and fix things in our apartment. Even the security guards are really nice and seem to remember our names/say hi when we see them. No packages are ever lost, there is a nice pool, BBQ, and decent gym as well. The construction during the pandemic was a bit of a challenge to live with but now that it's over it is a lot more peaceful. Overall we enjoy living here. read more

It has been a nightmare living here for the past year. This place has been under construction since covid starts and there is no end in sight when this construction would end. The noise has been unbearable and it is affecting the physical and mental health of every tenants living here. The management did not communicate to the tenants about the construction when the lease was signed. They told you that it is a minor renovation. It is not, it is a major work done to every floor inside and out. They just want to lure you in with the contract so you are stuck while they continue with the construction. When you try to break the contract, they told you it is impossible to do so. There is always something new added to the construction every week. Even though Kelly D who represents ACCO would like to claim that it is done, the renovation is still not done and there is no end in sight. This construction has been going on for a year and the noise has been constant since it starts. There has been constant jackhammering, constant knocking, constant banging everyday. Imagine living in this condition everyday. Last week was balcony work and this plans to last for months. And this week is jackhammering on concrete near the entrance and again this is planned to last for months. Who know what is next after all these? With construction workers coming in and out of the building, many of them are not wearing mask correctly. Even though the management posts signs to wear masks when inside the building, it is not enforced. This is not good during covid. The place comes with balcony. I have always enjoyed sitting at the balcony. With the work being done, I have not been able to use the balcony for a year now. There is always workers there, and it is full of dust to make it a comfortable place to hang out. I have not even open the window for the last year with the construction. To ACCO or Kelly D who represents ACCO, word is better than action. Instead of telling the tenants to suffer and look forward for the end of the construction, maybe do something about it. All of us have been working at home trying to survive and pay ACCO rent, maybe take a moment here to consider how we feel. If you actually think of moving here, think again because they would tell you that it will be done soon, but the work keep adding on. It was never communicated to the tenants how much more works are there. read more

Updated Review TLDR: Don't move here in the next year. You will regret it. There will be construction and lots of it until at least 2022. Every week there will be something new. It will not be quiet. You will not feel safe. You deserve better. The construction has intensified even further. They are doing construction on every single unit on the exterior, and forcing residents to move all their belongings off the balcony so they can refinish/reseal and redo them. By the look of things I'm pretty certain this is going to last at least until the end of 2021... possibly into 2022. The prior projects of patio enclosures and interior door painting still have not been finished. Plus they are soon going to begin jackhammering concrete outside the entrance. They release information about construction in bits and pieces so that you think, "Oh, okay, I can just hold on a little bit longer...". Then they hit you with another project, then another... Then they gaslight you when you complain. Also, in the past six months there have been 3 instances of fire alarms going off in the middle of the day with ZERO warning about a drill and NO explanation whatsoever of what happened afterwards. Is it because of construction? The old building? Unannounced drills? Because it certainly isn't fire. Response to management: Yes there IS something you could do. You could do the humane thing. Stop the never-ending construction and instead spread it out over the next several years after the pandemic has resolved. I can deal with a month of construction a year. I CANNOT deal with what has now been almost 12 months of nonstop construction. Your actions border on a public health hazard and it is absolutely insane to me that the city does not rein you in. To the city of San Mateo: your residents are suffering! Please consider your residents' mental health when approving construction permit after construction permit. To my fellow residents: Is anyone a lawyer? What are our options here?! Can we petition the city? File a lawsuit? My health is suffering. My work is suffering. I want out. The only thing keeping me going is seeing your complaints as well. Should we start a support group? read more

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So here's the thing: if you're working from home or sensitive to noises or have kids, my suggestion is AVOID this place. The ongoing construction would literally knock your head off. The on-site staff, though, very polite, they can't seem to roll back the renovation plan by even a single bit. The management company, on the other hand, hardly replies to your emails through the resident website. P.S. whatever you sent through the website won't have a copy forwarded to you, so get prepared to send to their actual email address is you're trying to get a proof of delivery. read more

Two50 Downtown - Apartments Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I just spent a year living at Two50 Downtown on the 9th floor. I can't say enough about how wonderful it was! My view was unbeatable and I enjoyed it everyday! The apartment was very sound proof which was so nice, everything worked perfectly and the amenities were awesome! Best part was how well managed the building was and how easy it was to live there. Ben, Amy and Gary are such good people and very friendly and helpful! I'm going to miss them! I highly recommend this complex!!! read more

**Check Hillsborough Plaza Apts on Yelp** this awful apt has just changed it's name! First of all, The lease is unfair and illegal with all the residents responsibility but none of landlord's. Secondary, the staff are unreliable! The staff Ben at leasing office is totally a lier!! He always lied about the construction work. 2months ago he said there will only be parking construction, then 1mon ago he told us it would finish after the exterior work on the street side. Last Friday he said there will be two more work on exterior. Yesterday when I asked for the truth he said there will at least be four times work as he firstly told us!!!! And the reason he didn't tell us earlier was he think we cannot hear it! How ridiculous!! Plz check the recording taken inside my room the noise is 86db!! He is totally a lier without any conscience!!! To sum up, it's the worst apt i've ever been!!!! the veryveryvery loud and annoying construction noiise starting from every 8am for over one month. the officer never reply the emails and the landlord never do something but be busy making his dirty money!! ps. don't believe the officers' words about "minor improvement" during the room tour. the construction has been lasting for a year and every time they tell you it's almost done. the workers are drilling/hammering all day since 8am at my balcony. im getting mental issues due to this. and theres no respect for the residents' privacy at all! Even if one day all these "minor improvements" are done, plz rethink before moving in. This apartment and staff are extremely terrible!! - Please kindly check the photos. They tell everything. read more

Two50 Downtown - Apartments Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This apartment has an amazing management team and we have had a seamless experience moving in. Thank you to Gary who helped us with whatever installations or help we needed, he has been very professional and we have enjoyed his great support. Apartment and unit were pristinely maintained and the management team takes effort to ensure appliances etc work well. The building is newly renovated too Overall, we have enjoyed our experience a lot thanks to Amy, Ben, Gary and the excellent location of Two50, which is also near many good restaurants. Packages also never get lost. Thanks all! - Danny & Isabelle Oh also, its been very quiet since we moved in, so the reviews about the noise are no longer current read more

Summary: lack of respect for tenants and poor expectation setting. The building has been under construction since I moved in 08/2020. The management mentioned during virtual tours that there would be "minor improvements" (a couple weeks of work) done for the hallways. However, major capital improvement projects have not stopped since then. Major works that all last more than 6 weeks have been happening in lobby, hallways, vacant units, deck area, balcony, and exterior facade - imagine the noise (on top of train noise), smell, and concerns over Covid with construction crews going in and out of buildings throughout the entire year. It's extremely disruptive when everyone has to work from home. I assume the building management took advantage of the Covid downtime to these projects because lots of people moved out, but it's extremely disrespectful to current tenants, who are paying almost 3k and above to live here, supposably getting a "premium" experience. A crew of construction workers entered my balcony space to do paint works on a Saturday at 9am without prior notice, playing music and completely disregard my privacy - just one instance over many things that explains the 1 star review. I didn't want to rant in public initially but these are things potential tenant should know. FYI- Also there's a new construction starting across the building, so addition cautions. Ps the only good thing about the building is the property manager Ben, who has been hired by ACCO to patiently to listen to all the complaints, with which the asset manager does nothing about. The star is for Ben and nothing else. read more

As many other reviews have stated, the one star is for the apartment manager, Ben, as he was incredibly understanding, very responsive, and tried to find alternatives and solutions when the construction noise became unbearable. Unfortunately, I have to give the Hillsborough only one star, because of the last year of non-stop construction, timed while a majority of us were working from home. The Hillsborough is priced as if it were one of the more luxurious above-market rate apartments, when the amenities are not to the level of what you can find in nearby cities for the same price. We signed a lease in good faith with the assurance that the construction would end soon, and it wasn't over almost 9 months into our lease and were forced to break it and pay 1.5months. It says something about management that they would take advantage of their residents in that manner. I spoke to city council members, the city manager, and mayor and many residents have complained, but there is nothing the city can do beyond enforcing construction hours. I've attached a photo of the number of construction notices we received over the span of about a year, and this doesn't include all the email notices we received. Back in the summer of 2020, renovations to the hallway began, followed by renovations to the lobby, then the public spaces, and then the balconies, which is now delayed by several months. The use of jack hammers, drills, and more made it impossible to work from home. It also is hard to just be in the complex with that level of noise. In addition, it appears that the construction results in false fire alarms almost monthly requiring evacuations. Construction often begins before 7am and on Saturdays - I had to go down several times to ask that the construction not start before the legal allowable time. And to make it worse, there is another apartment complex being built across the street (see San Mateo construction permits here for 303 Baldwin Ave - former Trag's supermarket: https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/3778/303-Baldwin-Avenue). Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere if you enjoy peace and quiet! read more

Two50 Downtown - Apartments Near Me - San Mateo, California

Don't live here. Massive construction site, can't enter or exit building safely. Loud drilling throughout the day keeps me from getting good sleep or being able to work. Extremely dishonest representation of the construction being almost done at the time of signing lease almost a year ago. Rent rate is not competitive at all, factoring in the above. Don't get duped. Seconding others - wish I could add videos of the loud and incessant drilling that starts from early morning and goes through the entire day. read more

5 stars for the best property manager I've ever had, Ben Hoh. I've lived at the Hillsborough Plaza apartments for over 2 years, and its been really comfortable living. The staff here are fantastic. Maintenance staff are extremely friendly, work hard and are super prompt to solving any problems and keeping the place clean. I can't say enough good things about Ben. He tries to form a personal connection with every resident when he can, and has helped me out many times. The building is old, but the property owners have done their best to modernize the place. The gym, pool area, laundry and lobby areas are brand spanking new. The Amazon lockers are nice to have, and all the building entrances have been updated to use fobs. The old building does provide some advantages. The floors are super thick, so its nearly impossible to hear your neighbors (reading other reviews seems like some folks have lived next to rowdy neighbors, but I've never had a problem on my floor). Construction noise was a pain while construction was happening, but now most of it is complete, and with COVID restrictions easing, the renovated amenities will be nice to use. The only downside is the lack of laundry hookups, which means no in unit laundry. But there are plenty of washers and driers in the basement, and I've never had to wait for a machine to free up. Overall a comfortable 2 years. read more

I've lived in HPA for a year, before getting my own place. Me and my wife really enjoyed living there, the management team: Diane, Priscilla and Ben were really great! I think the best thing about Hillsborough is their location, it's located in San Mateo downtown, which I think is the best downtown in the Bay Area. Yes their rent is relatively more expensive than other places, but since they're located right across the San Mateo Caltrain station, depending on your case, you might not even need your own car here. So yes, if you depend on Caltrain for your commute, I think Hillsborough is perfect. read more

They are criminal. I have lived over for a year. The have forged a check and cashed illegally for payment. The management is unresponsive. I will post all the documents as I pursue legal actions against the management. read more

Positives: - Fantastic location, proximity to many businesses/restaurants/Caltrain - Underground parking - Clean laundry facilities, trash disposal, and recycling - Kind and responsive security, maintenance, and management office staff Negatives: There have been near-constant and ongoing renovations for the past six months or so, which has been a major change in the quality of living at HPA. It is quite understandable that many amenities are no longer offered due to the pandemic (coffee, recreational facilities), but the noise disturbances on both weekdays and weekends make it difficult to work from home, sleep, and enjoy living here. Due to the presence of constant construction staff, the single remaining operational elevator requires considerably longer wait times. Although months of noisy construction have already been conducted, the recently-initiated renovations to the lobby and facade will presumably require more months. read more

I really enjoyed living in HPA for the past 2 years, and I'd highly recommend HPA to anyone. I would say that this is the only apartment I've lived in that truly felt like home. Location: HPA is located right on the edge of downtown San Mateo. It's within walking distance to 100s of restaurants, 5+ great grocery stores (Trag's, Draeger's, etc.), and 3 blocks away to central park and the Japanese garden in it. Being only a block away to Caltrain station, and 3 minutes away from 101 or 280, HPA is super convenient for commuters to either to the city or to south bay. Management / Maintenance: HPA has been super well maintained and managed by the staffs. Priscilla and Diana at the leasing office are always super friendly and helpful. They do a great job communicating with residents, decorating the lobby, and organizing different events that connects the community. The security folks Mike, Rick and Robert are always on duty and will take care of any of your needs. The maintenance team like Gary will fix all your problems in the apartments. The whole team does a great job to make sure your living experience wonderful in HPA. Interior / Amenities The team put in a lot of efforts to remodel the whole building. They overhauled the old gym, and put in brand new state-of-the-art treadmills, ellipticals and weights training machines in the gym. The units have been gradually getting remodeled. For some of the older units without remodeling, the appliances and interior may not compare with what you'd get from a brand new apartment, but the team does a great job to catch up. It feels really comfortable in the apartment. I lived in a quite spacious corner unit on 7th floor. And the view is just stunning, I get pretty much a panorama view of the bay from SF downtown, bay bridge to Redwood shore. You could also see most of the lively San Mateo downtown from the patios too. Community: There is a really nice community in HPA with a good mix of younger working folks, families with kids, and retired folks. I really enjoyed chatting to a lot of the residents, and hang out with them in HPA-organized events. People are all very nice and will greet and joke with you all the time. Price: It's indeed a little pricey, but you truly get what you paid for. read more

Almost 6 years, I'm still here :-). Honestly I did try to see if I can find a cheaper place. But then after taking into account of the **amenities**, e.g. a professionally designed gym, the **"perks"**, like weekday morning coffee, and, .... the care they put in maintenance and upkeeping .... THAT makes a major difference in fire safety, stormy weather "proof", and **quick** responses to any appliance or interior fixes .... plus convenient location .... and the best professional team all-around, Priscilla, Diana, Gary, Miguel, and their repair crew, .... I call it "money well spent". Recently they had to replace my heating motor concealed inside the ceiling space (don't know the technical term for that :-). A major job! I simply did my daily stuff without giving it any thought; the repair crew did a professional and neat job, even though it was in an awkward space with wall fixtures and furniture, all of which were carefully protected and put back the same way. No dust or chemical odor left anywhere in the apartment. At one point I was amazed at the film they use to cover the furniture, how easy to use and how well it works. They told me it's a newer product, even though bit more expensive, but protects residents' furniture a lot better. I appreciate that. read more

I have only great things to say about the management here, Amy and Ben, and the perfect apartment I just moved into. The view is breathtaking and the rooms are very spacious. It's really a pretty apartment. Everything works great and the extras are so welcomed. Like the fan (I thought it would be hot on the 9th floor but it's not at all) the closets are amazing, and even the kitchen faucet has a directional sprayer! And the shower head is really great! That's rare in an apartment!! The building is maintained beautifully and the automatic doors make it so easy. Parking is a breeze, everyone I've ran across have been so friendly and I'm just so happy I made this decision! Highly recommend this complex. read more

ACCO management does charge above average for move-out repairs. Expect near $1000 in charges for regular use, no damages and factor that into your choice. They were upfront about cleaning fees but not about the 70% in painting, labor, flooring. read more

The noise in this place is disgusting. You can hear noise from all 6 sides of the apartment to the point where you can hear what people are saying, playing on TV, what music they are playing and every step they make. On top of this, this place is going through full on renovation which was NOT brought to my attention when signing the lease only a few weeks prior to it starting. So many people are working from home yet there is literally jackhammering right outside on the balcony which makes it impossible to take any kind of conference call or the ability to concentrate. This is totally unacceptable. Don't move here. They just want to lock you into a lease and collect your money. read more

Maybe it's the leftover Halloween candy talking, but these guys are THE BEST. When we were looking a couple of years ago, the then leasing manager Priscilla suggested we might find the Yelp reviews helpful, and they were! Other reviewers had said - it's great to have an in house maintenance team, so that you don't wait forever to get that dripping tap fixed, or find nobody seems to care about your blocked toilet. It's great to have nice people in the office - like Ben and Nelly - who actually help with things, instead of giving you the usual bureaucratic run-around. Who needs a gym membership when there's one in the building? It was all true. Plus! The little touches, like the Halloween candy, and events for residents, and even just saying hi when you see a familiar face in the hallway or gym or laundry, help to make it fun to live here, instead of just somewhere to crash. read more

Apartment hunting for the weekend two years ago, I had an efficient back-to-back schedule lined up, with HPA as the first stop. As my sister and I stood on the bay-view balcony of this apartment she looked me in the eye and said, "you're not going to find anything better than this." I should have listened, signed the lease, and spent the long, stressful weekend at the spa instead. Fortunately, you can learn from my lesson and book your spa appointment now. My fiance and I have lived here for two years and the only place we ever think of moving to is a bigger unit. HPA's amenities and staff make you spoiled and at home. My favorite thing? Probably the garbage chute and the tie rack in the walk-in closet. That is, until the first Christmas and Easter rolled around and there were See's Santas and bunnies on the door! Be still my heart, they've given us chocolate. Value: We've lived here through tons of upgrades and they just keep doing more. New lobby, new elevators (they even paid us while they were in maintenance even though one still worked), steam cleaned carpets in our apartment, free swag upon move-in, new laundry room, new garage doors, and now a new pool deck! It just keeps getting better. Our rent has only had a reasonable 10% increase in 2 years that still left us with a highly competitive rate. Staff: The staff is the kind that makes me want to bust out the cookie recipes during the holidays. Residents regularly deliver them flowers. They'll do everything for you from receiving packages to fixing curtain rods to unclogging drains you shoved too many coffee grounds down. I've never heard of such a staffed apartment! There are at least two live-in managers and subs (shout out to Priscilla!), security guards, parking attendants (shout out to Athan!) maintenance guys (shout out to Eric!), painters (shout out to Pepe!), carpet cleaners, custodians, and plumbers. You definitely get your problems solved immediately and get your money's worth. Amenities: I use the gym and pool all the time, which are always quiet which feels like I'm Lara Croft living in a secret mansion with a private gym and pool right in the middle of downtown. Parking is super cheap, less than $50 a month per car, and there's free unlimited guest parking and parking for your rental cars. I always use the little lending library in the basement and the bike parking in the garage. Plus, free heat, electricity and water? That's just cray cray! Neighbors: We have an annual summer picnic and the neighbors are friendly as a rule. Living here is like being in a little Mister Rogers neighborhood of locals. Instead of driveway moments we have elevator moments. I've never heard noise from neighbors with our nice thick cement walls and no one complains when I use poppers and noisemakers off the balcony on New Year's (from where you can see fireworks, of course). Location: Can you say foodie central? How about ramen and boba tea wars? Movie theater? Central Park? CalTrain station? Pretty much the only time I use my car is to go to Trader Joe's, which is close enough that I always feel guilty for not riding my bike. If you work south on 101, you can even hop on 92 S at El Camino to skip the worst of the 101/92 junction, so it's about 20 min door-to-door to Redwood Shores. I also love living 20 minutes from the beach and a 10 minute bike ride to the bay trail. Cons: OK there have to be some so you don't think I'm being paid to write this. I'd say the biggest one is being spoiled with luxury. No seriously. We've looked at apartments that cost $1000 less, and we just can't go back. So now I harass my fiance to make more money. Mo' money, mo' problems! No seriously, it's a problem. Also, I live on the street side and it's pretty noisy. With the windows shut it's fine, but breezy summer days can be an earful. I don't know about the pool side. I think it's a choice between quiet vs view. Also, the balcony can be soooper windy, and the north side doesn't get much sun. But hey, that's what the pool is for. One other thing is I'm worried about our move-out costs. It seems other people on Yelp have had costly experiences. But even if they're the equivalent of a month's rent, it's not so bad as a fraction of your stay. Finally, if you're looking for a really secure building, this isn't it because the basement is like always open, so anyone can usually get to the elevator if they're sneaky. All in all, I hope you'll move in! I've been meaning to write this review forever because when do you seriously feel like gushing about a place? Well, this is it. See you soon! read more

I have lived in a few apartments and this by far is the best one I have stayed in. I have been here for 5 months now. The staffs (management, security, etc) that work here are wonderful. They are all helpful and friendly. It is common to have noise issue when living in an apartment complex. However, I never had to file a noise complaint during my time here. And the one time my tub drain needs to be de-clogged. They had someone fix it the very next day. The level of service at this place is exceptional. Pros: Friendly Staffs/Management Friendly neighbors Close to Business and Resturants 2 min walk to CalTrain station Quiet Public facilities are kept clean Onsite laundry Onsite gym (Cardio and Weights) Complimentary coffee on weekday mornings Cons: Can hear hallway noise when people walk by On the expensive end To conclude, I enjoy living at this complex and don't see myself moving out anytime soon. read more

Don't even apply here! We were shown a very nice apartment and were charged a non-refundable application fee and a refundable deposit. They didn't even call us to tell us we were approved, we were just expected to move in. They quickly cashed our deposit check. Perhaps they don't turn anybody down? In the meantime we looked at reviews of the joint on Yelp and elsewhere and decided not to move in after all. We were told they would send us a check for our deposit, but in three weeks nothing came. I even called Mary the manager, who assured me she had sent the paperwork "upstairs" and they just needed three weeks to process the check. Well, we just received a letter stating they would not refund our deposit. Mary had slipped a piece of paper in our pile of brochures stating the deposit was in fact non-refundable. It was not in any contract we signed. No sense going to court trying to get our $650 back, I just wonder about a place that does business like this. I also wonder about a manager that lies to your face, knowing full well that's the type of place she works for and lives in. read more

I've lived in Hillsborough Plaza for almost 3 years now and I love it here. I moved to the Bay Area from the east coast and didn't have time to view any places in person before I moved. Priscilla and Diana were extremely helpful in assisting me through my transition by being very prompt to both emails and calls. Throughout my stay they have gotten to know me and are always very friendly when they see me. The location of HPA is very convenient to the caltrain station and dozens of restaurants. HPA has great amenities too, such as: Newly remodeled gym, decorated for the holidays, beautiful pool, responsive maintenance/security, and well kept laundry area. After seeing many other apartment complexes in the bay, there is a reason I keep renewing my lease here; the great staff, residents, complex, and location. read more

I've been living here for more than three years. Initially in a studio, then moved to a one bedroom place. I love this place! Primary reason I love living here: the convenient placement in the middle of a major Peninsula city & proximity to commuter rail. Hillsborough Plaza is steps away from Caltrain (a four-minute walk at a leisurely pace). Trendy restaurants & dessert places abound, & abundant & stress-free parking for friends who come visit us. More points of convenience: your car is safe & secure in the basement-level garage, which keeps your car out of the elements. The gym has all the essential equipment, & the huge, warm, outdoor pool is hardly used & always clean when it's open during the warm months. The garbage chute is a quick walk down the hall, so taking out the garbage can be done while in your furry slippers. Coffee lovers will love the Starbucks coffee cart in the lobby on weekday mornings. Though the building may be old, the management is making efforts to upgrade the style. The lobby & elevator have been recently renovated. The apartment units, though, are uncomplicated & with no frills, but still very comfortable. The heater is awesome on cold days, & the Peninsula never gets really hot, so no need for an AC unit. On those rare super hot days, though, a quick jump in the pool will do the trick. The staff has been kind & hospitable in making this place very comfortable. The premises are always clean. Security patrols the building 24/7 & are good at deterring dodgy tailgaters trying to squeeze in through the front door. The maintenance crew is awesome; a quick call to the management office on the first floor to have something fixed (burnt out bulb in the bathroom, clogged drain, etc.) & they'll send someone the same day or the day after. On major holidays, they even hang chocolates or a nice note on your front door! If you can find quotes for an apartment, remember that water, electricity, heat, garbage included in the price. In our case, this place makes it an awesome value for those all the reasons above. A few cons: their website is a bit outdated & their communication methods are archaic. When they leave notices, they slide letter-size sheets under the door, which I feel is pretty wasteful. Would posting them in elevators do the same job? The walls are pretty thin, but the residents have been pretty respectful of the 10:00pm curfew. If you're looking for awesome Peninsula living, this place can't be beat. read more

Great location: in downtown San Mateo! Close to an endless list of restaurants, coffee shops, boba shops, pilates, nails, dry cleaners, Caltrain. . . Staff is amazing. Especially, Gary (maintenance). Fast response! Plus, there are wine and beer events, and treats for all of the holidays in the lobby. read more