Holiday Las Brisas

Terri

The tour we did at Las Brisas was very good. The staff was very helpful, very easy to work with, and just made the visit very pleasant. I was with a friend and we were very impressed. We liked it very much. It's an independent living and we liked its whole environment and what they had to offer. Their apartments were very nice and everyone we met including the residents was very, very friendly. There was a nice outdoor area too. It was my first encounter with visiting any place like that, and we felt very welcomed. It's a very good location, a very beautiful setting, and just a great part of the city. They're under renovation but I'm sure when it's done, I would give it the highest rating.

Kay

Las Brisas is all independent living. Our tour there was fine, we wanted an assisted living to be available but they didn't have that. The staff who gave the tour was very nice, and we met the food servers who were also nice and accommodating. We had lunch there. They're remodeling at the time. The food was adequate, but there wasn't something that stood out. The dining area was very clean. There was a gentleman who told us not to go there because he said the food is bad and they don't have any activities. I know that that happens in any facility; so we just disregarded what he said. The apartments seemed nice. We went into one that they were just starting to remodel- on the ground floor. I guess the person in there before had a pet, and so my sister can't tolerate any kind of smell like that. It looked like they were remodeling a lot of them and they were nice. I have nothing negative to say about that. Their location was hard to find. We kind of went around in circles three times before finding it. It was on a hill, which was nice. Maybe we went there at an inopportune time because they had workmen coming and going. But the staff was very accommodating.

CW

We saw Las Brisas. It was very clean and nice. I liked the person that I met. She was very thorough, very kind, and very informative. I was really impressed with the place. She was really sharp and on top of it, and she knew what she was doing. She was very knowledgeable. Her husband was the maintenance and she was the manager. The rooms were really nice, and I liked them. She showed me one room to begin with, and then when my dad came, and because he liked flowers, she then showed us a more garden type room, and he liked that one better. She gave me the menu, too, and it looked really good. They had lots of stuff to do, and it seemed like they had a lot of things going for it.

Reviewer#GD04182021a

We did a tour at Las Brisas, but I don't think it's the place for us. It's just too far out from any place you could walk to. Other than a home or somebody's house, there's nothing around that area. The rooms were very roomy, but it's a very old facility, I understand they are updating it. Their eating schedule is too rigid for us. We want something where you can eat dinner between 5:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M., instead of at 5 o'clock. There's very limited parking, though they have one parking spot for each unit, but it is not very good for visitor parking. I like the rooms in the sense of spaciousness. The pricing was certainly right, but when I asked them how much their increases were each year, she said usually about 6% to 7% (which to me is a little high). Those were one of the negatives about the place. The outside grounds were pretty well, though the building didn't seem very well maintained and the roof was kind of crummy. It's just not the place for us. It would be a lovely place if I were needing assisted living, but that's not what I am looking for. They don't really have assisted living. They have independent living with a staff that are willing to come in and do certain things for you if you need help. They were supposedly updating some of the rooms. I was shown around 3 or 4 rooms, which were all vacant, and they were very, very old. They are going to renovate in the next couple of weeks. The one who toured us was very friendly. We ran into two residents there and the staff member didn't seem to know their names. I don't think she is the person who normally gives the tours. I think she was the general manager, so I'm not sure she would know everyone's names.

Marlene

Las Brisas was very sparse. I just don't see how we could live there. It's such a great departure from our lifestyle. I was more interested in seeing the other places. We need to be in some place where it's a little more vibrant and has more accommodations. It's not for us.

80 year old

Some things that you should know about Los Brisas. Nice rooms and easy upkeep. Pets are enjoyed. Some negatives, no easy walking as building sits on a hill. Dining takes forever. One and a half hours sitting for lunch. Laundry rooms not maintained. Ambiance very often depends on management, frequent management turnovers.

Vicki

My mom was at Las Brisas, but she had a fall. She fell and broke her arm there doing her laundry, so we had to move her out into assisted living. However, Las Brisas was a beautiful place. We loved it for her. It was independent and it was great. The staff was fine. The food was good and things were lovely there. My mom's independent living was great. She had a beautiful apartment. I would recommend them because they're very friendly and they're affordable. It was beautiful and well kept. However, there are some things they need to do, like they need to re-do the locks because people were getting locked out of their apartments. That was the only problem I saw. Nevertheless, the staff was great and the facilities were great. There were tons of activities. The activities director did a great job there.

slogal15

We used to love this facility but the current managers are primarily interested in keeping costs low. They are blatantly uncaring about the welfare or happiness of their residents. Google Las Brisas Cal Coast News for a chilling example. Once when my grandfather was ill and in the hospital they told me they didn’t care and instead yelled at me about some minor infraction he had allegedly caused. They treat families like adversaries and residents like cattle. Services and quality go down every year but rents climb. (though I might add that other staff is great -management is he issue).It has caused a tremendous amount of stress on everyone in my family. It would be difficult to move him but we might soon. I would recommend looking elsewhere. I wish we had.

Jim

Las Brisas was pretty nice. It would've been ideal for me if I wanted to move down there. The staff was nice, and the services were well organized. The rooms were good for the amount of square feet. They have a library, a huge living room, and a very large dining area. They have transportation, yoga classes, and things like that. I liked it.

Anonymous

I was really misled by Las Brisas' prices and services. Everything was extremely overpriced. The individual rooms seemed pretty good, but for one room that's not much more than a motel room, the price was ridiculous. The main thing that disappointed me was their meal. They invited me for lunch, and the food was awful, really horrible. Everything else seemed pretty good and the staff seemed OK. The place was clean and in fairly good condition. People should go look someplace else.

Sue

We chose Las Brisas because of the price and what you get for the money. The place is very nice, and the staff is awesome, friendly, and efficient. The food tastes good, and they have good selection. They provide transportation and have lunch outings every week, visiting entertainers, a library, activities, pool table, and so on.

Susan170023

Las Brisas was too far away from everything. The rooms were nice, but it was too isolated up on the hill by itself. The staff was nice, and the place was pretty secure. Everything was nice, clean, and well kept. It was just one huge building, and my mother wasn’t interested in that.

Robert488005

There are no individual cottages at Las Brisas. They're all apartments and almost all of the one-bedroom are quite small. It would be perfect probably for a widow or a widower. There are 2-bedrooms but very few. There's nothing wrong with Las Brisas for the right people, as a I said for a widow or a widower who likes the much more regimented environment. But it is quite an attractive place.

John P.118612

Las Brisas was a really nice facility. It was a good tour, and the room was great. However, it wouldn't be good for my father since he is not ambulatory, and you need to get around to go to the pool, the dining area, and other places.

JN817566

Las Brisas was accommodating and very accessible. They have a 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, garden outside, dining area, and a community area with parking lots. They had music, a pianist, and some games.

Visitor119242150

Las Brisas was clean. The dining room was very nice; we ate there. The portions were small compared to what my husband and I normally eat, and he said that he would starve to death, but I told him that I didn’t think so. They had the nicest apartments we've seen. We looked at a one-bedroom apartment that was very large and spacious, and I believe the two of us could live in it very comfortably. I prefer a two-bedroom, though it was a small apartment but very nice. I was concerned that the kitchen didn’t have an oven, and they showed us a room that was like a community kitchen you can use if you'd like to bake something. It had everything a person needed to cook a complete meal; plus, if your family was visiting and you wanted to do the cooking yourself, you could cook there. That impressed me because I need to bake my husband some cookies once in a while. The only thing that I didn’t like was the independent living. You can hire people to come in and assist you, so that was nice, but my husband is starting to get Alzheimer’s. If it came down to him having to go into memory care, the facility is six blocks away, but they said they would take me over there if I wanted to visit. They will take you to doctors, church on Sunday, and events going on at the college or theater. They said they had a pool table and things like that, puzzles, sing-alongs, and exercises.

MF

We didn't see any residents when we were there at Las Brisas and that was a Friday. We didn't see anybody doing anything. It just seemed really quiet in a not so great of a way. We didn't see any activity going on. We walked around in the dining room area and there was nobody out. The dining area was restaurant style. The rooms were more of the hotel room type style. We just didn't have that great feeling there.

Deborah117097650

The person from Las Brisas was so wonderful and so caring. He walked me through what I needed to do and was very helpful so I have nothing but good things to say about them. They were so friendly and so kind and you could just tell they really cared about people. That is probably where I would have placed my mother. The accommodations were very nice. It’s well decorated and has a nice atmosphere. It’s newer and it’s clean; I just felt very comfortable there. They were playing bingo and some of them were doing crafts and they looked like they were having fun. You could do whatever you wanted. It was probably the most accommodating place.

Denise43

I visited Las Brisas. The appearance was nice, and the sanitation was good. The staff was very friendly. He reminded me of a car salesman but extremely over the top. They were eating lunch when we were there. We did not eat there, but we walked in their dining room. It has the options of the day out on the table. It’s not that you order from the menu; it’s this-or-that-for-the-day kind of thing. The dining area was nice. They have a private dining area that if you have a special family dinner that you want to do very privately. I felt that Las Brisas was the most institutional looking of all the places we looked at. The rooms were small. They probably used to be a hotel with just kitchenette. That’s the drawback, that they cannot have full kitchens in any of the unit. I don’t have any suggestions because the things may be true for us, I think, cannot change. One is having no full kitchen in the unit; they were all kitchenettes, and the fact that it’s very institutional. It was one building and one elevator. The dining room and food were a little bit more institutional too. For an independent-living place with no assisted living, I found it interesting that it was more institutional. They did not have a swimming pool or a jacuzzi. They were lacking amenities that some of the others have.

Judy107072950

We took my parents to see a few places, and Las Brisas was a high enough caliber to suit them. Their room is spacious. They have a large bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, a large bathroom, and their own private deck. They have a chef on staff, so the meals are very delicious. They aren't participating, but they have a lot of activities like exercise classes, crafts, outings, special lunches out, and movie nights. They also have a library. They are safe there, and we don't have to worry about them.

Christina15

I also visited Las Brisas, and it was nice. The food was nice; it was small amounts, but apparently that’s preferred by the residents, and the staff was nice too. There’s game room, I saw a nice library, and schedule of activities. They have a beautiful garden in the back, one of the residents invited me in her room, and it was very homey and felt personalized. All her stuff is in there, and she got furniture in it.

Kathie5

We like Las Brisas because my mom is 94, but she is very cognitive and independent, and she didn’t really need to go a place where there were a lot of people with dementia. She really appears that she could hang out with people a little more like her. The rooms were very nice, and they seemed really nice to her. Everyone is very attentive. They have a great dining room with a great chef. But they should get an extra elevator; there are four floors, and they only have one elevator.

Bobbi10

Las Brisas is a residential area upon the hill, and the managers are very nice. The apartments are beautiful; everything is all inclusive. They’ve got a lot of things going on, and she is just really happy there. Mom has her own apartment, and they give her a Lifeline that she wears around her neck. She loves the food there; they have 3 good meals a day, plus they have a place upfront in the dining room that they can go get snacks, foods, and water. If you can’t show up for a meal, they will come check on you to make sure that you are OK, which is nice. They have activities all day long. You could do it or not do it. She likes the food. The management live on site, they are very nice and caring, and it is kind of a large facility, but it’s not too big. It’s in a beautiful setting, and she has a nice view out of her living room. Once a week, they had room service that comes in, changes the sheets, and cleans their room. They have movie nights, games, and brain teasers that actually help her remember things. They take them to Trader Joe’s and to the supermarket, and that’s all inclusive in the price. It’s beautiful inside, and the apartments are clean, very nice and roomy. She is happy, and she has meet a lot of friends.

Caring99240250

For me Las Brisas was too big. They accommodated a hundred people. The facility was quite large, and that was OK, but it seemed to be very cold. I thought because there were so many people, I could see people through the hall going to the elevator or just walking, and I hadn't heard anybody say hello to anybody else. I thought it was just too large. However, it was very pretty. They offered a lot of things to do, but it was just too big and too impersonal. I saw a couple of rooms, and there was another one that was still occupied that the staff thought suit me better, but I never had gone back to see that one. The dining room looked a restaurant, and it was huge. They allowed small animals, and I saw ladies walking their little dogs. You could choose what you wanted to do. I was sure they had cards and the normal things. It was clean and very pretty. I thought it would be perfect for a lot of people, but I just didn't feel quite comfortable. However, I didn't have anything to compare it with since I hadn't visited anything else. I thought they were probably very pleasant and very nice for a lot of people.

Nancy87428150

Las Brisas was great. It was excellent. The staff is very accommodating. The chef even gave us a fresh loaf of bread that they made there at the facility, and it was really good. The manager that walked us around was so helpful. He called and checked up on me. I liked that they offered three meals a day versus only two. We were able to look at different units and different floor plans to see what would suit my mother's needs. I met and saw a lot of residents. The rooms were clean and spacious. Their kitchen part was definitely a kitchenette with a small fridge. Everything else was really nice. I liked how they had outings for their residence a couple times a month. I also liked that they include internet, cable, and phone. They had a really beautiful view.

Caring78475850

I don't live far from Las Brisas. This facility was nicely cared for. Its ambience was pretty nice. The staff was very nice and very helpful. The food and their chef were very good.

Dick5

Las Brisas was too small, it didn't have a swimming pool. There's a whole generation of people, baby boomers now, who's starting to look at these things a little bit. We're a much more active situation. I'm not even sure you can get involved in something where the average age is 80 years old, no spa, no swimming pool and some 900 sq. ft. room. You might as well be in jail. They have bingo, all the old people stuff, Bible reading, but no alcohol is allowed. People are looking for places that have a bistro in it or a coffee bar or something like that. I had been extremely disappointed in what's out there. I guess if you're 85 years old and you want to be cramped in a little tiny room, that would be fine but if you got a spark in your life, you sure wouldn't want to be there.

Candace3

Las Brisas has just been a blessing for my mother. She was turning to get a little bit of depression and they made sure her transition was good. The location is excellent. They are on top of a hill and the view is incredible. That's been really nice for her because she was able to watch the sunset at night. The people were really helpful and accommodating. Mom is very thin and had a hard time cooking but she has just loved the food there. The meals have variety and are just great. There are a lot of homemade breads every day. It's not an assisted living facility, but in the event she needs help we can have somebody come in. We are not committed to any service as well. Hers is half the cost of the services compared to the others so it's one of the better deals. She is really enjoying it there.

Gary16

The rooms at Las Brisas Independent Senior Living are all very nice and clean; it seems there is nothing ragged or torn. They asked us to have a lobster lunch there on Mother's day. It has the nicest dining facilities and the best menus we've ever seen. My folks are really pleased with everything they've had so far. All the staff has been very nice. They have plenty of things for the residents to do. It is just a very nice place.

JoshuaK44

The entire place was very nice and comfy. Many of the employees were very polite and the residents were very nice as well. The managerial staff was not as helpful (and sometimes a little rude). The place was still very nice and I am considering it for my grandparents.

kiwiguy

Both my father and my uncle (brothers in law) currently reside at Las Brisas. I am there 4 - 5 times a week.The facility:The rooms and apartments are spacious and well maintained. Most have balconies or patios. The once a week cleaning is unreliable - there is such a high turnover of staffing that they are often short handed. The dining room is spacious and bright. There are fewer common rooms than at other facilites: a single "activities" room that includes the theater and excersize areas. The theater is simply a big TV around which they arrange stacking chairs. The excersize is a single piece of equipment. There is a pool table outside the room in a lobbyt area adjoining the dining room. The only other space is a small library area on the second floor that doubles a card room. The dining and activity room are on the third floor. The building is built into a hillside, so the first two floors have dark, long hallways, but the rooms are bright. The third (main) floor opens to a large outdoor patio where they have occasional group parties such as wine tastings. There is only one elevator, which can make it difficult at mealtimes as there are many people who are in wheelchairs or power chairs. It is a glass elevator, which makes it feel less constrictive, and although it has age problems, they are about to replace it . Building maintenance is excellent and they are constantly making improvements. There is a beauty parlor and an office where you can hire private caregivers. There are weekly outings of various kinds.The food:Extremely inconsistent. It can be good, but is most often barely edible. There is a dearth of fresh vegetables, which is ridiculous as we are a farming community with many farmer's markets through the week. The mealtimes are set at 8am, 1230, and 530pm. Everyone assembles and is served at one time, which makes for a lot of waiting. Other facilities operate more like restaurants. Again, there have been many chefs and cooks through here in the last 2 1/2 years.The Management:When I moved my father here in early 2010, we toured all the places in the area. We selected Las Brisas because the rooms were larger for the money, you could stay here as your health deteriorated and bring in whatever care was needed (some even have had live-ins ), even to the end of life, and mostly the managers. There are two couples who live in the building They personally ran some of the activities with the Social Director and supervised the meals, pouring drinks and making sure all needs were met. The main managers were perfect for this kind of facility - gregarious, genuinely "up", and very helpful. Unfortunately, there has been a constant turnover in management since 2011. I believe 18 or so as various couples have been forced out or driven away. Each new set has reduced services, and seemed more focused on cutting costs than serving their residents. Silly things like limiting drinks to one glass at meals (except coffee!), reducing the bus hours, outings, and activities, pulling keys to the front door from those who don't go out, etc. Where the previous managers were always offering carpet shampooing, a change and choice of window coverings in the rooms, etc., none of that is available. They will no longer allow the private caregivers to use the break room to eat their lunches.The rent has been reasonable for the area, but goes up automatically each year by about 4%. This happened even when Social Security and VA benefits got no cost of living increases for two years. This is not the case at other local facilities.Overall I would move my family out to another facility if they were not settled. Moving an 88 year old is difficult and would be disruptive.