The Best Independent Living Communities in Alexandria City County, VA

"I visited the independent living community of Golden Rule Plaza in Washington. The staff was outstanding. They gave me a tour and made it very clear what was happening in the facility. They did a great job. The lobby was a little dirty, but the rest of the facility and the units were clean. I didn't see any outdoor spaces. They have outdoor sitting spaces, and that's about it."

"I've moved into the Belnor Senior Residences. I love this community. I've met a few people here, and everyone that I've met has been very friendly. Even just walking by, going in or out the door, the people are very friendly and make eye contact and say hello. I've had no problems in my apartment. I love it. It's great. It's perfect just for me. The staff that I have met were very pleasant. I've heard from other people that you got to watch this and watch that, but I haven't had any problems with them at all. They've been very pleasant and easy to talk to. They had a poetry reading on Saturday. On Sunday, people do basically whatever they want to do, but some of us get together and have dinner together. It's like a potluck. There are some of us that play cards. Some of us do line dancing. Every Monday morningthere's a coffee social. There's bible study, listening to music, playing cards, and there's Pokeno. I'm having a good time. We prepare our own food, but there is a food bank that comes here whatever day they pick, and they will bring food for whoever needs it."

"I am staying in The Fairfax. They have a library, a pool, and a therapy area. They really have everything. We've got everything here. We have an auditorium, we have movies, a lovely dining room, and a smaller cafe. We have a washer and dryer inside the apartment. I have an oven, and everything in the kitchen, so it's sort of fully equipped. The staff is very good. We have a cleaner come in and do the bare necessities once a week. The engineers, and the housekeeping people are all very polite, and very nice, so I really can't say anything bad about it. We have lots of choices for the food. We can have the choice of the dining room, which is a little more formal, or the cafe where we can go and do a cafeteria line. We have very good food, and if you don't like one thing, there's about three or four other things to choose from. When we had to have everybody in our own apartments, they brought us food every day. We chose what we wanted, and they packaged it up and brought it to us every day. For the activities, they are starting everything up again. We have a closed-circuit TV in our apartments, so we've been able to have yoga on it, and a physical fitness exercise shown on it. We have our religious programs on Sunday, and other special activities are shown on it until everybody is allowed to be back in the big group."

"My mother has very limited vision, so she needed a small environment. She has a very spacious 1-bedroom at Chesterbrook Residences. She moved from a small home, so I was concerned about her ability to adjust to a smaller environment. The apartments are wonderful and she's very comfortable. Given her limited vision, it's really very appropriate for her. I was able to paint the color of our choosing and moved in all the furniture that she wanted. The food is fabulous. My mother raves about the food, especially the soup. It's a stable staff, there's not a lot of turnover, and they're very friendly and very caring. They have trips to the Kennedy Center, to restaurants, the local food market, and shopping trips. There's also movie nights, game nights, exercise classes, and they have people coming in playing the piano or a professional dancer who comes in once a month and dances with the residents. My mom is much happier. "

Paragon Assisted Living - McLean welcomes residents into warm home settings, cares for them with respect and devotion, and ensures their days are filled with hope, purpose and joy. We have a strong team of experienced, compassionate and engaging caregivers who provide consistent and loving care for our residents. We also have a dedicated Activities Coordinator who oversees resident activities and overall engagement. Our experienced leadership team, including an Administrator with over 18 years of experience including Nursing Home Administration, ensures we can care for residents with advanced needs, comparable to nursing home-level care. We believe social engagement is as vital - and sometimes more helpful - for our residents' quality of life. That is why we have invested in dedicated Activities Coordinators in our community. To learn more about this provider's license and review other available state reports, please visit: Virginia Department of Social Services Facility Search

"I saw The Lewis Apartments. They were excellent. They had very nice apartments. Actually, they would have been my first choice if my father were looking for an apartment, but he told me that he would prefer to have a room. They hadn't confirmed the tour with me at all, so it was not a good day for them. They were having internal meetings that day, but the person there gave me more of a general tour since I had come, and what she was able to show me was very nice. There was a lot of space and a lot of different and separate areas that the residents could use, like a party room and things of that nature. The residents themselves would organize outings. The facility itself was nice, clean, and roomy. The staff was very cordial. She spent her time explaining things to me. She gave me information on how it was run. They're affordable, and they will help you with acquiring funds if necessary, which makes it even more affordable."

"I visited the independent living community of Visionary Square in Washington. I like that they had a shopping center right there for everything you wanted. They have grocery stores and some carry-outs. It's also near the subway station. My bank is right there, too. I can look out my window and see it along with the grocery store and the carry-out place, so it has things close by that would have been perfect for me. I can go out and walk right to each one of them with no problem, but I also have a car, and I don't want anything to happen to my car in the middle of the night because things happen in DC. I went inside, and it was small, but it was nice. It was also clean, so it was okay. I could have lived there. The only thing that turned me off was the parking. They provide parking spaces, but the few spots get filled up. I get off work at 1 in the morning, so coming home that late, everybody's already home. That means I'm not going to get a good parking space, so it was not good for me. The people were a little rude at the rental office. They were doing something else, and I kind of caught them off guard because I got there early. The person there told the maintenance guy to take me up and give me a tour of the apartment. The person who gave the tour was really polite and was very helpful. He stopped doing what he was doing because he was asked to take me up there for the tour. The apartment was small, but it was livable, and I could have managed with it. There was also no trash lying around. They just need to improve the parking. I'm looking for a building where I can park in a garage. Unfortunately, they don't offer that."

"I've been aware with The Virginian because it's on a route that I travel frequently. I like that it is in a good location. It had some outdoor area around it so that I could walk if I needed to or if I wanted to. I've been looking for some two-bedroom apartment and they have some nice two-bedroom apartment that appeal to me. "

"Resident Review for Chevy Chase House I want to take a moment to share how much I appreciate all the wonderful programs planned and carried out here at Chevy Chase House. The activities reflect a wide variety of interests and bring fresh energy to our community—whether it’s music and ice cream socials, educational programs, or special events that bring everyone together. Just as important is the personal care and attention given to residents. I’m especially grateful for the thoughtful advice and open conversations whenever I’ve had questions or ideas—both personal and program-related. On a personal note, those small gestures, like a friendly wave in the dining room or a warm welcome at the start of a program, meant so much to me when I was still adjusting. Thank you for always listening to us, valuing our input, and making life here feel engaging and connected—from the popcorn socials to the hors d’oeuvres gatherings and everything in between. With appreciation, Norma"

"My husband and I are going to be moving to The Trillium Tysons for independent living. I think it's the best. Everything's around there; it's the 10th floor, which thrills us, and we got a corner unit, so we get sun and light on both sides. It's beautiful and surpassed my expectations. I saw pictures of it first on the internet, so I expected it to be nice, but when we walked in there, we were awed. I'm having the master bedroom and master bath changed to be the color of our bedroom now because it's the most soothing color. They said they would have done the whole apartment if we wanted. They also said if we wanted to have the closet organizers we have in our house, they could do that for us. They're also going to put grab bars in the shower because that's very important to me. As it is right now, they don't have a door in the shower, so we're getting glass doors in the shower, which they're doing for us, too. The lady who worked with us was as patient as could be. She drew things out for us, answered every question we had, and said that if we had any further questions, we should not hesitate to call. She has the sweetest personality so I just love her. When I came in, I said we've been driving around, and the coffee is horrible. She went and got us a latte during the meeting. If that's an indication of what the service will be like, then I'd rate them highly. She is outstanding. The place is conveniently located near everything, with all the stores and doctors around. That's if you want to go outside, because you don't have to. Everything is already there for you. I would say within a square mile, you have banks, hairdressers, and a movie theater. It's like a village unto itself. You have a choice of a 20-meal package or a 30-meal package. We took the 20-meal package because we like to eat out a lot, and there are a lot of restaurants around there, too. The 20-meal package means you get at least one meal a day. The person we are working with said most people go for dinner because it's a big, fancy meal. They have a Michelin chef there, too. She did say that if you went beyond your 20 or 30 meals, you could get a card and you could pay for it."

"My impression was very nice. They offer two meals, we had lunch there, and it was a very lovely tour. We liked all the amenities. They have 2-bedrooms with a living room and 2 bathrooms, some of them have a balcony and some do not. All the people we met were nice, and everything was good."

"We've chosen Acclaim at Belmont Bay for my mom. The facility is amazing. It is clean and lively, and there's a good amount of people visibly enjoying their time there. It is also very upscale. The apartments are luxurious. The atmosphere is active and comfortable. They have a lot of activities for the residents there. The most important thing is they provide transportation for appointments within 5 miles. They have a salon, a gym, a pool, a game room, and a dog grooming center."

"The Harmony at Waldorf assisted living was excellent. When I went into the facility, it was very inviting. The fall decor was beautiful. It was pleasant, nice, and a quiet environment. The receptionist there was very helpful, and the tour guide was top-notch. The information she gave and the tour was wonderful. I saw several dining areas but I did not have a chance to eat the food or anything. They looked like restaurants with the decor, the glasses, and the napkins. Everything was set up very nicely on the table."

"In December of 2019, I gave sold my home and moved into a two bedroom apartment in The Lodge at Marlton. This is proving to be one of the best decisions I've made. This was not a decision I made likely. I searched for independent senior living in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC before moving here to The Lodge at Marlton. Cost wise I could not be happier. The staff have been absolutely wonderful. The building is beautifully landscaped and well maintained inside and out. For what I have, two bedrooms, two baths, living room, dinette area and a kitchen, falls greatly within my income status. In addition, the residents are great. There are many activities and the staff goes out their way to make sure our needs are met. I'd like to send out a special thanks to Anna, the assistant manager, Raven, the activities coordinator, and of course Jeff, our maintenance man. Thanks guys, you are a terrific support team. Sincerely, Ms Alfreda Jones"