My 10 year old Yorkiepoo and I have lived here at Villa Marin for 8 years. Other than marrying my husband, this was the best decision I've ever made to move here! I feel secure, and live a luxurious life with many amenities available to us. read more

See all

Give up your worries and relax in the arms of Villa Marin staff, always present, always caring and ALWAYS THERE !!

I moved here about two years ago not knowing anybody and have been very happy with the friendliness of the residents that are interesting and a real community.There are many activities and programs that are fun and informative plus exercise classes, art class, trips to performances, large library and beautiful promenade that looks down on the hills. You can choose or not to join committees but I have enjoyed the welcoming,art, and scholarship committees and met some wonderful people. The nursing staff and doctors are outstanding and it is very convenient. Unfortunately I am putting my condo for sale as I moved here to be near my daughter who no longer lives nearby and so I am moving back from where I came to be near my son. This has been such a good experience that I am planning on moving into another continuing care facility which will give a certain peace of mind as I grow older. read more

Have lived here for three years. I want security, friendliness, involvement, and healthcare. I have it all here! My children are relieved that I have found a very caring community. read more

I spent three days in the medical facility at Villa Marin to recover from an operation. The staff was very friendly and caring. If you needed help, you got it without a long waiting period. Hopefully, I will not need another operation, but if I do, I know where to get excellent care afterwards. Elisabeth B read more

We are not residents either, but are considering VM as a possible future home. "Legacy" fees (HOA dues continue after you move out until you sell) are a burden and should be eliminated. Otherwise, VM seems very nice. Units take months (sometimes years) to sell. The smallest units are quite affordable, but hard to sell if you leave or die. read more

I have been at Villa Marin for 3 years now. Making the decision to move aged 76 was hard. As a widow should I move or should I stay in my home and find help when needed? The age-old questions! My goodness, every day I am thankful that I made the decision to live at Villa Marin. It has enhanced and added an entirely different, unexpected and very wonderful chapter to my life. I am surrounded by the friendly and cheerful staff whose never-ending caring is remarkable. The Villa Marin residents have lived fascinating and exciting lives - and still do! One is not slowed down by age here - on the contrary, there are so many stimulating activities it's hard to keep up. Where else could you attend an OLLI class, a musical recital and a delicious dinner - with new and 'old' friends - all in one day? Without driving, buying tickets, shopping and preparing food - let alone clearing up? Not to mention being part of the Committees which keep Villa Marin running. I have learned to be a Committee Chairperson for the first time in my life. A real learning and very interesting experience. We own our condos, there is no huge 'buy in' from which our heirs will never see a penny. What is more, I feel - as do my family - that I have given them a huge gift. Our Medical Facility, which consistently earns a 5-star rating, cares for us if we need Assisted Living, or Skilled Nursing. My family do not have to worry about me when I need help - it is right here. I really love Villa Marin - it has enhanced this latter part of my life in such a positive and exciting way and I gladly give it 5-stars! read more

Mom has been recently moved to PCU and we are SO THRILLED with the care! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!! Thank you so much! She's not easy, and we get that! It is helpful to know that she is being cared for by a kind and patient staff of SELFLESS people! Blessings to all of you who choose this job! We are in AWE! read more

My wife and I have lived at Villa Marin for six years, and have regarded our move here as one of the best decisions of our lives, not only for the beauty around us, the excellent facilities, the very good food, the frequent involvement with art and music and current affairs (including an OLLI class) and the warm and gentle help from the staff, but most of all, the friendliness and inclusiveness of our fellow residents. If the curse of aging is loneliness, life here eliminates that problem. Another value here speaks particularly to couples like us. We are in our eighties, plenty active, and in reasonably good shape. But inevitably, some time, one of us may require prolonged stay in a personal care or skilled nursing unit. And that we have, in our building, of 5-star quality. No worry about driving to visit, even in bad weather. We can be together as much as we want. read more

We are not residents at the Villa Marin, but a family member of ours applied and moved there. Plan on (at least) 2 or 3 months to find a unit you like, become familiar with the requirements, complete the Medical, Financial, Real Estate forms, and get approval on all. You must be evaluated by your doctor who supplies an overview of your total health, orders all the basic lab work, and then the Villa Marin doctor reviews the report and results, also does an evaluation, and may order more tests. Be prepared to for a Mini Mental Test (Google the term) with the Villa Marin (VM) Sociologist just prior to meeting with the VM doctor. The medical tests and evaluations often take the longest to complete, especially since various offices and labs may not get your results back to the Villa Marin until you track down who has what and press them to send the paperwork. Your financial assets and liabilities are also carefully reviewed, and generally must reflect an income 2.5 times greater than your monthly fee (mentioned below). They have a work sheet that guides you through the process. And, of course, you must buy a Condominium, which is yours to sell later and may appreciate over time. Of course the value may go down as it did with us. You may have to lower the price, but also you are losing the amount you pay in monthly fees. Keep in mind the fee ( approx. $2700 for one, $4,000 for two) must continue to be paid until the unit is sold. Even if you move, or need long term assisted care, or pass away, the $2700 payment must be paid until the unit is sold to someone else. This is not the mortgage payment, but more like an Association Fee for the Villa Marin - it pays for one meal a day, linen service, a condo cleaning once a week, Building improvements and maintenance, and contributes to the Health Contract, but I am unsure of the specifics. The facility - it's a big Condo complex with on site healthcare, and seems very well run and with friendly staff. The Condo owners I've met are very nice and interesting people, and the staff seems professional. The Condo owners also collectively own the building. The Homeowner's Association actually governs the facility through a management team they have under contract - so there are no Corporate Overlords. The Villa Marin does not need to demonstrate ever greater profits to please shareholders, but they are very careful about keeping their finances healthy, and will review your financial health closely to be certain you can afford to meet your obligations. Negatives: Outdated and cumbersome phone system A larger, better gym would encourage exercise "Legacy" fees until unit is sold is burdensome to heirs if in slow real estate market Nearly impossible to sell your unit except through the agent at the Villa Marin WIFI needs improvement There should (must) be an Owner's Web site with info and help Common forms (eg maintenance) should be available to submit online Positives: On-site healthcare / Physician Condo owners at the Villa Marin are tops Some great programs and outings / outstanding volunteerism Nice location and views They have a very good RE agent, but he has limited funding for marketing The Villa Marin seems well run and well regarded Staff is generally effective and friendly read more

The women at the front desk are rude and full of attitude. They don't want to be working here that's clear. Just imagine how well they treat their residence. read more

I have known of Villa Marin for more than 10 years and have been a frequent visitor to friends and family who live there. I can't imagine a nicer way to spend your retirement years than in a place as beautiful as this. The building is located along the top of a ridge with great views from every condominium to the east (with views of the Civic center and the sunrise each morning) or to the west (with gorgeous sunsets and the West Marin hills. Villa Marin has many activities for all their residents, both on-site and all around the Bay Area. If you're looking for a home for yourself or another family member, be sure to check out Villa Marin. read more

We are an aging couple looking at options for leaving our home of 40 plus years, so we continue to look at Villa Marin very seriously. The prior reviews are pretty much right on, including the one about the folks at the front desk. There are a lot of good things about Villa Marin, but getting in the front door is a bit of a put off (the little window kind of reminds me of some Motel 6's), and the legacy fees have the potential to be a real burden on our son's trust. But over all at this point the positives probably outweighs the negatives. read more