Retreat at Barton Creek

After living here one year this is still a Great Location. Easy to get anywhere in Austin even during rush hours. Great Staff!!! They continue to find new ways to bring the community together. Making it a Joy to Home here :)

Overall great. The price for the location is perfect. Wish that management had been more accommodating when we were trying to get our AT&T cable/​internet set up. They were pushing Google Fiber way too hard on us and wouldn’t fix the cable line that AT&T needed to get us set up. In the end it worked out but it took 3 weeks with no cable and internet to get the problem resolved.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed living here so far. The location is great, there’s so many awesome places near here. My unit backs up to the greenbelt, which I love. The pool is rad and has a great view, as well as having a really cool trail off to the side of it. The staff is always cheery and helpful, and they always try to get me to go to the events they put on. I would definitely recommend this complex.

After living here for 8 months, I had about two months worth of mold/​mildew issues in the closet with my AC unit.
Pros: The staff in the office was super quick and super attentive, checking in with me constantly about how it was going. Love the staff for sure.
Cons: It seemed like every time they ‘fixed’ it, it was very quickly done without a lot of examination. After the third time they came to the apartment, they finally figured out the pan on the AC unit upstairs was broken and they had to replace it. But even after that, they came back a fourth time because there was a leak in some part of the tubing or piping? Not sure. The services just seemed very rushed and not thorough, which caused me two months of extreme mildew/​mold buildup in my bathroom since I travel for work and the leaks were happening during the time I was gone. It was pretty gross. Most recent problem was two weeks ago where the handyman wrote «no mold found», but when i looked in the closet he had clearly wiped off the wall where I had taken pictures of the black whatever growing on the ceiling and e-​mailed it to the office.
Anyway, other cons —
Back pool doesn’t filter — at all, never seen or heard the filters on and there’s always a level of stuff floating around the top, some guy let his dog jump in there on the 4^th of July and I swear there is still always dog hair floating around in it.
They painted the buildings black and dark grey for some reason so I’ll be happy to get out of there before next summer hits. I liked that the Retreat was this scenic green belty thing, but it seems like the complex is trying to go «URBAN» even though we’re in South Austin — and South Austin has some major merits about being very lush and relaxing.
Move out policy means even if your apartment is available for rent, they won’t try to rent it to new tenants. So if you leave your unit 6 months early, they’ll just leave it empty instead of showing it to newcomers to possibly rent out so you can get out of your debt to them — you can pay some $ 3k termination fee, but I think it’d be kinder if you could say «My unit is empty, please try to rent it» — and they can try to rent it and close out your lease ahead of time. I don’t see a single loser in that situation. But anyway.
Noise is bad. I didn’t realize how I must’ve been ticking off my neighbors until I heard them watching TV one day, and now I feel bad about it, I guess they were always pretty quiet and I was accidentally being the loud one, didn’t realize how thin the floors/​ceilings are. Sorry upstairs people! Had one neighbor who really liked his bass music for awhile, so I thought just the walls were thin. but no… no. Whole place is thin.
Props to the staff (really nice people — really truly, I say this enthusiastically, they are nice folks), to the monthly get-​togethers for residents. Those are fun and I’ve met some nice people. The infinity pool is great, the green belt access is great, I complained about the cockroaches in my apartment (killed one a day for awhile), and they came by and sprayed, haven’t had bug issues since. But the weird fees, bad service, and paint job that stuck my front door closed, drafty windows and a few other things have me out the door with the end of my lease.

Easily the best place I have ever lived in Austin. The location is amazing, the complex is beautiful, and maintenance and management are awesome!
I love that the apartments have hard flooring and washing machines.
You can hear the footsteps of the people above you, but I expected that living on the first floor.
Management really cares for the residents by regularly offering free food, drinks, activities, and discounts!

Moving into Barton Creek was a breeze. Quick and easy communication and quick service to any needs you have. Awesome location, clean apartments and quite neighbors!

The retreat at Barton creek is a wonderful place to live. The staff are so very friendly and the property is just beautiful. With two luxurious pools and hot tubs, greenbelt access, and a first rate gym, we all feel like we’re living the life of the rich and famous. I would highly recommend this complex to any of my friends or family.

Great, accomodating staff, awesome impressive amenities. Friends and visitors always want to go to the pool. Grounds are always well kempt and pretty, the new paint job looks awesome! It’s always nice to come home. Appliances are sub par… maintenance usually has to come by a few times before something works. A good handful of bizarre plumbing problems but hey, it’s an older property (kinda hard to tell!).

Staff is super friendly, ground are clean and well kept. The new paint job looks very nice on all the building, and the colors are cool!
The pool is stunning, and while the workout room is pretty basic, it gets the job done. Definitely nicer than many other gyms I have seen in apartments.
I am always meeting nice people, and its pretty and quiet. Very centrally located as well.

Tip: Do Not move in on any other day but the 1^st. The management here cannot figure out how to figure out rent payments at the end of your lease if you moved in passed the 1^st. After three years of prompt payment, they have harassed me for two months for rent even though I gave 60 days & paid all I owe these people. They keep FORGETTING I moved in on the 8 & have been paying EARLY for 3 years because they only collect on the 1^st. Math is not their strong suite so they haven’t figured this out I’ve paid ahead of schedule even in for my last 60 days. HARASSMENT
Tip 2: they require 60 days to cancel. I don’t remember signed an indefinite lease but apparently you have to put in an «official» cancellation 60 days before your lease ends or they just auto renew. What’s the point of a lease???
Tip 3: Go somewhere else. There are way better managed apt complexes along south Lamar.

Beautiful place to live tucked away off South Lamar! Perfect pool and easy access to the hike and bike trail, and walking distance to Brodie Oaks, Wheatsville, Red’s Porch and more!

Don’t bother moving here if you are disabled. I am a 10-​year resident of this complex who recently became disabled, and not only are there no ramps between buildings 32 and 36 for those of us on walkers or in wheelchairs — how does a person in a wheelchair or walker go up the STEPS between those buildings to get to their apartment? — but I was told today that if I need a ramp it must come out of MY pocket!!! EXCUSE ME??? You have the nerve to charge me nearly $ 1,000/month for a 1-​bedroom unit and *I* have to pay to get a ramp built???
Add to that that ever since Portico Management took over from Riverstone, the grace period to pay your rent dropped from five days to three.
Finally, the water is constantly being shut off at this complex.
The staff may be friendly, the maintenance may be timely, and the upkeep may be nice, but Portico Management doesn’t care about the disabled or your water. And the fact that you now only have three days to pay your rent before they levy a $ 60 late fee proves they only care about your money!

I honestly love living here. It’s a clean, safe, happy environment. I personally enjoy the fact that there are not a lot of children living here, at least in my area. I enjoy the updated design of the apartments and the office /​maintenance staff are always friendly, attentive, and efficient. Most of all, the location is great. I can walk or bike to nearly everywhere I want to go and the bus stop is right next next to the apartment complex. I would highly recommend anyone who can afford living here to do so.

Pros: quiet community, good location, well kept, friendly and attentive staff, greenbelt access, nice pools
Cons: prices going up, amenities going down

I am enjoying living at The Retreat it has been a great experience. I feel that the complex does a good job on making the residence feel at home. I plan on coming to more social events within the complex.

Awesome location, good team of staff.
I thought I was giving up trees and little creatures when I moved to Austin– there’s a turtle crossing sign and so many trees behind my unit it makes me want to repel down my balcony.
I’ve seen some complaints about construction, but my unit is right next to the property line where that building is going up and they only make noise during the day (9−4ish). No midnight nail-​gun action or anything.
Obviously this isn’t the current management/staff’s fault, but my unit is a little crooked. The door’s a little off-​kilter in its frame, and the floors slope in some places. Hasn’t caused any problems though, and it’s one of the only buildings on stilts, so this probably isn’t applicable most of the units in the complex. Besides, I’ll take a tilted unit any day– the complex and the S Lamar area are great.
If you’re thinking about moving here, do it. Your future self will thank you.

Great place, great neighbors. The leasing staff is awesome. There are little fun themed parties every month, with beer, wine, snacks, and puppies. The complex is very dog friendly! The location itself is excellent — I can walk anywhere! Sprouts and Wheatsville are nearby, and a lot of restaurants! I can access Mopac easily and I-​35 isn’t far either.
My maintenance requests are completed within a day or two. Everything is done very professionally.
The only bad thing is too much construction going on around the complex– the noise is loud for some of my friends living closer to the main road.

The Retreat was one of the best places I have ever lived, and I have moved around a lot (Houston, Syracuse, NYC, LA, London…). I’ve listed my Pro’s and Con’s below:
Pros:
–Warm, friendly and competent staff that always addressed any issue or concern I had (not many). *Special shout out to Josephine who always greeted me and my dog Marley by name and with a smile! :)
–Beautiful location (I lived in the back corner of the lot overlooking the Greenbelt and it was peaceful, quiet and I had a stunning view from my second floor balcony)
–The grounds were well kept
–Maintenance was always prompt in responding to any issues
–The Pool…
–The complex is very dog friendly and my dog loved the dog park
–My neighbors were always kind and quiet and I lived here for 2 years and 8 months (lucky, I guess)
–They started a trash valet which was super awesome for the lazy like me
Cons:
–The parking was sometimes hard to come by around building 11 and I think there just aren’t enough spaces for all the residents of buildings 11 &12. Taking away some of the covered/​reserved spaces could help as they often went un-​rented
–They occasionally ran out of dog waste bags by building 11’s pet station which could go days without being refilled. This was inconvenient and led to lots of un-​picked-​up waste in that grassy area
–The recycling bins were far away from where I lived and there were only two of them (to my knowledge)
Overall, the Cons were minor, I miss my former apartment already and I would still be living there if I could afford the increasing rent!
P. S. I just received my entire deposit back (including Pet)!

I’ve lived here for almost a year and really enjoy these apartments! I have the larger of the one bedrooms and like the spacious rooms and closet size. I live on the first floor and have no issues with hearing what’s above me (I hear some movement but it’s not terrible). The front staff is SO FRIENDLY!
The apartment complex is really serene filled with trees and tons of nature spots with raccoons, squirrels, and birds (and tons of amazing fireflies in the summer!)
These are also very affordable for the area.

Loudest. Apartment. Complex. Ever.
The Trash gets collected 6 am sharp every Thursday & will get your morning started in a more irritable fashion than you’re used to, but only if your neighbor who loooooves bass music doesn’t keep you up all night.
No matter! When it’s time to wake up and walk the dog, your pup can feel lucky that’s it’s not the poor bastard stuck in a crate crying all day! Huzzah! Whether it’s 8 am, noon or 6 pm, when that terrible dog owner does come home, you have a few minutes of relief before your upstairs neighbor decides he doesn’t like the bowling balls in THAT corner, he wants them in the OTHER corner!
Long story short– pick another place to drop that 4-​digit rent check. This apartment complex will give you no rest.
Other review on here is correct: cheap appliances, sloping floors and no real tile– you will get nickel and dimed. My new favorite is the «valet trash service» that was forced upon us like a cup of coffee from Bill Cosby. (Yaaaaaahhh… Oh wait, what’s in that?)