Chateau Lake San Marcos was very pretty. They have water fountains at the entrance area that just seemed very peaceful. They have exercise classes, water aerobics when the weather is good, and transportation to doctors. They have so many separate buildings, which gives it a not-so-institutionalized feeling. One thing that was kind of important was that they all have little kitchens. You pay for one meal a day (whether you choose breakfast, lunch, or dinner), then I could fix the other two meals on my own, which is good for me because of the type of diet I have. The staff was very kind and very nice. The apartments were either owned by an individual or rented from someone who lives there. So, some people could paint a different color or something like that, which I would like to do.

At The Chateau we are not residents, we are homeowners in an HOA that is a five star resort. You purchase your own condo, if you decide to sell it, the appreciation is, of course, yours. The condos are lovely with fireplaces and appropriate square footage, many have been remodeled/upgrades. The HOA of The Chateau has hired management in house that run the day-to-day operations. All the employees report to the board directly, there is no off site management company. The staff is amazing. Customer service is the priority. HOA fees include one meal a day in the private restaurant run by a talented culinary director. The meals are always excellent and varied with a plethora of choices. The HOA fees also include linen service, light housekeeping, transportation to stores, doctors, dentists and fun outings. You don’t need to drive if you don’t want to. There are a lot of parties, events and activities. My personal favorites are dominoes and the water color art class, but there is something for everyone. Fond friendships develop quickly because there are so many opportunities to dine with different people and share activities with others. The grounds are beautiful with a grassy area, reflecting pond and several fountains. Everyone loves life at the Chateau and it’s nice to know that we have our own assisted living facility should we, later in life, need a greater level of assistance.

My mom and I are living at Chateau Lake San Marcos. They only have a small complex made up of maybe half a dozen different rooms and situations for assisted living, and most of it is independent living. It's a very nice place and we're enjoying our stay. It's a buy-in situation. They have a lot of amenities in the sense that they have an event once a month, they provide some excitement, and you can go to different events. They also provide transportation. They have wonderful grounds. The space for a unit is very adaptable for one situation, whether one needs a 1-bedroom and a 1-bath or 2-bedroom and 2-baths. It works out well. They have a little gym and a library. The staff is very friendly and nice. The food has always been great.

There is no upfront cost for Chateau when you move in. It’s a very lovely place. They have a pool, and the unit we saw overlooked the pool and the clubhouse.

It was a very beautiful facility and it was near my son. What I loved about it was that you could own the unit. You would buy the unit and it became your asset. The staff was very pleasant and the residents seemed very pleased with it. I would recommend it to others.