Located conveniently near many local restaurants and shops, and so close to the University of Central Florida, The Retreat East is dedicated to providing students and young professionals with the best living arrangements possible.
It’s important to love where you live, and you’re going to love living at The Retreat East. Have the very best, and choose a community where resort-style amenities and modern upgrades are a given.
We’ve being doing business with this property few years so far and one thing I must say, the crew, Jesus (maintenance) and manager Hannah are the best. Very friendly and communicating. The place is always clean and the location is close to everything.
Avoid The Retreat East – They Don’t Care About Their Residents
If you’re considering signing a lease at The Retreat East, I strongly urge you to look elsewhere. After living here for a while, I can confidently say I will not be renewing, and I want to warn others about the serious issues this complex refuses to address.
Roommate Placement Disaster
I was placed with random roommates instead of my friends, even though we signed a lease together. One of my friends has a severe cat allergy, yet they were placed in an apartment with a roommate who had a cat. When we brought this to management’s attention, they forced both of us to provide medical documentation and even undergo allergy testing—just to prove our allergies were real. Even after jumping through these hoops, their solution was to move my friend to a completely different, more expensive floor plan with random roommates—simply because they failed to properly plan for a medical condition. Meanwhile, I was still stuck living with a cat, despite my own documented allergy and a doctor’s note. Their complete lack of care for residents’ health and basic living conditions is beyond frustrating.
Rampant Car Break-Ins
Security here is a joke. Car break-ins happen constantly, yet management does nothing to prevent them. Windows get smashed, personal belongings get stolen, and their response? A vague reminder that “security” exists—though the only time I ever see them is when they drive around occasionally at night. Where are the cameras? Where is the increased security presence? They don’t care unless it affects them.
Horrible WiFi
If you rely on WiFi for school or work, do not move here. The WiFi constantly disconnects, making even basic tasks frustrating. But the worst part? It always seems to go out during midterms and finals week without fail. You can’t trust it to stay connected, and management does nothing to fix it.
Ridiculous Charges & Lack of Accountability
This complex will nickel-and-dime you for everything. When we moved in, a shelf in our fridge was already broken—something we didn’t notice right away. Instead of communicating with us, they just slapped a ridiculous charge onto our accounts without warning. If something is broken, whether you did it or not, expect to be billed for it.
Parking Nightmare
I paid for parking, but when I had to switch cars due to an emergency, they refused to give me a new parking sticker right away. Instead, I was forced to park in guest parking indefinitely, despite the fact that I had already paid for a spot. Again, another example of them making life as inconvenient as possible for their residents while prioritizing their profits.
You Can’t Even Speak to Management
If you have a problem, good luck getting in touch with someone who can actually help. Management is impossible to reach, and you’re always stuck dealing with the kids at the front desk who don’t know anything beyond the most basic information. They’ll promise to “pass along your concerns,” but nothing ever gets done. It’s frustrating and completely unprofessional.
Terrible Amenities & Broken Facilities
The hot tub barely works, so don’t expect to use it.
There’s no working elevator in the parking garage, which is a nightmare if you live on a higher floor or have groceries, luggage, or mobility concerns.
Final Recommendation? AVOID.
If you value your money, security, and sanity, do yourself a favor and do not sign a lease here. The Retreat East does not care about its residents—only about taking your money and doing the bare minimum in return. There are far better places to live in the area that won’t subject you to this level of disorganization, disregard, and constant inconvenience. Save yourself the frustration and sign somewhere else.
I’ve been living at The Retreat East for a while now, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. This community truly stands out in so many positive ways. It feels incredibly safe here. The community is always clean, thanks to the daily trash removal service, making it a pleasant place to call home. Maintenance here is top-notch! Jesus, the maintenance guy, is absolutely amazing. He resolves any issues quickly and efficiently. The club house is really good and well maintained with lots of facilities like study rooms, gym, play area, and so on. The private shuttle service is extremely convenient for students like me. It takes us directly to UCF, saving time and the hassle of parking on campus. The Retreat East has a nice and welcoming community vibe. It’s a great place to meet other students and enjoy a vibrant environment.
Maintenance (Jesus) was really helpful today fixing my AC!
Nice place to live esp compared to other options.