Marea Apartment Homes - Dana Point, California

Stephanie S.

I recently had the pleasure of living at Marea Apartments in Dana Point and I must say, it was truly a fantastic experience.

First and foremost, the LOCATION of the apartments is unbeatable. Living next to a beautiful trail leading straight to the beach was a dream come true. The clean and gorgeous beach became my favorite spot to unwind and enjoy the stunning views. It truly added a special touch to my everyday life.

One aspect that really stood out during my time at Marea was the exceptional MAINTENANCE Team (10/10 🙌🏻) The maintenance team was prompt and efficient in addressing any issues that arose in my apartment. Their QUICK response time and dedication to resolving problems promptly truly set them apart.

Moreover, the OFFICE STAFF at Marea Apartments were a delight to interact with. Always available to address any questions or concerns, they exuded professionalism and courtesy in every interaction. Their clear communication and attentive approach made me feel valued as a resident, creating a welcoming and comfortable living environment.

Overall, my experience at Marea Apartments was nothing short of amazing. The combination of a prime location, top-notch maintenance service, and excellent staff made my time there truly memorable. I would highly recommend Marea Apartments to anyone looking for a wonderful place to call home in Dana Point.

eli C.

My wife and I love living at Marea! Shenaye in the leasing office helped us with both our move in and our transfer and she has made every process so easy! She is also always available in the office to help us when we have any questions! She also loves dogs- our pup loves stopping by the office to say hi! The maintenance team is also great! All work orders get completed so quickly. We would definitely recommend living here

Oliver M.

We have lived here about 6 months, and we love it. The apartment is really nice, all the amenities are well maintained, the trail to the beach is a great bonus. Staff on site are all very helpful and friendly - Shenaye was our point of contact and has always been responsive when we’ve needed to contact her.

The area is great too, loads to do. We will definitely be renewing after our first year.

Sean A.

Marea Apartment Homes has an unbeatable location—just two blocks from the ocean and within a five-minute drive of several stunning beaches, including Salt Creek Beach, Strands Beach, and Doheny State Beach. Depending on your unit, you may even get a breathtaking view of the golf course and a sliver of the ocean. For the location alone, I’d give it a solid 4 stars.

However, that’s where the positives end.

The complex itself is visibly aging has a large spider issue, and is just about at the ends of its viability. But the real issue—the one that made our experience unbearable—was the complete failure of management to handle a serious harassment situation.

Serious Safety & Management Issues
My wife was repeatedly harassed by our aggressive male neighbor, and management refused to take any meaningful action until extreme measures were taken.

It all started over something simple—he regularly parked a foot or two into our assigned space, making it difficult for my pregnant wife to fully open her car door. When she politely asked him to park within his spot, he escalated the situation, aggressively confronting her and then becoming more and more unhinged over the coming weeks and months.

Things only got worse:
-He blocked her car in when she was trying to take our newborn to a doctor’s appointment.
-He waited for me to leave before harassing her, multiple times.
-It took police reports, legal threats, and me explicitly telling management I would physically handle it myself for them to finally intervene.

When management finally confronted him, he was aggressive toward them as well—yet instead of taking action against him, their solution was to cancel our lease and give us barely a week to move.

Final Straw on Move-Out Day
On the day we moved, our psychotic neighbor waited until I left with the moving truck, then harassed my wife one last time. He watched her struggle to load the car with our newborn, then deliberately blocked her in while sitting in his car laughing at her misfortune. Lucky for myself, I was far away. otherwise I would be in prison for the acts I would have committed.

Final Verdict
Marea’s location is incredible, but the management is absolutely incompetent when it comes to resident safety. If everything goes smoothly, you’ll love living here. But if you ever have an issue with another resident, don’t expect management to protect you. They will take the easiest way out, even if that means forcing out a family instead of addressing an aggressive neighbor.

We were happy to leave and never look back. I can only hope that neighbor met his end when dealing with the wrong person.

Erin S.

Marea is quiet, neighbors are friendly and it is probably one of the most dog-friendly communities I’ve ever seen. The office staff knows you by name, your dogs and your children. You will not find a better view or more convenient location close the beach. Maintenance is quick to respond, usually with in a couple hours or less. The common areas are clean and a great place to meet new people. The staff is friendly although I will say that Shenaye has gone above and beyond to help us through, not only the leasing process but any questions we’ve had while being here. We moved from half way across the country which is a big undertaking and we truly could not have done it without her. This is paradise! This is an honest review with no benefit to me. We love our community here!

Daphne G.

I searched all of south Orange County for the perfect apartment complex for my sister. And I found it in Marea. The location is ideal on the corner of Crown Valley Parkway and Pacific Coast Highway, only a mile from Salt Creek Beach. The apartments are luxurious and beautifully appointed. But what truly sets Marea apart is the staff. Shenae, Reuben and Cayman offer five star service. You would think they’d been trained at a five star hotel. And the maintenance staff is superb. If you fill out a work request it is literally fulfilled within hours. I can guarantee that my sister will never move. Thank you Shenae, Reuben and Cayman for all you do.

Peter K.

Shenaye has been extremely helpful, kind, and considerate. Very quick response, always went out of her way to make sure I had all my needs met. She exceeded all my expectations of a leasing agent not only in finding a home but since I’ve moved in all year long.

A.G

The trail behind the building is beautiful—but that’s the only good thing about this place. The apartments are old, rundown, and poorly maintained, with layers of paint covering the mess.

The management is unbearable, constantly surveilling residents, tracking parking, and even complaining about spider webs on cars? They harass tenants with petty demands, like suddenly requiring me to remove my balcony lights and privacy screen, despite neighbors having far messier setups.

The noise is unbearable. Walls are paper-thin, and upstairs neighbor bangs on the ceiling over the slightest sounds. The building is so poorly constructed that even closing my closet door makes so much noise that it makes neighbor go off.

Save yourself the trouble and stay away—only the trail is worth it and it’s open to the public anyway.