Stafford Apartments

I have no idea how this place has only 3.6 stars!
I lived at the Stafford for 2 years and it was, WITHOUT QUESTION, the best apartment I've ever lived in, all things considered. It is an old building, of course. But, add up the price, size, awesome neighborhood, tenants and living conditions and it's the best kept secret.
Living Conditions - The tenants are primarily Peabody and JHU Students, Doctors in residency at JHMI and students from MICA and UB. Take that to mean all that it implies -... great neighbors! How about the occasional french horn, flute or opera singer filling the halls instead of music blasting or screaming/fighting neighbors? You never have to worry about weed smoke in the halls or traveling into your apartment. Most importantly, in 2 years I never saw or heard of a mouse or roach in the apartments. I think I killed a fly or 2 in the whole 2 years.
Neighborhood - Mt. Vernon is the best kept secret in Baltimore. Check the crime blotter. People walk dogs all hours of the day and night (says a lot), there are free movies and concerts in the parks, you're right at the monument lighting ceremony and you could very well be inconvenienced by your neighborhood being the scene for another movie or TV show (Google Mt. Vernon Baltimore Movies / TV), pretty cool problem to have.

Samantha has moved on to pursue her real dream but, she started things off for my experience with a great attitude, clear dedication and knowledge. Cassandra, you never know when people are paying attention. You, not only have a great attitude but, you have been noticed working hard even when you weren't necessarily "on the clock". You definitely fit right in. I wish you and your man the best. Great people! Since Christine started as the Property Manager, everything has changed from the little things like mints in the vestibule and new pictures to the major things like quick repairs to everything and major cosmetic updates. All the best to Mr. John - as dedicated and hard working a man as you will ever see servicing a property. I hope the residents are a little more respectful, not making his work extra hard. Linda, I appreciate you very much! The whole experience was the best! I had to move on but, I do miss it. Lee mas

The maintenance is very poor. One of the two elevators never worked for the most of my two years here. The other elevator is very very slow. The air conditioning, heat and hot water breaks down every now and then and it takes few days to get it back. The staff keeps on changing. Price used to reasonable when I initially moved in but has substantially increased. The only good point is that Mount Vernon neighborhood is very pretty and fun place to live in.

The building is located in historical Mount Vernon and it used to be a hotel. That’s pretty much the big selling point, but here are a few things you can expect from living at the Stafford: Small apartments, limited to no storage space, outdated cabinetry, kitchen appliances that sometimes works or breaks down altogether, cheap vinyl baseboards around the entire apartment , paper thin walls (you can hear your neighbors toilet bowl running or when they are in the shower), inconsistent water... temperatures (when you’re taking a shower the water will go from scolding hot to freezing cold in a matter of seconds) and on unseasonably hot days the inside of the apartments are even hotter. The cooling and heating systems are controlled by the building so if it’s too hot or cold then depending on the season there’s nothing you can do about it. Also you share utilitiy cost with your neighbors and manament keeps the a/c or heat running in empty units 24/7 so be prepared to split the cost to heat or cool the entire building including the offices, hallways and empty apartments. The washers and dryers are also super expensive; the washers are never cleaned out and no matter what temperature you choose, you will only get cold water to wash everything and finally if you have a question and want to email the property manager about it, be prepared to wait a very long time for a response even though they will send out emails and expect you to instantly respond the same cannot be expected from them. Do Not Move Here!

Bottom line is that while living in a part of history may be a nice idea the reality is that we live in the present and we don’t have to allow people to overcharge us based on sentiment. There are better apartments in Baltimore and maybe even the area but The Stafford isn’t worth anyone’s time, effort or hardworking cash. Take your money elsewhere! Lee mas

The building is in a historic part of Baltimore—we can see the Washington monument from our window! The neighbors have all been lovely, and building management is always wonderful to work with. Good response times and communication with building management and repair teams. I especially love that there are parks right outside for the dog; she always meets plenty of friends when we go for walks. Pretty much anything you need on a day-to-day is within walking distance. I couldn't ask for a better... place to call home. Lee mas

The Stafford is a nice place to live. The apartments are normally priced. However, washing is expensive, the elevators have minds of their own, and the workout room is limited and small. On the other hand, maintenance of the apartment is excellent. If there is a problem, it is resolved in a very timely fashion. It is a smoke-free community and conveniently place close to Peabody Institute and is close to the Johns Hopkins shuttle.