Summer Hill Apartments

Pros

• The apartment complex is described as very beautiful.
• It features attractive wood flooring.
• It includes a basement for storage.

Cons

• The neighbors were awful, with a child screaming and throwing things at walls 24/7 and constant stomping that couldn't be drowned out.
• There was a pervasive, extremely strong smell of weed throughout the building.
• The property manager did nothing to address the concerns, and without their help the situation escalated beyond resolution.
• The resident had to call authorities for deafening music, and the neighbor responded with violent threats and tried to break down the apartment doors.
• Maintenance refused to fix a chirping smoke detector for days, telling them they wouldn't help.
• Parking was terrible: only one space for a two-bedroom, with street parking clogged by junk cars, leaving nowhere for extra vehicles or visitors.
• The apartment suffered from earwigs, silverfish, and firebrats, plus a serious moisture problem and leaks affecting multiple units.
• Belongings stored in the basement were damaged and/or smelled badly due to moisture, with odors lingering after moving out.
• Rent was not affordable for residents given the condition of the property.

Review

The property had the look of a truly beautiful place from the outside, and at first glance it seemed like a dream: stylish wood flooring throughout, a basement for extra storage, and an overall aesthetic that promised comfort and charm. Those positives, however, were overshadowed almost immediately by a host of serious problems that affected daily life in ways that the glossy pictures never hinted at. The atmosphere that should have felt serene instead grew tense and exhausting, with persistent issues that never seemed to get resolved.

Noise quickly proved to be a relentless reality. Neighbors on either side were constantly loud - children crying and throwing things at walls, and continuous stomping that drowned out almost anything you could try to block out, even with high-end earplugs or those extraordinarily loud noise-canceling headphones. To make matters worse, there was a pervasive and extremely strong smell of weed that seemed to permeate the building. Every attempt to address this with the property manager or through the proper channels fell flat, leaving the situation to fester until it escalated into something more alarming and frightening.

With the management seemingly unavailable or unwilling to intervene, the situation deteriorated into a tense and unsafe dynamic. There were moments when the disturbances escalated to the point that calling authorities felt like the only option left to protect oneself. In one instance, after the neighbors played deafening music, the tension turned to threats: the neighbor and her partner allegedly became violent, even trying to force their way into the apartment by breaching the doors. The lack of timely support from the management team left the resident feeling exposed and vulnerable, as if the only mechanism for safety was external intervention.

Maintenance experiences added another layer of frustration and distress. There was a particularly telling incident involving a smoke detector low-battery chirp that went on for days, during which the maintenance staff refused to take action and pretended not to hear anything. The response was emotionally draining, and the person describing the situation ended up in tears, feeling as if their sanity was slipping away. Amidst the frustration, one maintenance worker - Mike - stood out as the one consistently helpful person, offering real assistance where others wouldn't or couldn't. His presence underscored the inconsistent and unpredictable nature of the building's upkeep.

Parking and daily logistics compounded the stress of living there. The parking arrangement allowed for only one space for a two-bedroom unit, with a small strip of street parking that often became clogged with junk cars or vehicles that never moved. This made it nearly impossible to accommodate visitors or any extra vehicles, turning what should have been a convenient amenity into a persistent nuisance. The parking limitations added to the sense of being squeezed in a place where comfort and practical living went hand in hand with constant hassle.

Pest and moisture problems rounded out the most troubling aspects. An earwig infestation, along with silverfish and firebrats, pointed to underlying moisture and sanitation issues that plagued the complex. All of the neighbors reported leaks - whether from pipes in the basement or repeated rainwater incursions during storms - hinting at a systemic moisture problem that affected not just one unit but the building as a whole. This moisture and pest presence likely contributed to the other complaints, from the odor issues to possible damage to personal belongings.

The overall experience left a lasting impression: a property that could be stunning in appearance but fell drastically short in practice. Belongings stored in the basement were sometimes damaged or exposed to odors, and after moving out, the smell even lingered on possessions - indicating a pervasive environment that affected more than just comfort. The reviewer still recognizes the complex's beauty in design, but laments that the rent did not reflect a truly livable quality of life. If the rent were more affordable, perhaps the lifestyle could be decent; as it stood, the high cost did not justify the ongoing headaches and risks, making it a difficult place to call home.

Hospitals

• Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center (0.9 miles)
• Riverview Children's Hospital (2 miles)
• Connecticut Valley Hospital (2.2 miles)
• Family Birthing Center (9.9 miles)
• MidState Medical Center (9.9 miles)

Physicians

• Middlesex Cardiology Associates (0.9 miles)
• Orthopedic Associates of Middletown (0.9 miles)
• Middlesex Obstetrical & Gynecological Associates PC (0.9 miles)
• Middlesex Medical (0.9 miles)
• MHS Primary Care (1 miles)
• Middlesex Health Primary Care - Middletown (1 miles)
• Open Mri of Middletown (2.6 miles)

Restaurants

• Coyote Blue Tex Mex Cafe (1.7 miles)
• Neil's Donuts (2.5 miles)
• Celtic Cavern (2.9 miles)
• Athenian Diner Restaurant (4 miles)
• McDonald's (4.1 miles)
• Durham Dari Serve (5.6 miles)
• McDonald's (5.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)
• Walgreens (3.6 miles)
• Higganum Pharmacy (3.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company (6 miles)

Cafes

• Perkatory Coffee Roasters (3.3 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Starbucks (7.3 miles)
• Starbucks (8.8 miles)
• Starbucks (10.3 miles)
• Provision State Coffee (10.7 miles)
• Starbucks (10.8 miles)

Parks

• Machimoodus State Park (7.2 miles)
• Sage Park (8.7 miles)
• Washington Park (8.8 miles)
• Maxwell Park (10.4 miles)

Theaters

• Picture Show at Berlin (9.7 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak (10.8 miles)