Residencia Marbella ALF

Pros

• Casabella Residence is an excellent nursing home with high quality standards, providing loving, specialized care that meets and exceeds federal and state requirements.
• The facility is beautifully well kept, always very clean, and the staff are super friendly.
• Residencia Marbella's care is second to none, with friendly and highly competent staff.
• The residence is over 2000 square feet with an open, airy living room, and the layout helps keep patients focused on meals.
• The place is spotless, and the rates are fair and reasonable by industry standards.
• The owner is knowledgeable, the neighborhood is great, and the staff are amazing.
• The manager is friendly and professional; the overall place is nice, clean, and well organized.

Cons

• One reviewer states that Residencia Marbella and its sister facilities have been cited for code violations and engage in unscrupulous practices.
• They claim the city inspectors found violations at the ALF, forcing them to move their mother out due to unsafe conditions.
• They allege that Casa Bella ALF and Marbella are not code compliant with the city and cut corners legally.
• They describe medication errors, such as giving a sleeping pill at 2 PM and giving 6 pills instead of 8, risking serious harm to the resident.
• They accuse Casabella Residence of employing undocumented immigrants, paying staff poorly, using uncertified nurses who recently arrived from Cuba, and having staff who do not speak English; the owner is allegedly never present.
• They assert the facilities rely on deception and that appearances are misleading, implying care is not as advertised.

Review

The collection of reviews presents a nuanced and sometimes contradictory portrait of several assisted living facilities in the Marbella Park area around Miami, with Casabella Residence, Residencia Marbella, and Casa Bella ALF as the most frequently mentioned names. Across the comments, there is a tension between consistently high praise for cleanliness, organization, and attentive staff, and a series of serious concerns about safety, regulatory compliance, and the accuracy of medical administration. Taken together, the impressions convey both warmth and alarm, depending on which reviewer's experience is being recounted.

Several reviewers speak very highly of the day-to-day atmosphere and the human side of care. One commenter describes the facility as a "nice place and good staff," praising the staff as friendly and professional, and noting that the place is clean and organized. Another review highlights Casabella Residence as an exemplary setting for elderly care, stressing "loving, specialized care" and care that "meets and exceeds the standards required by federal and state authorities." The sense that the care provided is sincere and attentive comes through repeatedly in these upbeat accounts, with assurances that the facility is open to verification by visitors who can observe responsible care firsthand. The general tone in these accounts is that the environment can feel welcoming and well-managed, with a focus on cleanliness, order, and a calm, home-like atmosphere.

There is a similarly affirmative verdict about Residencia Marbella, with adjectives like "excellent," "high quality standards," and "amazing staff" appearing in multiple statements. One reviewer emphasizes that the residence is not only well-kept but also spacious - over 2,000 square feet - with a living room that feels open and airy. A distinctive architectural note is made about the layout: the kitchen is not visible from the living room, which the reviewer suggests helps keep patients focused and less distracted while meals are prepared. The facility is described as spotless, with fair and reasonable rates by industry standards, and the overall impression is that it offers a safe, well-regarded environment in a gated, secure community. The owner, Maria Eugenia, is singled out by name in at least one review as someone who is knowledgeable and capable, reinforcing the sense of a well-run operation that residents' families can trust and rely upon.

Beyond the praise for aesthetics and management, several passages underscore the value placed on ongoing care quality. One reviewer explicitly states that the Marbella residence is "worth every penny," and another reiterates that the neighborhood is great, the staff amazing, and the owner knowledgeable. Together, these comments construct a narrative of a facility that appears to deliver not only clean surroundings but also a confident sense of leadership and a coherent care philosophy backed by a committed owner and staff.

However, alongside these positive assessments, there are a number of stark concerns raised by other reviewers that cannot be ignored. A separate account describes a direct, urgent problem: the family had to move a loved one after city inspectors cited the facility for code violations and for conducting work without permits. The reviewer sketches a picture of unscrupulous practices and emphasizes that the facility was found noncompliant by the city, prompting a compliance-driven decision to relocate a resident. This claim of active code violations and potential safety issues introduces serious questions about regulatory adherence and the safety of residents, contrasting sharply with the glowing endorsements described in other posts.

Compounding these concerns are warnings about broader regulatory and management issues connected to the properties owned by the same operator. One reviewer notes that Casa Bella ALF, which shares ownership with Residencia Marbella, has multiple complaints filed with the AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration). The recommendation accompanying this claim urges prospective families to conduct thorough due diligence and not rely solely on the outward appeal of the property. The implication is that appearances can be deceiving, and that there may be systemic issues across facilities tied to the same ownership, particularly around compliance, safety, and consistent quality control.

The most alarming allegations center on care practices and medication management. A reviewer claims that there was a pattern of dangerous medication handling, including giving a sleeping pill at an inappropriate time (2 p.m.), providing more pills than prescribed (six instead of eight), and administering high blood pressure medications that could pose serious risk. In this account, the reviewer describes a near-emergency situation that forced an urgent removal from the facility, arguing that the stakes are a person's life and that the owners appear more focused on financial considerations than on patient welfare. This perspective casts doubt on how medications are supervised and how medical decisions are documented and checked, raising concerns about the reliability and safety of daily care routines.

Further troubling details focus on staffing and credentials. The reviewer asserts that Casabella Residence employs undocumented immigrants who are paid poorly, with maintenance or nursing staff lacking proper certifications and English language proficiency. The claim goes on to describe a scenario in which uncertified nurses from Cuba administer medications, with incidents of medications going missing for days and being handed to family members to manage at home. The account accuses the owners of absence from the facility and portrays caregivers as communicating with colleagues in Cuba via FaceTime while raising their voices. Taken together, these assertions paint a portrait of serious gaps in training, supervision, and accountability that would be cause for grave concern for families considering placement.

Taken as a whole, the reviews reflect a landscape where two themes coexist: pride in facility upkeep, compassionate staff, and comfortable, well-appointed environments; and grave concerns about regulatory compliance, safety in medication administration, and the quality and reliability of staff training and oversight. Some reviewers emphasize the positive, pointing to cleanliness, transparency through visitor verification, the favorable view of staff attitudes, and the apparent commitment of the owner in certain properties. Other reviewers, however, insist that appearances can be misleading, citing city inspections, formal complaints, alleged mismanagement of medications, and serious questions about staffing and supervision. They urge prospective families to perform independent checks and to consider AHCA filings and other official records before making decisions.

If you are weighing options in this area, the reviews collectively recommend a cautious, thorough approach. Visit facilities in person to observe the daily routines, speak directly with staff, and ask pointed questions about medication protocols, staffing certifications, and supervisory oversight. Request copies of regulatory inspections and any corrective action plans, and seek out current residents' families to hear a broader range of experiences. While some reviewers speak highly of the overall environment and the care philosophy at these residences, others recommend a careful verification of compliance, safety, and the quality and consistency of clinical care before making a choice. The overarching message is clear: the care of a loved one is deeply personal and should rest on verified safety, qualified staffing, and transparent, accountable management as much as on comfort and cleanliness.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Latina Pharmacy (2.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Olive Garden (0.5 miles)
• Flanigan's Seafood Bar & Grill (0.8 miles)
• Fritanga Monimbo Fountainbleau (0.9 miles)
• Pinecrest Bakery - West Miami (2.1 miles)
• The Cheesecake Factory (3 miles)
• Latin American Bakery & Cafe (3 miles)
• Delicias De Espana (3.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Dominic's Catholic Church (2.8 miles)
• Our Lady of Guadalupe (3.5 miles)
• St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church (4.5 miles)
• Bible Truth Chapel (4.5 miles)

Physicians

• Pediatric Associates Doral (2.9 miles)
• Nicklaus Children's Hospital (3.4 miles)
• Valdes Rafael DDS (5.2 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (3 miles)
• Moulin Rose Cake & Bakery Shop (5 miles)
• Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar (5.1 miles)

Parks

• Tropical Park (3.3 miles)
• Concord Park (3.6 miles)
• Morgan Levy Park (3.9 miles)
• Southern Estates Park (4.1 miles)
• North Trail Park (4.1 miles)
• Babcock Park (5.5 miles)
• Douglas Park (5.6 miles)

Transportation

• Concourse F (3.6 miles)
• Concourse E (3.8 miles)
• Concourse G (3.8 miles)
• Turkish Airlines Lounge (3.8 miles)
• American Airlines Flagship Lounge (3.8 miles)
• American Airlines Admirals Club (3.8 miles)
• Skytrain Station 3 (3.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Doctors Hospital (5.1 miles)
• South Miami Hospital (5.5 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Sunset Place 24 (5.6 miles)