Big Bethel Village

Pros

• The staff at Big Bethel Village is friendly and courteous.
• Maintenance is timely in addressing residents' needs.
• Michael Smith goes above and beyond to help the elderly and always greets people with a heartwarming smile.
• The maintenance team is praised for high-quality, reliable apartment upkeep.
• The activities director is one of the nicest, most enthusiastic, and energetic professionals in senior living.
• The activities director demonstrates thoughtful engagement and evident joy in her work.
• The complex is described as beautiful and tranquil.
• The staff are consistently courteous and helpful.

Cons

• The elevator was always not working.
• The washers and dryers were always not working.
• There was always something broken and roaches were everywhere.
• The facility was described as unprofessional.
• Staff were unwelcoming and ignored requests for help.
• No one was available to assist in guiding to residents' rooms.
• The property was described as smelling and infested with roaches and multiple types of spiders.
• Bedbugs are rampant.
• Residents are not allowed access to the outdoor courtyard.
• Cleaning of community areas is rarely done; bathroom fixtures have been broken for years; there is no paper or soap in the community bathrooms.
• Management is said to have little to no concern.
• Remodeling has been talked about for years with no progress, and may require residents to move multiple times.
• There is a risk of being moved into an apartment infested with bedbugs.

Review

Big Bethel Village presents a complex and uneven picture, as seen through the experiences of residents and visitors who have lived and interacted with the property over time. On one hand, several voices describe a setting that is visually appealing and tranquil, with a strong sense of community in certain areas. On the other hand, a substantial portion of feedback centers on persistent maintenance failures, pest concerns, and management challenges that have left some individuals frustrated and disengaged. Taken together, the collection of impressions reveals a facility that can feel both welcoming and unreliable, depending on whose experience is being considered and at what moment.

One longtime reviewer paints a troubling start-to-finish portrait of life at Big Bethel Village. They report residing there for two and a half years during which essential systems repeatedly failed: elevators were consistently out of service, and the laundry facilities (washers and dryers) were frequently nonfunctional. The resident emphasizes a chronic presence of pests, including roaches, with a broader sense that little seemed to work as intended. The tone is one of sustained dissatisfaction with professionalism and responsiveness, underscored by an incident where, as a non-familial visitor to drop off an Instacart order for a resident, there was no staff assistance available to help navigate to the correct resident's room. In a situation where guidance and hospitality would be expected, the reviewer says they were ignored when they asked for a cart to move multiple bags to the third floor, reflecting a broader perception of indifference from the staff.

Despite these grievances, the same reviewer also notes a shift in experience after relocating to Big Bethel Village. They now describe genuine enjoyment of their residency, highlighting friendly and courteous staff, with maintenance being notably timely in addressing resident needs. A standout impairment to this otherwise positive tone is the commendation of a particular maintenance worker, Michael Smith, who is praised for going "above and beyond" in assisting the elderly, greeting everyone with a warm smile, and demonstrating a serious commitment to his role. The reviewer even suggests that apartment upkeep would benefit from employing maintenance personnel with a similar approach and work ethic as Michael, and, by extension, praises the contribution of Chris as an example of what effective maintenance collaboration looks like.

Yet even among positive remarks, there are cautions that reflect deeper systemic concerns. Other residents describe Big Bethel Village as smelly, with a prevalence of pests - roaches and various spiders - and an environment that feels neglected in the collective upkeep of the property. Specific grievances include restrictions on outdoor courtyard access, inadequate cleaning of community areas, and broken fixtures in community bathrooms that have persisted for years, along with a lack of basic supplies like paper and soap. The notion of ongoing remodeling looms large, with repeated timelines that stretch into years and rumors that residents may be moved multiple times during the process. The possibility of moving a resident into an apartment infested with bedbugs is also cited as a troubling concern in the discourse around the remodel.

At the same time, there are affirmations about the facility's positive attributes that counterbalance the darker notes. For several reviewers, the landscape and overall ambiance of Big Bethel Village contribute to a sense of beauty and tranquility. The staff are described as consistently courteous and helpful, and maintenance, when called upon, is praised for timeliness and reliability. The activities director/coordinator receives standout admiration for her warmth, enthusiasm, and genuine dedication to her role. One reviewer specifically commends the director's thoughtful actions - such as offering a faculty tour for visiting groups and sharing engaging stories about the establishment's history - highlighting a visible passion for serving both residents and the wider community.

The most charged portion of the feedback centers on management and its perceived priorities. A subset of reviewers expresses strong disapproval, referring to management as unprofessional and, in one stark case, "evil." There are mentions of administrative leadership and the assistant manager that color the overall impression of how the facility is run. Compounding the controversy is a claim that the church organization is involved in or connected to the facility's operations in ways that some find troubling. Taken together, these statements illustrate a palpable tension between residents who feel cared for and those who feel neglected or misled by leadership.

In sum, the narrative surrounding Big Bethel Village is one of contrasts. The property can feel inviting, aesthetically pleasing, and well-supported by a responsive maintenance team when things are functioning well, especially for residents who encounter staff members like Michael Smith and those who experience timely repairs and courteous service. Conversely, persistent maintenance failures, pest problems, cleanliness concerns, and questions about how the facility is governed temper that positivity and raise legitimate questions about ongoing management practices and remodel timelines. For prospective residents and their families, the range of experiences suggests the importance of visiting and speaking with current residents across different floors and times, to gain a fuller sense of how the community operates beyond a single snapshot.

Physicians

• Berkeley Medical & Rehab Center (0.1 miles)
• Arnika Dawkins (1.7 miles)
• Atlantic Premier Obgyn (4.8 miles)
• Atlanta Gastroenterolgy (5.4 miles)
• Premier South Medical Group (5.5 miles)
• Southwest Atlanta Vascular Care (5.5 miles)
• Peachtree Orthopedics (6.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Chick-Fil-A (1.1 miles)
• McDonald's (1.2 miles)
• Wendy's (2.1 miles)
• Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits (3.3 miles)
• Wendy's (3.5 miles)
• Zaxby's (3.6 miles)
• Captain D's (3.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• Wayfield Foods (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.7 miles)
• Walgreens (4.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.4 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (5.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.2 miles)
• Chattahoochee Coffee (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (5.9 miles)
• Starbucks (7.3 miles)
• Cross Creek Cafe (7.4 miles)
• Starbucks (7.8 miles)
• Starbucks Reserve (7.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Bethel United Methodist Church (2.1 miles)
• East Point Church (7 miles)

Parks

• Trammell Crow Park (2.5 miles)
• Anderson Park (3.5 miles)
• Westside Park (5.1 miles)
• Stonewell Park (6.3 miles)
• Pemberton Place (7.1 miles)
• Sweetwater Creek State Park (7.4 miles)

Transportation

• Signature Flight Support FTY - Fulton County Airport (2.6 miles)
• Marta - Dome/Gwcc/Phillips Arena/Cnn Center Station (6.9 miles)
• Bus Shed #1 (7 miles)
• MARTA - College Park Station (7.1 miles)
• Bus Shed #3 (7.2 miles)
• Avis Rent A Car (7.4 miles)
• SkyTrain Station: Rental Car Center (7.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Grady Memorial Hospital (7.5 miles)