Overall sentiment in the reviews is broadly positive about staff, programming, cleanliness, and community life, but there are notable and recurring concerns about dining quality, pest control, and some variability in facility condition and service.
Care quality and staff: Reviews consistently praise the staff as professional, kind, and caring. Multiple accounts highlight staff responsiveness, aides and nursing availability, and an on-site medical clinic and mobile dental services that families and residents appreciated. Staff efforts during the COVID-19 crisis are singled out repeatedly: proactive communication (calls and emails), effective infection-control measures, extra training and support (Cubigo sessions), and a leadership style described as strong and humble. Specific leadership was named positively, and many reviewers said they felt safe during the pandemic because of the team’s actions. At the same time, there are isolated but important negative comments about rudeness from dining-room staff and at least one remark that leadership did not take action on recurring problems, indicating unevenness in staff behavior or supervisory follow-through.
Facilities and apartments: The facility is frequently described as beautiful, immaculate, and well laid out, with well-kept grounds and communal spaces such as sunrooms and indoor plants. Several reviewers mentioned a fresh/brand-new feel on move-in and that maintenance is typically on top of issues. Apartments are described as spacious and comfortable by many residents. Contrasting comments report drafty windows, run-down areas, and, critically, reports of cockroaches in some apartments. These pest reports are highly concerning because they contradict the general picture of cleanliness; several reviewers framed this as a serious problem that management needed to address more robustly.
Dining and food service: Dining is one of the most mixed and polarized themes. Positive notes include kosher options, holiday observances, menu choices, breakfast and dinner offerings, lunch specials in the cafe, and an overall “cruise-ship-like” dining atmosphere cited by some. However, a substantial number of reviews raise strong complaints: food described as inedible by some (cold, overcooked vegetables, grey or fatty meats), poor nightly food availability (empty sandwich shelves), late dining hours, and instances of rude dining staff. A few reviews label the food “abysmal” and say leadership failed to act on these complaints. Other reviews explicitly call the food “very good” or “excellent,” which suggests significant inconsistency in meal quality or service depending on time, staff, or menu rotations. Prospective residents should sample meals and ask current residents about recent dining experiences.
Activities, social life, and enrichment: This is among Ring House’s strongest and most consistent positives. Reviewers repeatedly praise a robust, diverse activities calendar: daily activities, arts programs, dance lessons, mahjong, yoga, library events, outings and day trips, performances, and intellectually stimulating programming that helps residents identify and use personal strengths. The community feel—warm, inclusive, and socially active—comes through strongly. Activities staff are singled out as helpful and creative, and residents report thriving socially and intellectually. The presence of many resident-run games (bridge, canasta) alongside staff-organized events contributes to a lively social environment.
Management, communication, and pandemic response: Management communication during COVID-19 earns praise for frequency and clarity, and reviewers credit leadership with effectively protecting residents and making hard decisions. However, some changes made during that period were unpopular and stressful for residents (visitation restrictions, altered routines), and a few reviewers said those necessary changes made life more difficult. There are also reports of a long waiting list and at least one missed placement opportunity, suggesting demand is high and transitions can be complicated. Additionally, some reviewers believe management has been slow to address chronic complaints (notably food and pest issues), pointing to uneven problem resolution.
Patterns and tensions: Two strong but conflicting patterns emerge. First, many reviewers paint Ring House as an exceptional, well-run independent living community with warm staff, excellent programming, strong medical support, and clean, attractive facilities. Second, a distinct group of reviewers reports serious operational problems: pest infestation, ongoing poor meal quality, and occasional rude service. The coexistence of glowing and severe complaints points to variability across time, staff shifts, kitchen teams, or specific apartment areas. It also suggests that while many residents are very satisfied, quality control lapses have affected a nontrivial minority.
Bottom line and advice for prospective residents: Ring House offers a robust social life, engaged and caring staff, strong pandemic-era leadership, and well-appointed communal facilities—many residents clearly thrive there. However, repeated and serious complaints about food quality, pest control, and inconsistent service mean prospective residents should do targeted due diligence: request a meal sample and recent menus, ask management about pest-control records and remediation plans, tour multiple apartment units (including windows and baseboards), check turnover and staff training practices, and speak to long-term residents about how leadership handles recurring issues. If the priorities are active programming, medical access, and community warmth, Ring House ranks highly; if dining quality and impeccable building maintenance are top concerns, confirm current status directly with management before committing.
