Pricing ranges from
    $2,419 – 3,879/month

    Holiday Country Squire

    1602 Buckingham St, Saint Joseph, MO, 64506
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    4.0

    Warm, safe, engaging senior community

    I moved my mom in here and I'm very pleased. The building is beautiful and well-kept with clean rooms, remodeled touches, restaurant-style meals, and a huge variety of activities (exercise, bingo, church, outings, library, salon). The staff are genuinely caring, know residents by name, and provide attentive, 24/7 support - housekeeping, transportation and pet-friendly options are big pluses. Downsides: food quality/portions can be inconsistent, the building shows its age in spots (limited elevators), and costs/billing can be a concern, but overall it's a warm, safe, engaging place I'd recommend.

    Pricing

    $2,419+/moStudioIndependent Living
    $2,829+/mo1 BedroomIndependent Living
    $3,879+/mo2 BedroomIndependent Living

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Assistance with dressing
    • Hospice waiver
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system

    Meals and dining

    • Meal preparation and service

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Internet
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor patio
    • Outdoor space
    • Pet friendly
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    4.50 · 158 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.5
    • Staff

      4.7
    • Meals

      4.2
    • Amenities

      4.3
    • Value

      3.3

    Pros

    • Caring, attentive staff
    • Staff know residents by name / personalized attention
    • Welcoming, family-like community
    • Strong, varied activity program (bingo, bridge, live entertainment, themed events)
    • Restaurant-style dining with three meals daily
    • On-site amenities: exercise room, library, salon/beauty shop, chapel, card/activity rooms
    • Regular housekeeping and linen service (weekly light, biweekly deep mentioned)
    • Reliable transportation/bus service for appointments and outings
    • Pet-friendly community
    • Variety of apartment layouts and renovated units
    • Responsive maintenance
    • Generally clean and well-kept common areas (many reviews)
    • 24-hour assistance / emergency call buttons included
    • Supportive move-in process and resident ambassadors for new arrivals
    • Social environment that reduces loneliness and fosters friendships
    • Perceived good value for money by many residents/families
    • COVID-19 safety measures and adaptations to activities/meals
    • Non-pushy, informative sales/tour staff
    • Dining accommodations (e.g., free family meals first month, room service during COVID)
    • Guest suite availability
    • Frequent social outings and special events (holidays, Mother's Day tea, fireworks)
    • Long-tenured, consistent staff presence
    • Opportunities for volunteer involvement and resident engagement
    • Handicap accessible features and accommodations

    Cons

    • Inconsistent and sometimes poor food quality (tasteless, overcooked, small portions, repetitive)
    • Housekeeping inconsistencies and cleanliness issues in some apartments (dust, uncleaned bathrooms/kitchens, ants, mold reports)
    • Only one elevator in places causing waits and crowding for walkers
    • Small apartment sizes relative to cost
    • Occasional billing and administrative errors (incorrect charges, post-death billing)
    • Isolated but serious reports of vandalism/theft and poor incident follow-up
    • Occasional odor issues (urine smell in hallways, moldy smells in rooms)
    • Limited clinical/nursing care (no nursing after certain hours; may not meet higher care needs)
    • Busy or noisy atmosphere for those seeking quiet/personal space
    • Limited parking and instances of insufficient seating in common areas
    • Call-for-help buttons or processes described as confusing or hard to reach staff
    • Perceived inconsistencies in rule enforcement or fairness
    • Laundry facilities or services may be limited (some residents do own laundry)
    • Cosmetic maintenance needs (worn carpets, outdated areas) noted by some
    • Waiting lists / occasional lack of vacancies
    • Concerns about overnight staffing / lack of night manager reported
    • Some residents find portions or menu options insufficient for larger appetites
    • Mixed reports about follow-through on resident concerns (inconsistency in staff follow-up)

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across the reviews for Holiday Country Squire is strongly positive, especially regarding the staff, social community, and activity offerings. The most consistent praise centers on the people who work there: staff are described repeatedly as caring, attentive, proactive, and familiar with residents by name. Many reviews emphasize that the staff go above and beyond, provide personalized attention, help with transitions, and create a warm, family-like atmosphere. Move-in experiences are frequently characterized as smooth and supportive, with resident ambassadors and non-pushy, informative sales/tour staff helping new residents acclimate.

    Care quality and safety receive largely favorable comments. Multiple reviewers mention 24-hour assistance, included emergency call buttons, on-site nursing availability in some capacity, and staff experienced with dementia care. Families often report peace of mind from the attentive, relationship-first approach. That said, there are recurring notes that the community is primarily an independent/assisted living setting and may not be appropriate for residents requiring higher levels of clinical nursing care or round-the-clock skilled nursing. A few reviews explicitly state that a loved one needed more care than the facility could provide.

    Facilities and apartments are generally reported as clean, well-maintained, and often remodeled; many residents praise renovated units, bright apartments, and helpful maintenance staff. Common areas — dining rooms, activity rooms, libraries, and fitness spaces — are frequently described as inviting and well-kept. The community offers a broad range of on-site amenities, including an exercise room, library, beauty salon, chapel, card and activity rooms, a country store, atrium events (donuts/coffee), and a guest suite. Pet-friendliness, accessible features, and a variety of apartment layouts (studios, efficiencies, one-bedrooms) are appreciated. However, consistent patterns of concern include relatively small apartment sizes (some under 400 sq ft) for the price and cosmetic wear in parts of the building (worn carpeting in some hallways, occasional reports of outdated areas). A notable operational bottleneck reported by multiple reviewers is limited elevator access (often one elevator), which can cause waits and crowding for residents using walkers.

    Dining and food receive mixed but prominent attention. Many residents and families praise the restaurant-style dining, three meals daily, and several reviewers call the food delicious with healthy choices and appealing desserts. Special accommodations such as free family meals during the first month and room service during COVID were appreciated. Conversely, a sizable subset of reviews criticize inconsistent food quality — describing meals as tasteless, overcooked, repetitive, or served in portions too small for larger appetites. Some reviewers report a decline in meal variety over time, and others note inattentive dining staff at times. This split suggests variability in kitchen performance or differing expectations among residents.

    Activities and social life are a standout strength. Reviews consistently highlight an active calendar: bingo, bridge, church services, live entertainment, exercise classes, themed parties (e.g., Halloween, Mother's Day tea), outings to local restaurants, and other social events. The community bus enables outings and appointments, which residents appreciate. Many reviewers say the environment combats loneliness, fosters new friendships, and provides daily engagement — with activities and staff engagement often cited as factors giving residents a "new lease on life."

    Housekeeping and maintenance feedback is mixed. Several reviewers praise weekly cleaning, biweekly deep cleaning, linen service, and attentive maintenance. Conversely, others report inconsistent or poor housekeeping in individual apartments — citing unclean bathrooms or kitchens, dusty furniture, ants, and mold concerns. These apparent inconsistencies point toward variability in staff performance or scheduling rather than a uniform facility-wide problem, though isolated but serious cleanliness issues were raised and should be noted by prospective residents.

    Management and administrative practices are generally viewed positively: many note respectful, non-pushy admissions staff, prompt follow-up, and management that is caring and accessible. Marketing and engagement staff were praised by name in multiple reviews. However, there are non-trivial complaints about billing mistakes (including an instance of being charged after a resident's death), occasional poor handling of incidents (a report of vandalism/theft with unsatisfactory follow-up), and some inconsistency in policy enforcement. A few reviewers expressed concerns about night staffing coverage and difficulty reaching help via call buttons; these operational issues, while not ubiquitous, are significant when they occur.

    Patterns and recommendations: The dominant narrative is that Holiday Country Squire offers a supportive, activity-rich environment with a caring staff and many useful amenities — making it a strong choice for many older adults seeking independent or assisted living with a social atmosphere. Recurrent areas for improvement are the consistency of food quality and variety, reliability and thoroughness of in-apartment housekeeping, elevator capacity and facility cosmetic maintenance, and administrative reliability in billing and incident follow-up. Prospective residents and families should tour multiple times, sample a meal if possible, ask about housekeeping schedules and standards, confirm clinical/nursing capabilities and overnight staffing, check elevator access and parking availability, and clarify billing policies (including procedures in the event of a resident’s passing).

    In summary, the reviews portray a community with many strengths — especially around staff compassion, social programming, and overall livability — tempered by recurring, addressable operational issues largely related to dining, housekeeping, and certain administrative or infrastructure constraints. Those strengths have led many residents to report improved well-being, new friendships, and satisfaction with their decision to move to Holiday Country Squire, while the negative reports suggest specific areas the facility could target for quality improvements to raise consistency across all resident experiences.

    Location

    Map showing location of Holiday Country Squire

    About Holiday Country Squire

    Holiday Country Squire sits in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by historic mansions and offers a comfortable place for seniors to live with a small-town feel, so folks who like peaceful surroundings might find it fits them. The apartments come in studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom layouts, and each unit has a modern kitchenette, self-controlled heat and air conditioning, and walk-in showers or tubs, which is good for people who like to do things at their own pace. The building has elevators, so getting to any floor is easy, and the walk-in tubs and wheelchair-accessible showers make bathing safer. You'll find wide hallways and easy-to-maneuver floor plans for walkers or wheelchairs, which can help if mobility's an issue.

    Residents get three chef-inspired meals every day in the dining room, and the food's meant to be both nutritious and tasty, so folks can enjoy eating together and get proper nutrition. Guests can join residents for meals or even stay overnight, and the community encourages visits like family gathering around the table. There's a community fireplace and a large lounge with a TV for programs or just sitting together. Both indoor and outdoor common areas offer places for residents to meet friends or get some quiet, like the well-stocked library or meditation spots, and there's a card and game room, a billiards room, and a community kitchen for group activities. Outdoor paths and gardens are tended and give space for walks or just sitting in the shade, while patios and walking trails offer good spaces when the weather's nice.

    The community supports independent living, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home services, so people with a range of needs find support here. Home health care can be arranged with outside providers for those who want more medical help, while staff provide 24/7 emergency response for all residents, and everyone gets a Lively Mobile Plus device for personal emergency help whether they're inside or outside the building. Housekeeping, laundry for linens, and maintenance come with the stay, so residents don't have to worry about chores most days.

    Pets are welcome, which lightens the mood for those who love animals, but it's smart to check which pets are allowed, since rules may apply. The grounds are spacious and friendly for walking dogs or just taking a stroll, and there's resident parking for those who still drive and guest parking for visiting families. There's free scheduled transportation to medical appointments, errands, or community outings, so residents can get around even if they don't drive anymore. Devotional services are available, as well as a calendar of activities, daily entertainment, offsite events, and programs like the Engage Life program, which helps people learn, socialize, or spend time in spiritual fellowship.

    Smoking's not allowed inside, so the air stays cleaner, and WiFi is available in shared spaces. Each apartment comes wired for cable TV. There are extra touches like an on-site country store for basics, a barber and beauty salon, a fitness center, locked mailboxes, and elevators. The community takes steps to make sure people feel safe, supported, and engaged, with a focus on hospitality and privacy. There is an entry fee, so it's worth checking the cost to see how it fits the budget. Residents must be 55 or older. The location is near Mosaic Life Care medical center and shopping at East Hills Mall, so essentials aren't far away. The overall aim is to make life easier and more comfortable, giving residents choices and support in their daily routines.

    About Holiday by Atria

    Holiday Country Squire is managed by Holiday by Atria.

    Holiday Retirement, founded in 1971 by Bill Colson, was one of the largest independent living operators in North America with over 300 communities at its peak. In 2019, Holiday Retirement was acquired by Atria Senior Living, creating one of the largest senior living providers in the United States. The communities now operate under the Atria brand while maintaining many of the traditions and values that made Holiday Retirement a trusted name in senior living for nearly 50 years. Holiday pioneered the concept of affordable, all-inclusive independent living for seniors, offering residents a worry-free lifestyle with meals, housekeeping, activities, and transportation included in one monthly fee.

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