Overall sentiment: Reviews for The Montebello on Academy are strongly mixed but lean positive when it comes to independent living and therapy/rehab services, and more variable to negative when it comes to assisted living, some skilled nursing experiences, and management/operations. Across the many summaries, three consistent positive themes emerge: a warm, friendly staff culture in many departments; high-quality dining and abundant activities; and excellent physical therapy/rehab services. Conversely, recurring negative themes include understaffing and staff turnover, clinical lapses in some parts of the nursing/assisted-living units, communication and management responsiveness issues, and concerns about pricing and value.
Staff and care quality: A large number of reviewers praise individual employees and teams for compassion, professionalism and going "the extra mile." Multiple people call out outstanding physical therapy (several by name, including Tom) and therapy teams that produced successful recoveries. Leadership and certain staff members are named positively (for example, Amy Dimas, MaryAnn Standley, Britni), with families crediting them for smooth transitions, strong communication, and staff development. Housekeeping, dining servers, drivers and many aides receive repeated commendations.
At the same time, there are serious and recurring concerns about staffing levels, consistency, and clinical competence in certain units. Several reviewers describe understaffed nursing and assisted living areas, a high turnover of nurses, and overwhelmed or inexperienced new hires. Multiple reports allege neglectful care—ignored call bells, residents left unattended (including being left in wheelchairs in dark rooms), delayed response to incontinence care, and missed or mishandled clinical needs (examples include failure to manage diabetes/dysphagia safely, large pills not crushed, incorrect diets, or inappropriate liquids given). While some families report excellent end-of-life and skilled nursing support, others report negligent incidents including COVID-related protocol issues, premature or disorganized discharges, and, in a few alarming accounts, outcomes described as severe. These mixed clinical reports suggest inconsistent quality across departments and shifts rather than a uniform standard.
Facilities, maintenance and campus experience: The campus and buildings are frequently described as beautiful, well-maintained, and offering attractive amenities—restaurant-style dining rooms with tablecloths, a bar, salon, enclosed patios with mountain views, and multiple community rooms. Grounds, landscaping and sight-lines receive strong praise. Many residents appreciate the continuum-of-care model (Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing) and the convenience of on-site services and transportation.
However, there are complaints about slow maintenance responses, specific unrepaired issues (gate on patio wall, burst pipe repairs taking hours), and facility smells or cleanliness lapses in isolated areas. Some reviewers find the building very large and at times impersonal, and others note narrow hallways or older wings that feel dated. Parking congestion for visitors and limitations in shuttle coverage (for example, not serving west-side routes) are recurring logistical concerns.
Dining and activities: Dining is a major strength for many reviewers: abundant food, restaurant-style service, varied menus, themed/dress-up evenings, wine and bar service, and the ability to dine in the apartment. Many reviewers highlight specific positives like flavorful plating, diet customization, and multiple meal choices. Conversely, some reviewers flagged deteriorations tied to staffing—dining-room reopenings with too few servers leading to 90-minute waits or reduced service levels. Food quality opinions are generally positive but not universal; a smaller number of reviews describe poor food or inconsistent meals.
Social life and programming: Activities are frequently listed as robust, and residents report plentiful entertainment, exercise classes, card games, movie showings, cultural events, and regular outings. The community often fosters friendship-making and active social engagement, which many families cite as a major benefit to wellbeing.
Management, communication and business practices: Experiences with management and the sales team vary widely. Many reviewers report helpful, informative tours and smooth leasing and move-in processes; others report poor communication, unreturned calls, issues with withheld deposits, or opaque documentation and billing. There are isolated but serious allegations: theft of personal items, mishandled deposits, and deceptive promises about room renovations. Complaint resolution and executive responsiveness appear inconsistent—some families praise leadership responsiveness, others report unanswered concerns and unresolved issues.
Patterns and takeaways: The Montebello frequently shines for Independent Living residents—clean, well-appointed apartments, lively social life, strong dining, and dependable amenities. Physical therapy and many front-line staff are standout strengths. The most significant areas of risk or concern are in assisted-living and some skilled-nursing contexts where staffing shortages, turnover, and inconsistent clinical practice have led to lapses in care for some residents. Operational issues (maintenance delays, dining-service slowdown due to staffing, parking and shuttle limits) and business/communication problems (sales responsiveness, documentation transparency) are also recurring.
For prospective residents and families: If Independent Living is the target, reviews suggest many positive experiences around community life, dining and amenities; visit multiple times, ask about changeover of staff, and observe dining service and activities at peak times. For Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing placements, request detailed information on staff-to-resident ratios, licensed nursing coverage, clinical protocols for high-risk needs (dysphagia, diabetes, infection control), recent staffing turnover, and incident reporting practices. Ask about maintenance response times, shuttle routes, parking for visitors, and written policies regarding billing, deposits, and personal-item accountability. Finally, seek references from current families in the specific care level you are considering to assess consistency in the areas that matter most to you.
