Bayview Retirement Community

    11 W Aloha St, Seattle, WA, 98119
    4.5 · 41 reviews
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousCurrent/former resident
    4.0

    Warm community, excellent staff, reservations

    I was impressed: a not-for-profit, very clean community with stunning views, great meals, meaningful activities, an engaging, compassionate staff and strong infection control - they stayed open and COVID-free through the pandemic. OT/PT and most staff were excellent and made it feel like a second family, but I found nursing staff at times uncaring/unresponsive and the rehab area could use improvement; it's also pricey and not very diverse. Overall warm and welcoming, but I have reservations about the nursing care.

    Pricing

    Schedule a Tour

    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

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

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • 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

    4.49 · 41 reviews

    Overall rating

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

      3.8
    • Staff

      4.5
    • Meals

      4.3
    • Amenities

      4.6
    • Value

      2.0

    Pros

    • Friendly, attentive staff remembered residents
    • Family-like, warm atmosphere and strong sense of community
    • Compassionate, professional caregiving
    • Outstanding staff performance during COVID-19 and strong infection control
    • Clean, odor-free facility with well-maintained common areas
    • Large rooms and beautiful/stunning views
    • Good-quality meals and dining experience
    • Regular social events, meaningful activities, and engagement programs
    • Occupational and physical therapy (OT/PT) praised
    • Helpful management and not-for-profit, community-focused ethos
    • Nice neighborhood and welcoming lobby with attractive decor
    • On-site preschool and intergenerational interaction opportunities
    • Wide range of amenities and supportive programs
    • Residents generally appear happy and well cared-for

    Cons

    • Reports of uncaring or unresponsive nursing staff in at least one review
    • Rehab area noted as needing improvement
    • Higher cost/expensive pricing
    • Lack of diversity among residents (predominantly Caucasian)
    • Occasional operational disruptions (one-day AC outage reported)
    • One reviewer felt it was not as nice as another facility
    • Unclear follow-through or unresolved concerns about nursing management changes

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across the reviews for Bayview Retirement Community is strongly positive, with repeated emphasis on the staff, cleanliness, atmosphere, and COVID-era performance. Many reviewers described the staff as friendly, compassionate, professional, and personally invested in residents — remembering names, treating residents like family, and creating a warm, home-like environment. The community is repeatedly characterized as having a strong sense of belonging and community spirit, with staff energy, dignity, and respect highlighted as central strengths.

    Facility maintenance and cleanliness are consistently praised. Reviews mention odor-free common spaces, clean bathrooms, utensils, and freshly mopped floors. Public gathering areas, particularly top-floor spaces, and a beautiful lobby with an eye-catching fireplace are singled out as attractive features. The community’s location and views are described as stunning, and residents and visitors report that rooms are large and well-appointed. Several comments also note a wide range of amenities and regular social programming, which contributes to residents appearing happy and engaged.

    Dining and activities receive positive comments: meals are described as good-quality with specific mentions of enjoyable lunches, and there are frequent events and meaningful activities that encourage engagement. The presence of an on-site preschool and opportunities for intergenerational interaction were noted as a distinctive and positive attribute. Therapy services have mixed notes: occupational and physical therapy (OT/PT) received direct praise for quality, but some reviewers suggested the broader rehab area needs improvement, indicating an inconsistency between therapist quality and facility space or resources for rehab.

    COVID-19 performance is a clear strength in reviewers’ eyes. Multiple summaries highlight phenomenal staff performance during the pandemic, effective risk control, and the fact that the community remained COVID-free or managed infection control very well. Reviewers credited the team with delivering essential services throughout challenging times, which reinforced trust in management and staff competence.

    Management and organizational character are seen positively overall. Several reviewers called out excellent management and framed the community as a caring, not-for-profit organization focused on resident safety and community values. However, there are isolated operational concerns: one reviewer described a one-day disruption caused by an air conditioning issue, and another felt the community was “not as nice” as a different facility they had seen.

    The most notable negative themes are concentrated around nursing and rehab. While many reviews praise staff broadly, at least one reviewer strongly criticized the nursing staff as uncaring and unresponsive and explicitly said they would not send a loved one there. That reviewer noted a potentially promising nursing manager hire but also indicated ambiguity about her status as of Feb 2018, suggesting that follow-through on addressing nursing concerns may be unclear to some family members. In addition, the rehab area was called out as needing improvement despite strong reviews for OT/PT staff.

    Other recurring concerns include cost and demographic makeup. Reviewers mentioned that Bayview is expensive, and some observed a lack of racial/ethnic diversity among residents, noting a predominantly Caucasian population. These are important considerations for prospective residents and families weighing cultural fit and affordability.

    In summary, Bayview Retirement Community is portrayed as a clean, well-managed, community-oriented facility with especially strong staff engagement, excellent pandemic response, attractive spaces, good food, and robust programming. The major caveats to balance that positive portrait are isolated but significant criticisms around nursing responsiveness and rehab facilities, the relatively high cost, and limited resident diversity. Prospective residents should weigh the strong service culture and excellent infection-control record against the specific concerns about nursing care and rehab space, and ask direct questions about nursing staffing, recent management changes, rehab improvements, pricing, and any initiatives to increase resident diversity when touring the community.

    Location

    Map showing location of Bayview Retirement Community

    About Bayview Retirement Community

    Bayview Retirement Community sits on West Aloha Street in Seattle, having been around since 1961 and seeing many changes over the years, now offering a wide mix of living options like independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, home care, and hospice. The campus has a community feel and gives folks a chance to stay active, with several unique spaces like the Bayview Terrace Lawn and a 10th-floor area with 360-degree views of the city, plus a private terrace and lots of gardens, including a greenhouse and pea patch for people who like to get their hands in the dirt or just sit among flowers. For those needing more support, skilled nursing and both long- and short-term rehab services are on-site, as well as teams offering physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy, and nurses are present around the clock for those who need special help, such as medication management or incontinence care. Dorothy's Place, which has ten secure, private studio apartments, provides care for those with Alzheimer's or dementia and has a safe outdoor space. Bayview's staff shape individualized care plans for each resident, so everyone gets the right level of support, and there's no entrance or community fee for assisted living or skilled nursing.

    Residents stay busy with classes and events right in the community HUB and arts studio, while the library, bistro dining, and an on-site cafeteria with a short order menu give people space to relax and socialize, and the New Terrace Apartments provide remodeled urban living spaces for those who want independence. The gym, health club, and a heated 56-foot saltwater therapy pool offer regular fitness and aquatic exercise classes, and there's always something going on, from gardening to intergenerational programs where children visit and learn together with older adults. Bayview welcomes pets, with a dedicated outdoor dog park and pet-friendly policies, so residents with dogs or cats can feel right at home. Services like spiritual care, transportation, beauty treatments, and massage therapy, plus meal options including vegetarian and kosher, help residents be comfortable and cared for in day-to-day life.

    Rooms have features such as accessible bathrooms and wheelchair showers, making life easier for those with mobility needs. Recent updates have added amenities and improved the look of the place, but the main goal remains helping people stay active, social, and safe with a friendly and accessible staff on hand. The Foundation helps any resident who might run out of resources, and being a nonprofit, Bayview puts its profits right back into the community. The campus has spaces for community talks, events, devotional services, and even participation from staff and residents, and a busy events calendar encourages people to try something new or meet a neighbor. With so many levels of care in one place, including a SNF partner for extra skilled nursing if needed, Bayview aims to give peace of mind for whatever changes life might bring.

    People often ask...

    Nearby Communities

    • Front entrance of a multi-story building with a wooden gabled porte-cochère, hanging flower baskets, and surrounding landscaping.
      $4,140 – $5,400+4.8 (37)
      Studio • 1 Bedroom
      assisted living, memory care

      Aegis Living Marymoor

      4585 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond, WA, 98052
    • Architectural rendering of a multi-story senior living facility building with multiple windows, landscaped greenery, and sidewalks surrounding the structure.
      $4,200+4.4 (65)
      1 Bedroom
      continuing care retirement community

      Merrill Gardens at Auburn

      18 1st St SE, Auburn, WA, 98002
    • Aerial view of a cityscape at sunset featuring a large multi-story residential building next to a historic church with a red-tiled roof and a distinctive dome. The scene includes surrounding streets, parked cars, trees, and a body of water in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
      $3,195+4.9 (33)
      1 Bedroom
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Merrill Gardens at Wright Park

      5 S G St, Tacoma, WA, 98405
    • Exterior view of a modern multi-story residential building with balconies, large windows, and a mix of white, black, and brick facade under a clear blue sky.
      $6,589 – $8,565+4.9 (35)
      Semi-private • 1 Bedroom • Studio
      independent living, assisted living

      Merrill Gardens at Hillsboro

      146 NE 4th Ave, Hillsboro, OR, 97124
    • Entrance driveway to a senior living facility with a covered drop-off area, surrounded by trees, shrubs, and landscaped flower beds under a clear blue sky.
      $2,800 – $5,000+4.4 (174)
      Semi-private • 1 Bedroom • 2 Bedroom
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Truewood By Merrill, Boise

      2600 North Milwaukee Street, Boise, ID, 83704
    • Exterior view of Oakmont of Westpark senior living facility at dusk, showing a two-story building with illuminated windows, stone and stucco facade, landscaped greenery, and a covered entrance with a clearance sign.
      $3,595 – $4,995+4.3 (86)
      Studio • Semi-private
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Oakmont of Westpark

      2400 Pleasant Grove Blvd, Roseville, CA, 95747
    © 2025 Mirador Living