Overall sentiment in these reviews is generally positive, with consistent praise for the activities program, friendly staff, cleanliness, and value. Multiple reviewers highlighted an active, well-run activities calendar and a visible on-site activities director who offers a wide variety of options (Pokeno, Jeopardy, Bingo, Wii bowling, coloring, billiards, wine-and-cheese events and social lunches). Residents also frequently commented that staff are kind, considerate, sympathetic, and knowledgeable — several said staff made them feel cared for and that living there felt like staying in a hotel. Facility upkeep is noted repeatedly: apartments and common areas are described as spotless, windows and grounds are well-kept, and amenities such as a gym, craft room, movie theater, and restaurant-style dining add to resident satisfaction. Apartment features like two-bedroom open-concept layouts, large sizes, full-sized appliances, and in-room fridges/ovens/microwaves were mentioned positively, and the community was commonly viewed as offering good value and low rent with many services included.
Despite these strengths, there are several operational and social concerns that recur across the summaries. The absence of an on-site maintenance person and lack of pest/bug service are the most concrete service-level negatives and could materially affect daily life if issues arise. Noise is another practical issue — walls were described as thin — and some reviewers had trouble scheduling appointments with staff, indicating occasional accessibility or responsiveness gaps. One reviewer explicitly said they would not recommend the community, reflecting that not every resident's expectations are met.
Activity programming receives high marks for quantity and variety, but there are mixed reports about inclusion. While many residents were invited to join and enjoyed the social offerings and outings, at least one reviewer felt that activities were not welcoming to new residents, and another noted that few tenants are willing to take charge of activities. There is a request for more day trips, suggesting residents would like more off-site programming beyond on-site games and classes. These patterns suggest that while the community excels at providing many organized options, it may benefit from outreach or mentorship to integrate newcomers and leadership recruitment among residents.
Management and staff impressions are largely favorable: reviewers mentioned excellent or knowledgeable management and a new manager being pleasant. Still, a couple of process weaknesses appear — incomplete communication during tours (amenities not always discussed) and occasional unavailability of staff appointments. These are fixable operational issues but worth addressing to improve transparency and prospective resident experience.
In summary, Connect55+ Ankeny presents as a clean, well-maintained community with robust activities, friendly staff, useful amenities, and good apartment features at a strong value point. Prospective residents should be encouraged by the active social life and on-site services but should ask specific questions during tours about maintenance response, pest control, noise mitigation, how new residents are integrated into activities, and staff appointment availability. Addressing the maintenance/service gaps and improving newcomer inclusion for activities would likely resolve the community’s primary concerns and further strengthen its generally positive reputation.
