The building isn't bad. Not great, but not bad. The apartment itself is pretty nice. I got one that was just renovated so I'm not sure what the others are like, but all the fixtures in the bathroom were new. Most of the appliances were new or like new. The apartment is pretty spacious, but the view over the plaza is ugly and mildly depressing.

Maintenance is 50/50. Sometimes nobody ever responds when you put in a maintenance request. Sometimes they respond within minutes. When they do come they're usually pretty nice. I've never had any problems with mice or bugs or anything like that.

Regarding amenities, the gym is pretty nice. The text and email notifications when you get a package are nice.

The biggest issue with this place is the price. I know DC is an expensive city, but the price for these apartments still feels too high.

Oh, and this place feels really safe, which is nice.

Fantastic place. Love the building, staff, and location.

I’m home within 5 minutes of signout (unless I’m working at the VA, which is a 20 min drive). I park my car in GW’s heated garage (major key in winter). The unit is also huge and includes a large balcony. It even has a convenience store with a surprisingly large selection designed for the apartment residents. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are also walking distance. Our neighbors are grad students and retirees, so it’s pretty quiet even during the day (important when working nights). Foggy Bottom is boring but the metro stop is at the hospital and cabs are everywhere. I’d rather commute to fun things once a week or so than commute to work every day. We would also love a washer/dryer in unit but from what we’ve seen, that’s hard to find at this price (laundry facilities are in the basement - and one bonus of 6 machines is we do it all in one cycle!). My husband and I have no plans to move unless a better deal pops up in a cooler neighborhood, and so far we’ve seen nothing at an equivalent price that includes parking (street parking is too unreliable). Very likely we’ll be renewing our lease in a few months.

I think this is a great apartment to live in as a first-year law student because it's close to campus, it's in a good location, it's safe, and it's spacious. My only complaint is that I think it's on the fairly expensive side. There is a gym in the building though it's not that luxurious or large.

I live in the Baron Building and I enjoyed my time here! The area is nice, having plenty of food options, and even a local small market. I have no problems with my room currently, and when I do, I can tell management and they will fix it up as soon as possible. It is not far from campus, only being a ten minute walk from GW law school, and less so from the metro. The gym is well-maintained and included in your rent.

I do have two problems, though. Sometimes, the elevators in my building malfunction, a little more so than expected. My roommate got stuck in there at one point. Also, using the internet can be a bit of a bother, since the only ISP we're allowed to get is xfinity. The wifi interrupts itself every now and then, due to how the network can interfere with itself sometimes, so using an ethernet cable certainly helps. While not a major problem, moving in was a hassle, since the only elevators we were able to use are the main ones, which are a bit small. Again, not a problem, but expect a lot of ambulances to pass by, though it's not too annoying.

Very comfortable

I've had 6 cockroaches in a year and a half. You either have air or heat and that is frustrating. We don't have a pool.

Columbia Plaza is great for temporary living while in school at GW. My biggest complaint is the neighborhood, which I would not live in if not attending GW. But it's nice to be close to the National Mall and the metro. The building is well run, and any maintenance issues I've had have been fixed quickly.

This is very convenient and a great apartment for students wanting to stay close to school and save money on transportation. The apartment is very spacious and bright. The building's maintenance team is very helpful and quick to respond, although there have been cases of miscommunication. For about 6 months in the beginning of our lease, there was a problem with roaches in our building but this was eventually resolved with a building-wide extermination. The managers and nice and always on site during business hours. There is a 24h manned front desk, packages arrive safely and on time with only occasional mixups. The gym is small but recently renovated and works great for basic gym needs.

Super convenient, great value