The Chestnut, philadelphia-pa

I wanted to thank you Alexis for the kindness and care you and your team extended to our daughter. From our first visit in May 2024 to view and choose the apartment through to yesterday’s farewell at the Chestnut with Amani, your warmth and support made a real difference to our family. Thank you, too, for providing my daughter with such a safe and comfortable home away from home. Please pass our heartfelt appreciation to Mustafa he greeted us when we first took possession in 2024 and has been wonderfully helpful ever since. We were sorry to miss saying goodbye to both of you in person; I would be grateful if you could let him know how much we appreciated his care and demeanour. From the moment we first walked in, we felt reassured that the Chestnut would be a safe and peaceful haven for them and it truly was.

I highly recommend The Chestnut. While rent may seem higher than other places, I can say for certain it’s worth it. Being able to be so close to Penn alleviated a lot of stress on me as a grad student. The building is very well taken care of. We never encountered any maintenance issues. The chestnut was always extremely clean, we never encountered any odor or pests which is a big fear of mine. When we chose the chestnut I wanted to make sure we also would have a quiet environment. There were never loud parties, which was much appreciated. Having study spaces on the roof and second floor was helpful for when I needed a change of scenery. I rarely went to the library, because staying at home was much more comfortable. All staff members, especially Shawn, are so kind and willing to help. We have since left Philly and moved back to California, and our current apartment can’t compare to the Chestnut! Here’s some pics of the view from our apartment, thank you again so much!

I lived in The Chestnut for 2.5 years, from August 2023 to February 2026. I absolutely loved living in The Chestnut! Great location, very convenient to get to all parts of UPenn's campus, and I always felt safe, even at night. There are many food options right around the building, so it was super convenient too. The staff and management team at The Chestnut are always super helpful, responsive and friendly too. The 24-hour concierge always greeted me with a smile, the maintenance team would come do repairs within hours, and the management team was always responsive and kind whenever I had any questions or needed other help. The amenities at The Chestnut are amazing too, especially the gorgeous sky lounge, and they are always kept so clean and tidy. Apartments are modern with new appliances, and I never had any issues with pests or anything else.

Our son was accepted to medical school at Penn and we recently toured this magnificent building. Its amenities are very impressive, and the apartments appeared clean, well maintained, and quite spacious. The root-top, complete with pool, barbecues, and ample seating areas, is gorgeous! But best of all was the kindness, thoroughness, thoughtfulness, and high level of competence of the leasing agent, Mr. Shawn Bradley. This young man is a consummate professional, clearly passionate about the building, and he communicates that enthusiasm clearly as he provides a thorough tour. What an effective representative for The Chestnut. Although he didn't try to "sell us" on an apartment, his detailed knowledge, superb communication skills, and high spirited advocacy for the building and its community persuaded us that this is the place we want our son to live! If you are wanting to tour this building, definitely ask for Shawn. Very, very impressive!

I rarely write reviews like this, but I genuinely want future residents to know what they may be signing up for. The front desk experience in this building has been consistently terrible. Out of all the front desk staff I have interacted with, only one person has been relatively kind and professional. Almost everyone else has been extremely rude, dismissive, and unpleasant to deal with. As a resident paying rent here, I should not feel like every basic interaction with the front desk is a confrontation. The attitude is not just “not friendly.” It is rude in a way that makes residents feel like they are an inconvenience. Whether it is asking for help, borrowing a building cart, dealing with packages, or simply trying to understand a policy, the response often feels cold, hostile, and unnecessarily aggressive. What makes it worse is that the building seems to treat residents more like a cash source than people living in their homes. There are constant rules, threats of fees, unclear policies, and very little respect or basic courtesy. Instead of communicating clearly and professionally, the default tone is often: comply, pay, or be fined. This is not what a residential building should feel like. A home should feel safe, respectful, and livable. Here, even small daily interactions can become stressful because of how residents are treated. I would strongly warn future residents to think twice before signing a lease here. Ask very specific questions about front desk behavior, cart policies, maintenance access, package handling, fines, and resident rights before you commit. Based on my experience, once you move in, the building treats you less like a resident and more like a cash cow.