Lume — Attraction in Menlo Park

Lume Apartments – A Shiny Surface, But That’s About It

I’ve been living at Lume for 6 months now, which I believe gives me a fair perspective to review the experience. Sadly, despite the flashy first impression, I’m giving it 1 out of 5 stars. Here’s why:

The Positives: • The maintenance staff is fantastic. They’re prompt, polite, and genuinely helpful. • The apartment units themselves are modern, clean, and well-built. From lighting to appliances, the interiors make you feel at home.

Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end.

The Reality After Move-In: • Management is unresponsive and disengaged. All the friendliness disappears the moment the lease is signed. Over 6 months, I’ve emailed them multiple times—only got one generic, possibly auto-generated, reply. • Mailroom is a total disaster. Packages are dumped randomly in a big room with no system or labeling. Delivery personnel just leave them anywhere. I’ve had a notification about a parcel pending for over two months—and still can’t find it. Hoping to find it by end of this year. You basically play hide and seek with your packages. • Trash disposal is chaotic. There’s no clear or convenient way to dispose off cardboard boxes. Residents either open maintenance tickets (which thankfully get handled quickly) or worse—shove them down the chute, causing clogs that shut the entire trash system down for the building.

The Parking Nightmare:

This is by far the worst part of living at Lume—and it’s what breaks the experience. They have an automated parking system that is truly frustrating and flawed. • You can’t park or retrieve your car on your own terms. You must select a parking bay, align your car perfectly, unload everything (yes, sometimes onto the ground), then let the system take over. On the way out, you have to wait for your car to be retrieved. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to retrieve your car within 7-10 mins but imagine if there are people already ahead of you. Imagine waiting in a queue to retrieve your car. 🤣 • And yes—it breaks. Often. If the system is down (which happens), you can’t access your car. The management’s solution? “Take an Uber, and we’ll reimburse you.” But what about those already out with their car? They’re left scrambling to find parking elsewhere until the system is fixed. • No backups. This is the only parking option. No onsite alternatives. No support for emergency access. • Guest parking is a joke. Guests have to deal with the same system, and often there are no available spots. One time I was told outright that there were no guest spots left. So where should my guests park? On the streets, with no safety, and the risk of getting ticketed? Not ideal. Some of my friends stopped visiting because of this.

Imagine having to pay an exorbitant amount for this kind of system. Yes the parking fee is separate and it is ridiculously high. I understand the parking system is new and any new system does experience issues, but why should the resident pay for it? If at all, we should be the ones paid to test out their new system.

The Value Equation Just Doesn’t Add Up:

Lume charges premium rent and fees, but provides a frustrating, flawed, and dismissive living experience. A nice-looking apartment is simply not enough, you can find beautiful apartments across the Bay Area. What matters is your day-to-day quality of life, and Lume consistently falls short.

The glowing reviews you’ll see? Many are from people touring the property, not those actually living here.

If I get a chance to move out, I absolutely will. The pricing, especially for that absurd parking system, is just...

(plan to update regularly.) April 08, 2025 - We moved in two months ago. The staff are always very nice and helpful. Big shout-out to them. The parking bay is disappointing - I think the company of the parking system should have paid us Lume residents because we have been testing their products. Well actually all software/apps Lume promoted that seemed to make your life at Lume more convenient should all have paid us Lume residents, please! Otherwise someone should just investigate if there is some sort of shady business going on so that such immature products are in the market, being used by this Greystar apartment complex now. We know nothing is perfect but some problems we encountered here were just stupid and bizarrely funny.

The app that is supposed to act as your alternative key does not work in the lift (cannot make the lift to go to any "private" floors) while it works perfectly to unlock your own door, the gym's door, lobby's door and control the thermostat of your home. The app for "guest access" or "delivery access" cannot get the guest or delivery person to your door because it does not grant lift access. Nothing except the actual key fob grants access to the lift control panel buttons that are not "ground floor".

The parking bay is able to help you park and deliver your vehicle when you call it, efficiently, under following conditions

1. you parked right on the centre
2. you did not make your vehicle fall in the well (the penalty of this specific vehicle/wheel securing + elevating mechanism) at the centre and make sure the wheels align perfectly on both edges of the platform.
3. there was nothing going on in your bay. Like no other residents were retriving or parking their cars while your car was requested to be delivered to you through that designated bay, because this system can only deliver your vehicle to you through the bay you previously parked at and there are only three bays there. For example, you parked at bay 1; bay 1 lifted your car and "threw" it somewhere in the giant warehouse style garage at the back and the next day when you requested you car, you can only get it through bay 1, not "the next available bay" as you might assume. What if three residents in front of you all were having cars coming from bay 1 or some residents were trying to park their cars on bay 1 (like with a crying baby being woken up from their sweet nap during the road trip), you were going to be late.

By the way the cameras in the bay were supposed to help you align the wheels but the computer behind, like any windows computers, cannot escaped the curse of a Windows auto update! 🤣🤣🤣 The security measurement of the bay is "key fob + pin code" but the key pad in the kiosk for that code does not have a backspace key 🤣🤣 (the product designer must be a genius --did you just forget??).

If you share a vehicle within your household at Lume, unfortunately they can only grant the garage + parking bay access to one key fob so you got to make sure you grab the correct key in the morning. They said they have an app to solve this problem but my android phone has not been able to use that app. To make things worse, that said app can only retrieve your car and cannot park the car for you. If you have the wrong key, maybe just come home later than your family who grabbed the key with garage access...

Lume is hands down the best place I’ve ever lived—this isn’t just an apartment complex, it’s a community. If you're looking for a modern, well-managed, and welcoming place to call home, this is it.

First and foremost, the staff and maintenance team are next-level amazing. A HUGE shoutout to Edison, Ray, Andres, Nico, and Christian! These guys are the heartbeat of this place. From the moment I moved in, they made the experience seamless. Edison’s incredible energy and kindness set the tone for a great leasing experience, while Ray, Andres, and Nico have always been prompt, professional, and just genuinely awesome people. They don’t just “fix things”—they make sure you’re taken care of. And Christian? He’s always there when you need him, ready to help with anything.

They don’t treat you like a tenant—they treat you like a neighbor. You’re greeted with smiles, and if you ever need anything, they actually listen and respond. The people here make Lume feel like home.

Lume has everything you could want in a luxury apartment. The units themselves are stunning—modern finishes, spacious layouts, and large windows that bring in beautiful natural light. The kitchens are sleek and high-end, perfect for cooking at home (which is something I do more often now because I actually enjoy being in my kitchen!).

The fitness center is top-tier, with everything from cardio machines to free weights and functional training equipment. No need for an expensive gym membership—everything you need is right here.

The rooftop lounge? Unmatched. Whether you want to unwind after work, entertain guests, or just soak in the cityscape, this is the perfect spot. There are cozy seating areas, fire pits, and even grilling stations for those weekend BBQ vibes.

Parking in the city can be a nightmare—but not at Lume. They’ve thought of everything. There’s secure garage parking, which means no more circling the block looking for a spot. The automated parking system is a huge perk—your car is safe, protected from the elements, and always accessible. For those who bike, there’s also ample bike storage.

Lume’s location is perfection. You’re right in the heart of a vibrant community, with easy access to shopping, dining, and outdoor activities.

Whether you work in Menlo Park, Palo Alto, or beyond, you’re in a prime spot. Public transit is easily accessible, and major highways are just minutes away.

You have endless options nearby—from trendy cafes to Michelin-starred restaurants. Whatever you’re craving, it’s within reach.

If you love biking, hiking, or just strolling with your pup, there are plenty of parks and green spaces nearby. The community is dog-friendly, and it’s one of the best places for pet owners—there’s even a dedicated dog-wash station!

What truly makes Lume stand out is the sense of connection here. People actually say hello in the hallways. You see familiar faces in the courtyard, the gym, or by the fire pits on the rooftop. It’s a place where neighbors become friends and where you feel like you belong.

If you're considering moving here—do it. Lume is not just an apartment, it’s a lifestyle. Modern. Convenient....