Ranking the Dorms at UC Irvine

Pros: Location is very close to the arc and within decent walking distance of campus. Lots of buses regularly pass by it too. Parking is easy cuz there's a huge lot (and honestly, they don't check it that often either). Also, they have activities on the lawn every few weeks and you can just walk in and join even though you probably weren't invited.
Cons: Kitchen was terrible cuz of all the messy ppl using it. It can get loud cuz of all the frats/sororities. elevator doesn't always work. Bathrooms can get messy. I'm pretty sure you have to have a roommate or two, unless you're the RA or something.
Overall, it was a lot like being in a freshman dorm, but chiller. You actually know who your RA is and sometimes they'll arrange activities and people actually show up, unlike the activities in VDC or other places lol. if you don't mind communal living in general, this is a decent enough option. - 4 years ago

I lived in the 2b/2b VDC Norte deluxe (now called premium) apartment.

The pros:
Basic furniture (bed, desk, sofa, dining chairs for the counter/kitchen top, coffee table) and cable are provided. Washer and dryer were included in unit and parking was also part of the rent back then and there was always ample space to park (not sure if this still applies). The area where the deluxe units are located is relatively quiet. The shuttle stops were also nearby to get you to campus. Work orders put in for maintenance were quickly addressed. While wifi can be spotty, the ethernet was always good (bring an ethernet cable!).

The cons:
The building I was in does not have an elevator, so when moving in or out, it is a bit of a hassle especially if you live on the top floor. The rooms, in particular the carpet, were dirty despite being cleaned prior to move-in. Dust accumulates really fast despite frequent cleaning. Depending on which room you are assigned, one of the rooms has a really odd layout: the actual room with the bed and desk is small and cramped, but the bathroom is massive.

Overall, not the worst place to live, but not the best either. - 2 years ago

ACC is very expensive for what you get. I paid $1400 a month at Puerta Del Sol for a little over 400 square feet of space in a studio, and it was only worthwhile because I’m married and was able to split costs with my husband.

The most “affordable” unit in ACC is at Puerta Del Sol in the two-room double. You room with four people total, but share a (tiny) room with one roommate. Each room has a restroom, and there’s a small common area with a kitchen/living room. It’s actually kind of terrible living in this situation unless you know your roommates beforehand; there’s barely any space in your room—if you can fit a desk in there, you’re lucky—and the common area offers little in the way of quiet/privacy.

ACC is frankly a rip-off, but there are no better choices in Irvine unless you want to live in a cramped condo with 4-6 other people for $100-$200 less per month. - 4 years ago

I lived in a 4BR 2BATH apartment in VDC with my friends. It was pretty great because we would hang out in the living room / kitchen all night and just have fun. The issues that we encountered was a lot of maintenance work. Showers not working , molding walls , broken furniture , broken appliances. And don’t get me wrong they have AMAZING maintenance people who are very attentive , but there’s a big inconvenience in having to have someone constantly fixing your apartment. - 4 years ago

I actually lived twice in Mesa court! I lived in Bahia first and then I lived in Palo. I did like Bahia because it was a small hall and everyone mostly knew everyone else. I just didn’t like that the water temperature towards half the year to the end was cold. I am used to taking hot showers in the night. Then for Palo didn’t really meet people because I was busy. Everything was pretty good except the lights in my room were really dim and the residents were so messy. People would throw big trash in the kitchen and the international students were really loud because they would come to the girls’ suite room. Honestly it depends on the hall you are assigned but just know that a hall will always be loud, you will disagree on a few things, and make sure to put yourself out there.

If you have any other questions my insta is: yahhh_lily - 4 years ago

I lived in the classics in a double before the towers were available. It's decent and the maintenance and cleaning staff did a really good job keeping the building clean. I had a nice roommate, but would probably recommend trying to room with more people if you're looking to make more close friends. I bonded a lot with the people in my dorm and the location is so close to everything! Only negatives were that the building heater was broken for basically all of winter quarter and the shower water pressure was so low. Mesa is obviously better if you don't get the ME towers, but overall had a really good time. - 4 years ago

Camino del Sol 4b/2ba flat (955/mo, utilities included). IMO better value than VDC's 4b/2ba apartment. For starters, you have the entire floor to yourself, meaning no shared walls with other units except for the unit on the other side of the building (but the shared wall isn't along the bedrooms, it's along the kitchen and bathrooms). Next, you have your own washer/dryer unit. It's the closest ACC community to the ARC, and the general amenities (study rooms, game room, community gym, pool) are all well-kept and modern. Parking is the only downside, as CDS doesn't have a parking lot or structure and you have to park at the ARC if you have a car. In all, yes, it's relatively pricey (Can't really escape that in Irvine). But honestly, I think it's worth it to not have to deal with the Irvine Company in the UTC, plus it's nicer than just about everywhere I've seen in the area. - 4 years ago

(2B2B option) Let's start with the weirdest thing: unless you get really creative with your setup, you're gonna be touching toes with your roommate. There's only space for one actually good desk, so keep that in mind, too. Otherwise, the place is great. The living room and kitchen are spacious and easy to clean, the bathrooms are modern and large, and the fixtures all around are decent. - 1 month ago

I had a shared room with a roommate. Fortunately we all got along very well. Only con is that four people shared one bathroom, so it was pretty annoying having to wait sometimes. - 2 years ago

I’m an undergrad, but was able to live in grad housing because of my daughter. “New” Verano is much nicer than “old” Verano. I love it! Super quiet area, clean, and close to the ARC and shuttle. I wish it were a little cheaper, though. I have friends that live in “old” verano who pay less rent for a bigger space. - 4 years ago