(Provided by Gilbert Guide's on-site reviewer)

Built just five years ago, this elegant retirement residence has 158 condominium style apartments. They are spacious—one-bedroom apartments run from 645 to 865 square feet and two-bedroom apartments are between 819 and 970 square feet—and some have "extras" such as a working fireplace and balcony. Located on a tree-lined street, the facility is close to shops and restaurants. Views of the rolling hillside in this part of the Peninsula are reminiscent of similar—and magnificent—views of the Italian countryside: flowers bloom beautifully all year long, and the mild weather has a Mediterranean flavor.

The residence offers amenities found in fine hotels, including a state-of-the-art fitness center, a heated pool and spa, a computer center and a library. The dining room, dubbed "The Chadbourne," offers a menu typical of an upscale restaurant: some of the choices include chateaubriand, chicken dijon, and tilapia. Among the featured activities are travelogues, sing-alongs, an interactive exchange based on "The Price is Right," Party Bridge, mah-jongg, tai chi, as well as an occasional game of bingo.

Magnolia of Millbrae offers discounted rates on thirty-two of its apartments to retired individuals who meet certain income requirements.