This is my second time living at Varela, and I've lived in four different apartment units in total with Northwood Ravin. Overall, the experience has been great. I have never had any issues with noise and I've made friends with many of my neighbors. The amenities are top-notch, and definitely some of the best you'll find in the area. The community events are always a lot of fun, and it's much appreciated when we get free food and drinks. The property is kept up well and maintenance is usually very quick to respond to requests. You most certainly get the "resort-style" living feel here, and with so many activities and amenities, you often don't need to leave the property. I would highly recommend this community to anyone looking to move to the Westshore area.

Varela apartment complex is an exceptional place to live. The staff is highly professional and helpful, and the units are modern, spacious, and beautifully designed. The location is convenient, with easy access to shopping centers, restaurants, and other amenities. Although I would love for the spa amenity hours to be adjusted to suit early risers, and the gym would be fantastic if there were a stair master available, the staff is accommodating and willing to listen to feedback. Overall, Varela is one of the best apartments, and I highly recommend it for a comfortable, modern, and convenient living experience.

Staff was excellent and amenities were very nice. Only issues were the rates when we moved out were a little high for our liking and I would advise anybody leasing on the southeast corner of the building that the adjacent property makes a lot of noise very early in the morning. It's a fleet maintenance facility for city vehicles so garbage trucks and school busses will be backing up at 4am and beeping loud enough to wake you up.

Lived here for 2 years and love it. The staff are always friendly and accommodating, awesome amenities, every time I needed maintenance they were there that day or next at the latest. Hands down the best apt community in Tampa.

Great safe place to live. Animal friendly with updates to dog park. Gym is second to none & multiple pools onsite to enjoy the FL sunshine! Conveniently located off I -275, magnificent Mall for shopping with excellent restaurants all around the area! From a verified resident on ApartmentRatings

When considering an apartment for a family member I had the pleasure of speaking with Donna and was impressed by her knowledge, proffesionalism and attention to detail. She was able to answer all of our questions. I feel she went above and beyond to try and find the perfect place. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality and showing us this beautiful property.

A Poor Man’s Paradise I specifically chose this complex as it touted a hot plunge/cold plunge and sauna. I’ve been here less than 2 months and the hot plunge has never worked - unless bath water counts as “hot” plunge. The cold plunge has worked 50% of the time and the sauna was broke for two weeks. If they did work, and you’d like to take a plunge before bed, you are out of luck.  Residents can’t be trusted to use these facilities after 10 or before 6. The parking garage gate was broke when I moved in. It’s hit so many cars the metal on the bottom is mangled into a nice razor blade shape. Works perfectly for cutting the soft top of your jeep when it closes prematurely…learned that the hard way. I witnessed two cars broken into since I’ve been here. See picture of dumpster all the trash trucks in Tampa parked next to us…looks like luxury living to me!! The apartment does have builder grade granite/backsplash and wood laminate floors so I guess that’s something. The staff is friendly and I haven’t found a single roach.  Also, you can still post pictures of you using amenities; none of your followers will ever know they don’t work ;) I rented this sight unseen as I was in a pinch for time and moving from out of town - don’t make the same mistake I did! This is in no way, shape, or form a “luxury” apartment. Please look around at the other 2k+ apartments in surround areas before settling here!

This place has roaches. Stay far away! I am moving immediately. UPDATE**** The property manager, Courtney, has decided the roaches are not a problem of the community but accused me of bringing them in my boxes when I moved in. Never!!! She is the worst unprofessional/untrained manager I have ever dealt with in this business.

Zero stars. The building and units look nice, but beware! Walls are paper thin. The entire time I lived at Varela felt like my freshman year of college. People sublet, Air BNB, and have multiple roommates without the knowledge of the office staff. Ridiculously loud and offensive music, as well as constant foot traffic. Don't be surprised if someone tails behind you into the gated parking garage; they probably don't live at Varela. Moving on, the hot tub would shut down a few times a month due to tenants breaking the control knob. The back pool grill area is so disgusting I only used it twice. Maggots were crawling all over the equipment, tables and chairs due to residents throwing away food in the garbage can. I love the smell of cooking trash on a 90 degree day, don't you? The residents leave trash all over the building actually. The game room went months without having any pool sticks for the billiards table (I ended up going to the store and buying my own). The elevators smell like wet dogs. Speaking of dogs, terrible owners let them pee in the halls and stairwells. ROACHES!!!!! ROACHES!!!!!!! ROACHES!!!!!!! Excuse me, "Palmetto bugs" were a constant problem. I sat and watched one night...they crawl though the air vents in the entire building. Patios are not screened in so get ready to be eaten alive by mosquitoes. The business center never has any paper in the printer, and the fax machine does not work at all. To top it all off, there are random holes in the ceiling of the hallways. Varela has the absolute worst and most unprofessional leasing staff on the planet! The Property Manager Lindsay Moore is rude, condescending, and incompetent when it comes to doing her job. She only spoke to me through emails. Any attempt to meet with her in person would result in her being unavailable. Our first in person interaction was after I called the police about the on-going loud music my neighbor would play day and night. The rest of the leasing staff along with Nicole and Kamilah Shakur were extremely unhelpful as well. I called the courtesy officer Juan Hernandez over 20 times about noise after quiet time hours, and it never stopped. You have rights as a paying tenant! I would advise you to brush up on the Florida Landlord Tenant Act if you plan on moving here. This place should be called "Club Varela." A guy named Carson Marple lived directly underneath me and loved to throw parties in his 700 sq ft apartment. He would DJ and play his beats for all his friends until 3am every night. The base from his speakers would shake my entire apartment. This went on for almost 10 months and nothing was done. I ended up breaking my lease because of the constant noise nuisance. The worst part of it all is that I was treated like I was the problem. I brought this issue to the leasing staff and the Northwood Ravin Corporate office and was dismissed as if it wasn't true. The amount of money I paid to live at Varela makes me sick. I should have bought a house. I digress...I have pictures, audio and video to validate everything I'm saying. Take a look for yourself :-)

Absolutely love it here! The staff is incredibly friendly and are always there with a smile on their face when you step foot in the Leasing Office. Tracy, Megan, and Kamilah made sure that my move went as smooth as possible and the apartments and amenities are unbelievable! From having two pools (three if you count the resistance pool), lots of outdoor relaxation space, a huge multi story gym as well and even a golf simulator, you can’t go wrong moving to Varela! Can’t wait for my next year here!

Tracy from Varela Westshore was super helpful. We came in near the end of the day on a Friday looking for information about their property. She was patient, attentive, funny, and kinda brightened up the evening!

My father lived here for 2 years and loved it. The staff here are amazing and if it wasn't for his cancer, he would still be living here. Tons of amenities and they have their own dog park which I have never seen before. If you want a great place to live in Tampa...this is it!