Arrange a visit
Choose a time that works for you
Select one or more times that suit you. The provider will confirm.
Key information
Merrill Gardens at Lafayette is a 100-resident assisted living community in Lafayette. It has been licensed since May 2017.
It also offers independent living and memory care. The nearest hospital, Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek, which has an emergency room, is 3 miles away.
Inspectors have visited 5 times since November 2023, most recently on May 1, 2026. Regulators looked into 1 complaint in that time (1 unsubstantiated).
Rating and inspection report
Official rating
Care & pricing
Care available
- Licensed capacity
- 100 beds
- State license
- CA 079200597 · Active
Pricing
- Assisted living / Studio: $4,000–$7,220 per monthAssisted living
- Assisted living / One Bedroom: $5,000 per monthAssisted living
- Assisted living / Two Bedroom: $7,900 per monthAssisted living
- Assisted Living - 1 Bedroom: $9,000 per monthAssisted living
- Assisted Living - 2 Bedrooms: $12,000 per monthAssisted living
- Independent Living - Studio: $6,450 per monthIndependent living
- Independent Living - 1 Bedroom: $9,000 per monthIndependent living
- Independent Living - 2 Bedrooms: $12,000 per monthIndependent living
- Independent Living: $12,900 per monthIndependent living
- Memory care / Shared Bedroom: $6,500 per monthMemory care
- Memory care / Private Room: $7,500 per monthMemory care
- Memory Care - Semi-Private: $9,000 per monthMemory care
- Memory Care - Studio: $10,000 per monthMemory care
Payment types accepted
Room type
- 1 BedroomAssisted living$9,000 per month
- 1 BedroomIndependent living$9,000 per month
- 2 BedroomsAssisted living$12,000 per month
- 2 BedroomsIndependent living$12,000 per month
- Semi-PrivateMemory care$9,000 per month
- StudioAssisted living$7,220 per month
- StudioMemory care$10,000 per month
- StudioIndependent living$6,450 per month
- One Bedroom$5,000 per month
- Private Room$7,500 per month
- Shared Bedroom$6,500 per month
- Studio$4,000 per month
- Two Bedroom$7,900 per month
Daily life
Details
Facilities
- Activity room
- Arts room
- Barber /
salon - Business room
- Cable TV
- Climate control
- Fitness room
- Full kitchen
- Furnished
- Game room
- Garden
- Indoor Common Areas
- Kitchenette
- Library
- Movie room
- Outdoor Common Areas
- Outdoor common space
- Private bathroom
- Spa /
sauna / wellness room - Telephone in room
- Walking paths
- Wheelchair Accessible Showers
- Wi-Fi and internet access
- State-licensed residential care facility for the elderly (California CDSS)
Activities
- Activities Off-site
- Activities On-site
- Devotional Activities Offsite
- Movie nights
- Music program
- Outdoor programs
- Planned activities
- Resident run activities
- Scheduled daily activities
Services
- 12-16 hour nursing
- 24-hour call system
- 24-hour supervision
- Activities of daily living assistance
- Assistance with bathing
- Assistance with dressing
- Assistance with transfers
- Beautician
- Bed-bound residents
- Concierge
- Coordination with health care providers
- Dementia /
memory care - Dementia waiver
- Diabetes care
- Diabetes management (glucose checks)
- Family support services
- Help arranging medical and dental appointments
- Hospice waiver
- Housekeeping
- Incontinence care
- Laundry
- Medication management and reminders
- Mild cognitive impairment
- Move in coordination
- Non-ambulatory care
- Outside hospice allowed
- Special diets (diabetic, renal, pureed)
- Staffing & Ancillary Services
- Wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair users accepted
Dining
- All day dining
- Allergy sensitive
- Diabetes diet
- Dining room
- Gluten free
- Meals Provided
- Professional chef
- Restaurant style dining
- Three meals a day and snacks, including diets a physician prescribes
- Vegetarian
Safety and security
- Emergency alert system
Transportation
- Complimentary Transportation
- Property Convenient to Public Transit
- Resident Parking Available
- Transportation and parking
- Transportation at Cost
Policies
- Accepts private pay
- Cats Allowed
- Dogs Allowed
- Pet-friendly
- Weight Limit (lbs)
Faith
- Faith Based
Languages spoken on site
- English
- Spanish
Come and see for yourself
The best way to know if a place is the right fit is to experience it in person. Arrange a visit to explore the space, get a feel for daily life there, and ask any questions along the way.
Reviews and listings
What families and listing sites say.
Reviews
- Google5/5
Merrill Gardens at Lafayette was our mother’s home for 11½ years, and over that time, the people there truly became part of her extended family—and ours. Our mom lived in the Garden House (memory care) as she had advanced Alzheimer’s and increasingly needed more support. When she first arrived, she was active and engaged, and as her needs changed over the years, her care changed with her. Her care plan was regularly evaluated, and we always felt that the focus was not simply on caring for her physical needs, but on preserving her dignity, comfort, and quality of life. Our mom recently passed away, and it is difficult to put into words how grateful we are to the caregivers and staff who loved her, looked after her, and were there for her through every stage of this long journey. There is an incredible sense of peace that comes from knowing someone you love so deeply is safe, clean, comfortable, and genuinely cared for. Merrill Gardens gave our family that peace for many years. The caregivers came to know our mom as a person—not simply as someone with Alzheimer’s. They treated her with patience, affection, humor, and kindness, even as the disease progressed and caring for her became more challenging. That meant more to our family than we can ever adequately express. Management at every level was responsive, respectful, and compassionate, and we always felt that our mother’s well-being came first. Alzheimer’s is a heartbreaking and often difficult journey for an entire family, and we never felt that we were navigating it alone. Merrill Gardens was a true partner, offering guidance, reassurance, and support along the way. After 11½ years, so many people at Merrill Gardens became an important part of our mother’s life. We will always remember the kindness and dignity with which she was treated, and the many people who helped make Merrill Gardens truly feel like her home. Knowing she was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about her was a gift to our family, and one we will never forget.
Read full reviewSep 13, 2026
- Google5/5
It is a beautiful, warm facility worthy of my mother! Private accommodations are great as are all the common areas. Downtown Lafayette is a beautiful and convenient location. Staff is amazing across the board, and there are lots of great activities for the residents.
Read full reviewSep 3, 2026
- Google5/5
We looked at numerous assisted living facilities in the area and felt that this was far and away the best, most prominently because of how attentive and compassionate the staff are, as they know everyone by name and one can tell that they really care about the residents. Further, they have many activities and amenities to keep people active, unlike some other places we saw where it felt like residents were just being warehoused. In short, it truly feels like an assisted living community, not just a 'senior apartments'. Special kudos to their Activities Director, Julianne, who is wonderful, and their driver, Wes, who are especially attentive to residents' needs. Would definitely recommend.
Read full reviewAug 22, 2026
- Google5/5
Merrill Gardens in Lafayette has been a blessing to our family. My independent 90-year-old parents moved to Merrill Gardens in March 2025. My parents and our family are thrilled with the attentiveness of the staff, the quality and preparation of the meals by Chef Max, the cleanliness of the facility, and especially the wide variety of fun and creative activities that are offered by Social Director Julianne Pew. They love attending musical performances, museum shows, restaurant outings, weekly happy hours with live music, in-house technology help sessions, and exercise classes. The convenient location of Merrill Gardens allows my parents to walk to restaurants, the library and shopping. As family members, we appreciate Merrill Garden’s transportation to local shopping and medical appointments and the immediate notification when one of my parents has fallen. While the transition from one’s own home to assisted living is always difficult, we couldn’t ask for a better environment than at Merrill Gardens.
Read full reviewJul 13, 2026
- Google5/5
At 69, I moved my 96-year-old mother to Merrill Gardens in Lafayette. One of the criteria when looking for a place for her was that I needed to feel good about the place myself, knowing I was going to be spending a lot of time with my mother when visiting. Of course, her experience was primary in my search too. After 6 months, I can say that this was the perfect place for both of us. One of the most important concerns I had was staffing; everyone at Merrill Gardens is superior in every capacity, from the director on down. The facility itself is beautiful with rooftop gardens and modern interiors. My mother's room is full of light and has simple, but appropriate appointments, including a small stovetop and a washer and dryer, a safe walk-in shower, and a large closet. I feel that we have made the best choice. Again, I can't say enough great things about all of the staff; they make the place sing !
Read full reviewMay 22, 2026
- Google5/5
Merrill Gardens is a wonderful community. The facility is really nice with a lot of great amenities for residents and visitors as well. It’s a very vibrant community with a lot of happy residents enjoying activities and community events. The staff there is amazing. They are always quick to answer questions and eager to help with any of our needs. I especially want to thank Melanie for being so helpful and patient with us in discussing my father’s needs. I’d highly recommend Merrill Gardens at Lafayette as a great and vibrant retirement community.
Read full reviewApr 13, 2026
- CareScout5/5
Merrill Gardens Lafayette Senior Living is a wonderful community that truly excels in providing excellent care to its residents. The staff are incredibly kind & thoughtful, ensuring that every resident feels included & valued in their activities. One of the highlights of Merrill Gardens is their Friday evening entertainment. The variety of singers & musicians who perform create a lively atmosphere, allowing residents to sing & dance along, making for delightful & memorable evenings. The resident activities director, Julianne P, is exceptional at planning engaging & fun events. From a chili cookoff judged by the nearby Lafayette police officers to a resident fashion show, pie eating contest, & an upcoming cookoff, Julianne's creativity and dedication shine through in every event she organizes. Overall, Merrill Gardens Lafayette Senior Living is a place where residents can enjoy a vibrant & caring community, filled with exciting activities & compassionate staff. Highly recommended!
Read full reviewJun 30, 2025
- Google5/5
Merrill Gardens in Lafayette has a wonderful staff. They have been considerate, kind and helpful. They make everyone feel welcome. I can’t thank the front desk and the med techs enough for how many times they’ve helped us out. Julianne, the activities director, has many fun activities and goes out of her way to invite and include everyone. They all work together to make a friendly environment. The dining room is always a pleasant experience. We feel very lucky to be part of the Merrill Gardens family.
Read full reviewJun 5, 2025
- Google5/5
About 7 years ago, my mother's health condition became life-threatening and she was told to move closer to sea level (she and my dad lived at 8,000+ ft in Mammoth Lakes, CA) within 2 weeks or she could die. I'd heard of and driven by Merrill Gardens, so I toured it, loved it, and found, thankfully, that there was one vacancy! We moved my parents (and their pup) into a sunny, lovely MG apartment, thinking it would be a nice, temporary landing spot till they decided where they'd go next. Well, it didn't take long for MG to feel like home. Over time, my mother's health declined and MG, particularly Troy, was invaluable in helping to navigate her changing hospital, skilled nursing, and hospice needs, the most difficult of which was during the height of COVID. Troy was amazing. Since my mother passed, MG has embraced my father (and me), making him feel cared for and valued, such that much of his vitality, sassiness, and humor has been restored. A LOT of that is thanks to Julianne, Activities Director extraordinaire! She really listens to residents and curates a wide variety of activites (twice daily movies, clubs, games, parties, field trips, weekly happy hours with live music, and so much more!)--her sincerity, energy, and creativity is boundless. She is a treasure. Shout outs also to the always-on, cheerful front desk managers, including Danielle and Patty, who set a tone of vibrancy and good humor. A huge part of the MG Lafayette experience is provided by Chef Max and his team, who cook up delectable meals every day, and then really pull out all the stops for holidays and special occasions! My dad loves the food so much there that he now prefers that we eat there rather than go out to a restaurant! Thanks also to Kamal Singh who fairly recently became Director at MG Lafayette and, in short order, has expanded upon the warm, family-feeling culture, taking it to the next level! The history, the present, and future are all bright at MG Lafayette! THANK YOU!
Read full reviewFeb 24, 2025
This was a good community. They had large kitchens in the apartments but the living areas were smaller. The common areas were very nice and so with the dining room. It felt like a hotel.
Read full reviewVisitor
May 5, 2022
Verified- A Place for Mom3.5/5
Lovely facilities and great activities but not enough attention to individual residents' needs
Lovely surroundings, both common areas and individual apartments. Activity directors are outstanding and they offer a variety of engaging activities and have frequent musicians, enjoyed by the residents. My mother was happy meeting the other residents and participating in activities until she couldn't remember to attend. The staff were not really attentive to reminding her to attend activities or using her walker. Their system of dispensing medications is antiquated causing many errors when prescriptions change and some of their med techs do not follow doctors' orders. There seems to be a high turnover rate, likely contributing to these issues.
Read full reviewFamily member
Apr 14, 2019
Perfect Location
My wife and I are staying here and the location is great it's right downtown. We are in the independent living and they come clean our room once a week and do the linens. They have lots of daily activities that we'll start doing soon. The food is good and no set times for meals you can go down anytime. It is really clean in here. I would recommend this community.
Read full reviewFamily member
Nov 16, 2017
VerifiedA good experience!
My mother in law is doing well since her move to the community. She has mentioned that the staff is having some turnover. She is enjoying the place as much as she can being away from her home. The meals are good, but they recently lost their chef and the food is not as good as it used to be. Other than that, they take good care of her.
Read full reviewFamily member
Feb 21, 2017
VerifiedPleasant surroundings, nice extras (washer/dryer in apt.), good location. Considering it at present.
Read full reviewVisitor
Feb 15, 2017
Attentive staff
The staff here is very helpful and attentive to the residents. They have lots of activities that seem to keep the residents happy and engaged. The facility itself is clean and well kept. The food here is also pretty good.
Read full reviewFamily member
Jan 27, 2016
VerifiedI like the fact that they keep their clients entertained. The food is okay, I had it once before and it's not fine cuisine but it is okay.
Read full reviewVisitor
Jan 7, 2016
VerifiedMom absolutely loves this place, and we love having her closet to us. The food is great, and you can eat anytime during the day and order from a menu. The staff are really great; always up beat and very accommodating. This is basically the only place we checked out, saw it and knew it was right.
Read full reviewFamily member
Oct 14, 2015
VerifiedEverything is going fine
Everything is going fine
Read full reviewFamily member
Oct 3, 2015
Verified
Location
1010 2nd St, Lafayette, CA 94549