Aggressive frequent rate hikes (nearly triple the US inflation rate for my 6+ years) sully this otherwise fine Ballard facility with pleasant competent office staff. I see from reviews I'm not the only one forced to switch to an equivalent unit to save enormously on the monthly fee. National conglomerate CubeSmart seems adept at maximizing profits. The self-storage business model with off-site decision makers and (mostly?) short-term non-repeat customers seems ideal for ignoring broader customer service concerns and long term customers. I'm not anti-business; I'm anti-gouging and pro-customer experience. Below: my personal experience and a glance at CubeSmart's recent profit history, which I checked to make sure I wasn't being grossly unfair. Also: Avoid units on the lowest floor; it had a moisture problem and a strong moldy/musty smell that will permeate your belongings, when I toured it in 2016. Be aware of the parking challenges wrt your access habits. SUMMARY: => CubeSmart is charging me 2 2/3 times the inflation rate on my 7.5' third-floor unit, which jumped from $179/mo to $288/mo, via several randomly timed rate hikes from July 2016 to Aug 2022. That's a 61% increase in 6 years. The "US Inflation Calculator" says the cumulative inflation rate was 23% during this month&year period. The US inflation calculator suggests a current price of $220 would be keeping up with inflation. Do self-storage ownership costs even rise as much as inflation? Would CubeSmart not be making at least the same healthy profit now as they were in 2016, by charging me $220 for my 7.5' unit? The $62/mo I'm paying them above the inflation rate, is what I consider an unhealthy profit. => CubeSmart is charging me 2 1/3 times the cost of inflation on my 10' third-floor unit: jumping from $239 in July 2016 to $369 by July of 2022. That's a 54% increase in 6 years, or 2 1/3 times the 23% cummulative inflation rate. Due to inflation only, a $239 item in 2016 would cost $294 in 2022. I'm paying way more than I feel is reasonable. BACKGROUND: I thought my belongings would be in storage for 2-3 months, not 6 1/2 years, but I couldn't predict the health crisis of my late mother, for whom I abruptly left Seattle and lived 3000 miles away. I accepted bleeding a certain amount of cash on storage, given vastly more important concerns. However, I was naive to expect that rates would remain as "reasonable" as when I moved in, while I was too distracted to examine the increases. Midway through this period, I called after a particularly onerous increase, finding no recourse; the District Manager was buffered by the powerless office manager. In early Dec 2022, I called again, finally able to take a closer look at my costs and the frequency/size of the rate increases. The lovely Amanda said she "could try talking to the District Manager," and that he "might approve a delay in my next rate increase". She suggested helpfully that I could move/consolidate into a nearby 10' unit that was $288 (compared to $369 for my 10' unit!); because it was 5 units "further away from the elevator". => So, as a 6+ year hassle-free auto-pay customer, I'm paying 28% more than the cost of an equivalent available unit a few feet down the hall, while understanding the District Manager has no interest in working with me or maintaining my business. I googled "CubeSmart gross profits" and clicked on the macrotrends-dot-net link. Clicking on the Gross Profit tab, I learned they had a 28% year-over-year INCREASE of gross profits for the twelve month period ending Sept 2022, and that their annual gross profit for 2021 was over half a billion dollars, a 25% increase from their 2020 profit. That tidbit doesn't define a entire history; I'm not an economist; and I've done little more than vet that macrotrends is a "legit" site. So feel free to add your own nuance, but their business model and profits don't suggest I should be understanding and sympathetic of their aggressive rate hikes and ambivalence toward keeping long-term customers satisfied.

Avoid. The on-site staff is friendly, and the facility is newish (<10 years old) with high ceilings and plenty of light. However, the hours are very limited, and there's no early or late access after the office closes for the day. The handcarts are also in various states of disrepair, and the elevator (near the office) is misaligned, making smooth transportation of your belongings hit or miss. The worst part is the rent increases. The company is as bad as any in the industry at price-gouging its customers. You'll feel like the frog being boiled alive as your rent increases annually, until you're paying significantly more than nearby competitors charge. I did the math: my rent increased >73% over the past four years (when I moved in to a larger unit on site). The latest increase was a whopping 21% up from the previous monthly charge. The company's phone system made it difficult to contact corporate customer service, and neither corporate nor local employees were empowered to provide any pricing flexibility. CubeSmart greed drove me away to a nearby competitor after six years as their loyal customer. I'm now paying 60% less than my latest CubeSmart rate for a larger, equally nice storage facility and much more personal customer service.

After I reserved a unit online, I got a prompt and friendly call from an employee who walked me through the process and answered my questions. I had been certain that the 'free move-in truck' was a gimmick and wouldn't pan out, but I was able to reserve a truck for our move-in date no problem. When we arrived on our move-in date, we were helped by Alisha, who was incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and kind. Everything was exactly as had been described over the phone, and Alisha offered to show us the storage unit before we finalized things. It was as expected -- clean and empy -- and it was sure nice to see that and find our way to the unit before starting to move things in. Alisha was still on shift when we came back with a full truck a few hours later, and she was pleasant and friendly and even helped entertain our son while we were unloading the truck. I couldn't be more impressed with the level of service we received!

I never thought I'd ever say "I love my storage place," but I absolutely do! From signing up to moving my things in; this was the most seamless, easy transaction. The facility is fantastic! Easy in and out, as well as enough carts for ease of moving stuff from your car to your unit or vice versa. Clean, and enclosed, this facility is in a great location, with easy access. They also offer a mail and package service which is extremely helpful with ensuring your packages are safe from porch pirates as well as a common location to receive things when you're in-between addresses and don't want to have a disruption in service. Pricing is extremely reasonable for all the amenities and peace of mind that your things are very well secured, safe, and protected from the inclement weather.

I wanted to downsize my current unit here and Kirk went above and beyond to help me get this taken care of. I was really busy the week that I had intended to move my belongings so he pushed it out another week for me so I had enough time. I’ve been a customer here for a few years and it’s a great storage facility. It’s SO clean, always smells fresh, and well-maintained. Plus, it’s comforting to know that my belongings are safe and clean. Kirk, the manager, is very friendly, accommodating, has a great sense of humor, and makes it a pleasant experience to be a customer here. There have been two rate increases since I first starting using CubeSmart, but all of the reasons above are why I’ve stayed.

Super fast sign up and sign out. We just needed the storage for a week but was to find and reserve a spot easily through their online system. The actual storage unit are super clean and easy to get to. I love the climate control though it's pretty chilly already when we needed to use the storage unit. It's nice to know that the place has A/C. It's super well maintained that it's actually the preferred bottle storage spot for a few local breweries. You can drive in some trunks inside the building but our movers truck was too high. The dock was still pretty convenient for the movers and they were able to get everything out under 2 hours. Highly recommend!

Aggressive rate hikes, sometimes multiple in a year, outpaced inflation by an enormous amount. They apparently have no interest in retaining multi-year auto-pay clients renting multiple units that lay mostly untouched for 7 years. The store manager is always fine, helpful and responsible, but they cannot even offer a support channel to discuss the situation with the regional manager who sets the rates. It's hard wipe the scowl off my face when I think of corporate CubeSmart. P.S. Ballard, please update your customer accounts with the correct gate code. Mine was never set correctly, which became a problem on one occasion.

This was my first experience with a self storage company and have to say that the bar has been set really, really high if I ever use one again. The entire staff was amazing to work with, the facility itself was clean and easy to navigate, and my overall experience was fantastic. We used CubeSmart while we were moving houses, and it was a tremendous help as we worked getting our stuff out of the old place but before our new home was ready. I especially want to thank Kirk, Alisha and Bryce for always providing me with excellent service. Definitely recommend this place to anyone who needs this kind of storage.

The facility is spotless. From the moment I made my reservation online, every communication with the manager was professional, proactive, and personable. We're in the middle of a pandemic, and the safety requirements onsite made me feel safe. I was super impressed with the manager Kirk's willingness to spend plenty of time going over space and location options with me while also being super friendly and incredibly thorough. I immediately told multiple friends about my experience (and one of them quickly rented an adjacent unit).

I found myself in a situation where I needed to be out of one apartment immediately, before I’d even considered a new place. I was able to quickly secure a storage unit and received simple, but thorough welcome instructions. The facility is clean, well lit, my interactions with staff were pleasant, and I was able to access my unit at reasonable hours of the day. It was such a relief to have this space available while I figured out my next move.

Very clean facility, well-lit, organized (e.g. every cart has a number taped on it; the garage and elevator code is my phone number; red tape on the lock shows you have checked on my storage locker). The facility is easy to access, convenient and secure. Friendly competent, consistent staff. The move-in truck is an added bonus. Not more expensive than other storage spaces and way better in every way. Great value.

CubeSmart storage has been working great for me, the sign up process is quick and easy, and once you have your storage unit assigned you can come and go without having to interact with anyone if you don't want to, just remember your passcode and you're good to go. I'm not originally from the states but I wish it was this easy to rent and use a storage unit back home. 100% recommended.

We've been using this storage for a few years. It's clean, well temperature controlled, and the people are really nice. However, we constantly get rate increase notices. We moved to a new unit last year because it was going to be half price for the same size. We just got our third rate increase notice since that. Get ready to pay a lot more than you think or shuffle units constantly.

I've had a storage unit here for a while. This is one of thee best places I've ever had storage at. Period. It's very modern and clean, the guys working here are very helpful and nice. Driving in is easy. And there is a place to park, covered garage while you load in. Close to the elevators and carts. Really appreciate CubeSmart Self Storage. All the best, Eva

I never knew how great self-storage could be. Access was controlled and secure while also being very easy. The building is immaculate, the staff is very helpful, and the carts are always available. I also appreciate the extra levels of safety employed during Covid 19. Every visit I made to pick up or drop off items to my storage unit was fast and convenient.

I have had quite a few storage units over the years and this place is by far my favorite. I’ve stored here for a few years now. The people are excellent. Warm, smart, good at their jobs. The facility is clean and bright. There are always enough carts and the free moving van is dope. It is a well-run place, designed to make things easy. I’m a fan.

When we moved our business location we rented two units at this Bolt Modern Storage. Incredibly convenient. Super well maintained. Terrific staff that went out of their way to be of assistance on a regular basis. You can drive right into the storage area to load and unload in the rain without getting wet. I love Bolt Modern Storage!!

Liz was very helpful on the phone explaining the rental process, personally checking the unit to ensure it had lighting before finalizing my reservation. After arriving on the property, Liz and Amanda showed me the unit, explained the security entrance/exit system before finalizing my rental. New, clean, high tech facility.

The facility on Leary Way in Ballard was always clean, spotless. The staff was always polite and helpful. There were always carts available for moving my stuff and I appreciated the security of the building. The facility I was using before moving to CubeSmart was scary and dirty. I'm glad I found CubeSmart!

Great experience. Called up the service number, reserved a unit, was able to move in the following morning. Storage space is secure and clean. Dollys available for moving boxes to the unit. I like the fact that the garage requires a keypad to entry, and there is a second keypad to move the elevator too.

The facility and the service is excellent. It's clean, well lit, secure, and right in the heart of Ballard. The continuity of having the same manager, Kirk, for the past 4 years is reassuring. He's extremely helpful, knows what he's doing, a pleasure to work with.

Very nice front desk man. I was having a rough time after a difficult break up and he was super cool about the fact that we were a couple minutes late leaving after 7pm when they close. Very clean facility. My unit was nice and well lit.

I have been keeping my small camper there for the past few months. What I have found is that the facilities are very clean, have easy access and the people there are super helpful. Would recommend it to anyone!

I’ve been using this location for several years, and have had a consistently great experience. Amanda has been fantastically helpful at modifying the mix of units I have to meet my needs. Happily recommended!

Beware of CubeSmart and their advertised prices. Once you are in their system, they will take advantage of you at every opportunity. I will never recommend their services to anyone.

Amanda was very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly! I got a unit same-day and she took her time to show me where it is, and the best way to use the (very convenient) facilities.

I was there over 8 years, and it's was always a pleasant experience going into the facility. The staff, Amanda and Liz, were always helpful, and kept the place clean and safe.

Liz was helpful and efficient getting setup. Unit clean, facility seems very secure and well laid out. Reasonable cost compared to what I just left.

Great facility and friendly onsite staff. Though the service representative via phone was pretty rude when answering questions.

The employees were Very helpful and and my items felt very safe in your space