Warm and cozy

Guest: Susan (Tampa, Florida USA)
Date of Stay: 12/20/11 Review Submitted: 01/25/12

We stayed in the apartment during the Christmas Holidays. Coming from Florida my main concern was keeping warm since I live in a semi-tropical climate but the apartment was wonderful. It was nice to come "home" to a warm, comfortable apartment every day. We actually choose to walk up the stairs each day (100 steps) for the exercise, not that a person does not get enough exercise just walking in Paris. But the lift was great to move our suitcases up and down. We loved the neighborhood and one reason we chose the location was because it was a neighborhood and so close to so many things. We easily walked to Ile-St-Louis and the subway was only a 5 minute walk and actually easy to figure out.(my daughter was good at figuring that out) We did not meet the owner but everything went well in "moving in" even though the person who let us in and showed us around did not speak English but the owner was only a phone call away. In leaving we left a cell phone in the apartment by accident. We immediately called the owner and the phone was shipped that afternoon back to the states. We really appreciated this being done so quickly. The apartment is good for any age but I am 65 and found it really comfortable. It was like living with a friend, but the friend was out of town.

Owner response:Thank you very much for your winter review especially coming from Florida.I appreciate very much. Gisela

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, age 55+, sightseeing.

Spectacular Pied a Terre in the Marais

Guest: Vic (Larkspur, California)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 08/04/11

Contemplating another visit to our favorite city, Paris, my wife suggested we rent an apartment, an option we had never considered. We looked at many of the apartments offered by VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) on their website. The selection task appeared overwhelming. I built an Excel spreadsheet that categorized: location, size, amenities, etc. The VRBO apartment #24464 in the Marais and the 4th Arrondissement stood out from the rest and, the price was within our budget. An email to the owner was resonded to promptly and was available on our desired dates. We had some anxieties as to whether all was as advertised. Upon arrival in June 2010, we were delighted that our expectations were more than exceeded. It is difficult to weigh its many features. Its size is wonderful (large living and dining rooms with ten foot high molded ceilings, three floor-to-ceiling light-filled double-paned windows overlooking the local rooftops), especially for two six footers. The furnishings, while eclectic, work well, the queen bed was comfortable for us. Security is not an issue - the place is tighter than Fort Knox. Electronic key for the street door and lobby entrance, electronic key to call the elevator and finally, a heavy duty lock at the apartment door. The location is magnificent; quiet street, sixth floor location, bedroom faces a small private park surrounded by buildings; in other words, QUIET! But, within three or four blocks are shopping areas that will meet all but the most arcane needs. Even the superb Bastille Outdoor Market and a Monoprix store are but blocks away. And, it is but two short blocks from a Metro station and the Ile-St-Louis. While the apartment will work for four (the sofa converts to a double bed) it is perfect for two. The phones took a little getting used to but the wi-fi was excellant. The many amenities made it feel as if we were staying in a friend's home. We hope that you will enjoy the apartment as much as we did. We will respond to inquiries to: linvic@comcast.net. Linda and Vic Levi (Larkspur, California)

Owner response:My guests find always new interesting things to say about the apartment. I am very grateful for it. Gisela

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/14/09 Review Submitted: 08/14/09

We have just spent a month here and enjoyed it so much that we immediately booked another month for next year. The location of the apartment means that it is very quiet, but it is also within walking distance of many attractions, restaurants and shops, so one has the best of both worlds. There is a metro at the end of the adjoining road. The apartment is well equipped and maintained, and contains a number of the owner's personal items, making it more like a home from home than the usual impersonal rental. A particular pleasure at the end of a long day's sight-seeing was to sit by the open balcony doors looking out over the roof-tops. Thoroughly recommended.

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Guest: Diane Sachs (Memphis, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/26/09 Review Submitted: 03/26/09

We stayed here for 10 days in February 2009. I want to second all the positive comments from the other guests. We have rented 5 other apartments in Paris for comparable amounts of money, and this is by far the largest and most well-furnished. You can always tell if an apartment was a well-loved home of someone at one time, or has always been a rental property. Someone has lived here, and it has the comforts that indicate this. eg. a good library for perusing, a well equipped kitchen (a blender!), plenty of storage space. The neighborhood is very quiet and non-commercial, but several blocks away are shops and restaurants. We were there in mid- winter and the heating was dependable,ample, and quiet. It is a lovely place to stay.

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Guest: Dave Adams1 (Winters, California)
Date of Stay: 01/30/09 Review Submitted: 01/30/09

My wife and I spent our 20th anniversary in this apartment last spring....and it was a memory for a life time! It was our first time in Paris and we didn't know what to expect, but with a place like this for our "home" we felt safe, and comfortable. The neighborhood is quiet, but located so that nothing was too far away. We used both the Sully Morland and the Bastille metro stations, and the nearby Gare de Lyon train station, as well as just walking. The Seine is 2 minutes walk, the monoprix grocery store 15, and the restaurant neighborhood around the Place de Bastille about 10 minutes. Ille Saint-Louis is 5 minutes across the Siene, and Nortre Dame another 6 or 7...but the apartment is not in a "touristy" neighborhood. I cooked a number of the evening meals, and we ate in the dining room, before an evening walk along the Seine...many mornings we opened all the windows to the breezes and had our coffee and pasteries.. The bedroom has a unique tapestry, and an unadvertised reflected view of the Eiffel tower in the mirrored windows of a nearby office building, that is only visible when lying in bed at night when the hourly flashes go off or when it is lit with its warm glow.. This apartment had everything we needed, from condiments to bedding to cooking implements, to location and ambiance. We enjoyed the combination of eclectic asian and african decorations and modern furniture, and the charm and character of a building from an earlier generation. And the owner was very helpful and concerned about our stay being enjoyable. We used the wifi internet access extensively, as we had brought a laptop and used it to look up maps, stores, history, and the location of Jim Morrisons grave! Dont leave yours at home... Everything associated with our stay here is a wonderful memory. Dave and Claudette Adams highly recommend this apartment!

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Guest: Martha Alford (Bowling Green, Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 06/09/08 Review Submitted: 06/09/08

My sister and I stayed here in May 2008 for a little more than a week. It was amazing! Everything you need is within walking distance - 2 different subway line stops, bakery, fruit market, grocery, butcher shop. Cross the river over to Ile Saint Louis and eat at the best restaurant around - L'Auberge de Reine Blanche on Rue Saint Louis on the island - and the ice cream shop is right down from there if you have already tried all of their fabulous desserts. Despite being close to a main street (Henri IV Boulevard)it was not noisy at all in the evenings with the windows thrown open. The apartment was very clean - plenty of supplies if you make a mess! We never did figure out how to work the dryer but the washing machine will do small loads. The apartment was so much more than we ever dreamed. I'd buy it if I could - that's how perfect it was.

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Guest: Sherri Van Saxon (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Date of Stay: 10/29/07 Review Submitted: 10/29/07

We travel abroad frequently and this is one of the most enjoyable and comfortable properties we have rented. The location in the historic Marais district is very central being a short walk to the lovely islands of Ile St. Louis and Ile de la Cite, to Notre Dame, to several museums including the Pompidou and Picasso and, to place de la Bastille with its many restaurants, shops and twice-weekly street market. My husband, the cook in the family, has thoroughly enjoyed the well-equipped kitchen while I have been impressed with the delightful and eclectic decor combining ethnic art from Africa and India with antiques and contemporary furnishings. The large and beautiful house plants have added to the feeling that you are in someone's home rather than a rental property. We have both appreciated how far removed the apartment is from street noise situated as it is on a quiet tree-lined street between two major boulevards and the Bastile yacht harbor. This spacious apartment has an airy feeling due to the high celings, floor-to-ceiling windows and views in three directions creating a light-filled ambiance. And, most appreciated for my work abroad, there is both WIFI and free long distance telephone service back to the states. The owner, who speaks excellent English, has been a delight and extremely helpful whenever we had a question or needed information. We are in our sixth week of a three-month stay and are already planning our return. We would highly recommend this apartment to anyone planning an extended stay in Paris. Sherri and Dresden Van Saxon Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/20/07 Review Submitted: 08/20/07

We stayed at this elegant, spacious apartment for three weeks and found it extremely comfortable, convenient, well equipped, and would highly recommend it to anyone. David and Marilyn New York City

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Guest: Meredith Davis1 (London, UK)
Date of Stay: 02/05/07 Review Submitted: 02/05/07

My husband and I stayed for a week and we have told everyone how truly wonderful our experience was due to our lovely accomodations. We found ourselves not wanting to leave the flat. We mainly sat in the living room and had wine and chatted by the fire. The artwork is breathtaking as is the tapestry in the bedroom. The pictures on the website do not do this place justice. Floor to ceiling windows and terraced balconies make this flat an absolute gem! The dining room feels as if you are in a classic french movie. The kitchen has gorgeous dishes and truly everything you need to create the most lovely dinner. The flat is within walking distance to our favorite parts of paris and is one that we hope to return to again and again!

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Guest: Susan Lucy (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
Date of Stay: 01/08/06 Review Submitted: 01/08/06

My daughter and I had a wonderful stay in this bright, comfortable, and spacious apartment. The building is quiet and well maintained, and the apartment is decorated with style and is very well equipped. Although it is close to a number of excellent restaurants, one of the joys of staying in an apartment in Paris is being able to eat in if you wish. There are bakeries and convenience stores nearby, and a short walk will get you to the bustle of rue St-Antoine, with even more bakeries, as well as charcuteries/traiteurs, green grocers, and a Monoprix with an excellent supermarket section. There is also a large outdoor market at Bastille (boulevard Richard Lenoir) on Thursdays and Sundays. The location is an excellent base for sightseeing and shopping all over Paris; the Bastille metro stop is a transfer point for a number of lines, and the apartment is also close to the Sully-Morland metro station. The owner is gracious and responsive. We recommend it highly.

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