apartment vs. hotel

Old Jul 18th, 2005, 02:52 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
apartment vs. hotel

My husband and I will be spending a week in Paris in late September. Our 2nd visit; first was about 12 years ago. We've seen some apartments and hotels that are appealing, and are leaning towards renting an apartment. Any pros/cons from veterans? (E.g., no concierge/desk clerk to help w/directions, etc.)
Also -- based on many comments here, we're thinking of the 7th (stayed in the 6th last time). Recommendations (hotels and/or apartments) gratefully accepted.
I plan to post other questions to this excellent forum as we plan our trip! Thanks in advance.
kagoo is offline  
Old Jul 18th, 2005, 04:34 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have done both, and I like both. Just depends how I feel for the trip. An apartment can be nice. Since you have been to Paris before, you will feel a little more at ease.
There are many good apartment sites. The www.parisperfect.com apts. are very nice and very popular. They are all in the 7th. The www.vrbo.com site is another good one. Take a look and come back and ask about particular ones. Have fun looking.

I will be in the area the last half of September. I am doing something quite different from my usual..which is renting within Paris, when only going to Paris...I have rented a charming cottage on an estate about 45 min. east of CDG..on the edge of Champagne country..near a train station with a 45 min ride into Paris for when I want to go in. I have a lot of places planned to visit...
gracejoan is offline  
Old Jul 18th, 2005, 04:45 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 771
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My personal perference is to rent an apartment if I'm in a city for at least a week (would rent if shorter periods were a good price). I like having more room, kitchen facilities, etc. It'a just so much more comfortable instead of being consigned to a couple of beds to sit on.

Check out RentParis.com. I rented from them for a month (a studio in the 7th) and loved it. Granted that I was there for a long time but I also returned recently from a week's apt rentals in Rome and in Tuscany and they were the best.

Unless you really need a concierge to tell you where to go or make reservations, a hotel is not that great. And, a lot of those don't really have great service
nancy is offline  
Old Jul 18th, 2005, 04:49 PM
  #4  
claude315
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
My only suggestion is to be sure you have a CONTACTABLE after hours number.

On my recent visit to Florence I had a terrible experience. The lovely young woman at Windows on Tuscany gave me the keys, welcomed me in etc. However, when I returned very late that evening, the key didnt fit the external door. They accidentally gave me the 'safe' key. It was my first night in Florence and I had a terrible night. Nobody would help in any way. I was unable to contact anybody from the apartment until 10 am the next morning. The after hours number had a recorded message!!

I must add, Windows on Tuscany refunded my accom for that night.

It is the sort of thing one expects to happen only to somebody else!

 
Old Jul 18th, 2005, 05:32 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,508
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Check out this dream duplex in the 16th and then tell me if you still want to consider hotels.

I have it bookmarked for that splurge occasion that I keep promising myself.

http://www.vrbo.com/global/siteframe...vrbo/21652.htm
tedgale is offline  
Old Jul 18th, 2005, 06:27 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
DH and I are hooked on apartments. We love the extra space, a couch, a fridge to stash breakfast and snack food, a real table with chairs where we can sit to eat or write, and the washing machine (granted, they all don't have them, but we search them out).

We spent 8 nights in an apartment in the 16th in June (no, not the one tedgale's talking about!). As claude did, we also found out it's SO important to have an after hours contact number. Our situation worked out much better, though. One evening there was a huge thunderstorm. We sat tight in the apartment when all of a sudden we heard a splash, and next thing you know the kitchen floor was completely flooded. The rainwater had backed up somehow and came up through an uncapped pipe under the sink. We grabbed some towels to keep the water off the hardwood floor in the next room and called the on-site building caretaker. She was there within 5 minutes. We also called the apartment owner on his cell phone, who lives outside the city, but immediately hopped on his motorcycle and came to our rescue. That would have been SO miserable if we couldn't have gotten a hold of anybody. The situation didn't sour us on apartments, but taught us that we unconditionally have to have a 24 hour contact number.

That brings up another con to apartments: if something goes wrong, they can't switch you to another room.

Jocelyn_P is offline  
Old Jul 18th, 2005, 09:40 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hate to be a broken record around here, but..... you can always look at staying at a B&B home...it's the best of both worlds, really. Most places you're the only people staying there, like an apartment, but you do have someone to clean up, help out with things, make reservations, etc. We absolutely loved our B&B experience. (You can read more about it in an earlier post of a couple of weeks ago.) Take a peek at www.bed-and-breakfast-in-paris.com. Can't hurt to check out another option.
wyf4lyf is offline  
Old Jul 19th, 2005, 05:59 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My husband and I manage to get to Paris several times each year. We've stayed both in hotels and apartments and much prefer an apartment. We've rented apartments in the Marais, which we enjoyed, but now usually stay in the 7th. We'll typically alternate eating out and cooking and the Rue Cler market is wonderful. The apartment just gives us more room and flexibility. Often, we'll go to a concert and then come back to the apartment for a late night dinner, and some champagne, of course! In January, we rented the rue du Colonel Combes 1 bedroom apartment from Walid and Charla - parispiedaterre.com. Walid was terrific, and available to answer our questions, and we thought the apartment was great.
KT_Tomlinson is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
AmyChow
Europe
45
Jan 27th, 2012 08:14 PM
happy53
Europe
10
Jan 29th, 2011 11:01 AM
michele_d
Europe
26
Jan 10th, 2010 04:36 PM
Scarlett
Europe
93
Jan 26th, 2005 09:24 AM
JulieVikmanis
Europe
30
May 21st, 2004 05:52 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -