jamikins

Hello Fellow Fodorites!!

We are heading to Paris for a week in Sept 2009. Usually my hubby (Bikerscott) and I stay at Hotel St Jacques in the 5th, but we are going with my brother and his fiancee so we thought renting an apartment would be better. We are all in our late 20's, early 30's so we are ok with no elevator.

We havent spent a lot of time in the 4th, but everyone on this board seems to love it so I thought it would be nice to try staying somewhere new.

Can anyone give me any advice on this apartment?
http://www.parisattitude.com/apartme...cription-fiche

Is it a good location?
Has anyone used this agency to book in Paris before??

We are trying to keep the cost under 1K euros for a week.

THANK YOU!

PatrickLondon

Rue des Rosiers is just about the centre of the tourist Marais, but at the other end from where there's likely to be the most crush of people. I think it's a pretty good location.

However, 54 sq. m. is small for four people. 6 sq m for a kitchen = 9ft 9in x 6ft 6in. The bedrooms could be something like 12ft 12in x 9ft 9in and 12ft 12in x 8ft.

You'd need to pack light and have a very clear understanding about who's going to do what in the kitchen and when.

sueciv

Did I see it correctly? The second bedroom appears to have a fold-out love seat for the bed?
Which couple gets that?
I'd enjoy the location though, and its pretty enough.

jamikins

All good points! Sounds like a good location, but maybe need to look some more!

Thanks...does anyone have any suggestions?

opaldog

It's a good location with views from the street facing windows. I think the only problem that I would have is who get's the foldout bed?

Momliz

yup, that fold out bed might be tough, but many are comfortable. The location looks great.

If you do a search you will see that others, including me, have used Paris Attitude and liked them.

jamikins

Well since I'm planning the trip, hubby and I get the 'real bed' hahahahahah

ok, I'm also looking at these (a couple are pushing my budget...but what do you think:

www.vrbo.com/145677

www.vrbo.com/192356

www.vrbo.com/19924

Seamus

Of the bunch I would pick VRBO 192356. We have stayed in that general area several times and like it a lot - close enough to walk to many places and very convenient to public transportation.

One thing I would advise is a place with at least a separate toilet if not a second bathroom - not always easy to find but well worth it.

Have a look at http://tinyurl.com/5e3jbk where we have been able to find some good places. Take a look at the listings for 12th Reuilly area. The one we stayed in last June is no longer on the market but there are several others that might work, such as #68902

Ackislander

Rue des Rosiers is a great street, very conveniently located for boutique shopping on Rue des Francs Bourgeois and for regular shopping, Metro, and bus at St Paul. It is handy for the Beauborg area and not far from the Place des Vosges or the Seine.

The street has a somewhat exotic (depending on where you are from) ambience, lots of Jewish businesses with two great eating places, the famous L'As du Felafel and the deli Sascha Finkelsztajn being standouts. The immediately surrounding area has a number of gay venues, making for a very eclectic scene. It is not a through traffic route, but I don't think it would be particularly quiet either on a warm evening. But you are young enough to want to be out partying yourselves!

It is a must stop when we visit Paris.

I would worry about a foldout bed.

melissa19

How about this one:

http://www.vrbo.com/166715

It's 1200e for the week, but to me being right on the Place des Vosges would be fabulous.

jamikins

WOW, thanks Melissa! Will email them as well!

eliza3

From my research, 1200 euros a week is at the top end of īnormalī (ie not luxury) apts. There is a lot better value to be had than that last one.

Christina

That's definitely not near the top end from my research and I've probably looked at hundreds of Parisian apt. rentals and websites over many years. That is a 2 BR apt near place des Vosges, 1200 euro a week (170 per day) is fairly cheap for that IMO.

It might be near the top for a studio, of course, and perhaps even an avg. 1 BR, although not even that unusual for a nice 1 BR in a very good area with AC. A lot don't have AC, although in Sept one might not care about that.

Guenmai

Great location. My optician, for many years, at Mikli, was located at 1, rue des Rosiers. However, that apartment is awfully small for 4 people. Happy Travels!

jamikins

Thanks so much again...I think its going to come down to:

http://www.vrbo.com/Beta/145677
1000 euros

and

http://www.vrbo.com/166715
1200 euros

and

http://www.parisattitude.com/apartme...cription-fiche
975 euros

We dont mind smallish to stay in budget. Bikerscott and I like the more expensive one hahahahaha...but need to ensure my brother can afford it.

Any thoughts on these three in particular?

Jamie

laurie_ann

We stayed at VBRO 19924 (named Propriete Royale) for a week with my parents in September 2004. I have reviewed it on here before. It was great. Great location, great apartment (on US second floor on a great little street very close to Seine, very close to St. Paul metro) It has a separate toilet room (but the bathroom has no toilet). One note the second bedroom has twin beds. That was what my parents prefer and it was not all that easy to find, but just to let you know. It was very spacious and comfortable for four adults. The owner is an American who is somehow in the food or restaurant business and so instructions on appliances, directions for restaurants, etc. were written in a way that was helpful to me as an American. I found it on VBRO but my contact then was with the manager Pascal who was very good spoke excellent English. We paid 1500 euro for the week but I still thought it was a very good value (that was at dollars 1.18 or so to the euro). Have fun planning your trip!

melissa19

Obviously, I like the Place des Vosges one the best! I noticed that it also lists 200e per night, so if you only stayed five nights it would still be 1000e. But I certainly understand why you would want a full week.

As for the other VRBO listing, do you know where it is, beyond "central Marais?" They also don't show pix of the 2nd bedroom, so I'd want to see that. Personally, I couldn't manage a walk-up, but that's just me.

The Rue des Rosiers can get pretty crowded.

Good luck!

Guenmai

There's no street listed on your first apartment. The second is Place Vosges, which is very nice. But, I'd personally take the rue des Rosiers apartment. Happy Travels!

jamikins

Sorry the 1000 euro one is at n° 16, rue Bourg Tibourg, 75004

melissa19

Jamie,

You may already know that rue Bourg Tibourg is in the heart of the gay Marais - not that there's anything wrong with that - just fyi. It's kind of a busy area, too, but really the whole southern end of the 4th is very popular.

With these low exchange rates, maybe you and Bikerscott can splurge on the extra for the 1200e flat? We were considering it for next March, but need twin beds in our 2nd bedroom.