sara_j

Hi everyone – I am going on a Girls' Getaway trip to Paris in Sept 2012 or 2013 with 3 others. We want a really nice apartment with at least 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, with AC and elevator (and a balcony or terrace would be perfect!) Our budget for the apt is around $4000 US (or thereabouts). I think I have looked at hundreds of apts on various websites and so far these are the ones we like best:

http://haveninparis.com/rental/Champselysees.php

http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen...tion=slideshow

http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen...tion=slideshow

http://www.vrbo.com/210961

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren...#section-photo

http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen...is/romanee.php

http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen...ris/corton.php

http://parisvacationapartments.com/i...apartment.html (500 over budget but nice)

Can some of you experts please give your opinions on these apartments? How do they compare in terms of neighborhoods, locations, transportation availability, shopping and markets nearby? Has anyone stayed in these apartments and can you please tell me about your experience? Can anyone suggest other places I may have overlooked?

Thanks so much for your help and advice. This board is great!!

Sara

Sidny

I'm no expert, but I'll get the ball rolling so the Paris experts will see this post.

I think the location depends on the ages/interests of the girls. Of those above, I would prefer one of the two in the St. Germain area. I may be very wrong, but I don't think of the 1st/7th having as much activity after dark (and I don't mean clubbing--just lots of open restaurants, people walking around, etc.). Though if that killer view of the ET is going to be important to your group, go for one of the apts in the 7th.

Also, I notice you haven't listed any apartments in the 3rd/4th (Marais) or 10th--areas that I think have more clubs, etc. for the younger age group (again, not knowing your age range). If you are going to be staying out late, keep in mind that the Metro closes at 1:15(wkdys)-2:15(fri/sat), so you might want an apartment close to the areas where you think you'll be going out.

Good luck with your hunt! In your price range I'm sure you won't have trouble finding something nice and well-located. And there are people on this board that can tell you exactly how many steps to the closest Monoprix from any of these apartments ;-)

sara_j

Thanks. Maybe I should not have used the term "girls" - we are way past the clubbing age but we are active and young at heart!
We want to be in a good neighborhood that is safe, and that has little food stalls, markets, shops, restaurants and such.
I have never been to Paris before so I consider anyone who has been a few times or knows the areas well to be an expert compared to me. I welcome any and all opinions please!

rbnwdlr

I will look for the link but this past summer we stayed at an amazing apartment just steps from the Eiffel Tower. It was sooo nice and in your price range. Look at homeaway. com and the apartment is a two bedroom on rue de montessuey. Awesome.

rbnwdlr

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p213025


Here is the link!
LOVE the apt and locations!!!!

Sidny

I use the term "girls" for my girls, too (at 40-ish), so I get you! Generally, any of the apts you listed look good and are in good areas. Again, I'll let others who know the neighborhoods better comment on proximity to markets, shops, restaurants, etc. I'll just say that Paris, especially central Paris, is generally very safe (typical tourist precautions for pickpockets aside), so don't worry about safety in the area of any of the apts you show above, or any others you might find in central Paris.

TPAYT

All of us who love Paris have our favorite locations to stay. Ours is Ile St. Louis. It's so concenient to The Seine, the Metro, so many sights and restaurants on both the Left and Right Banks. The streets are lively at night and quite safe.

This is the service we've used with great success. Check out some of the 2 bedrooms, some of them are in your price range.

http://www.guestapartment.com/

Having a view of The Eiffel Tower is beautiful, but we prefer to be close to The Seine.

cw

The homeaway apartment in the 1st that you chose has been recommended by a few Fodor's posters. If you do a search for Anselm Adorne's trip report, you'll find some nice descriptions of the apartment and the neighborhood. It was a few years ago.

We stayed with parisvacationapartments in the Palais Royal 3-bedroom. I can't say enough about the agency. The apartment was even better than it looked on-line. We liked the 1st though people often say it's too quiet at night and not residential. We didn't find this to be true necessarily, though it is more quiet than parts of the 4th-6th, there are lots of restaurants and you're within walking distance to many sites. Their apartment in the 6th looks very nice.

You've chosen beautiful places but unless you're set on an Eiffel Tower view, stay in a more central location than the 7th.

Judy

These apartments all look very nice. We have rented from Parisvacationapartments and ParisPerfect in the past and, in fact are renting from both this September, and were happy with both agencies. We have been communicating with the owner of the homeaway apartment recently for a vacation next year and have found her to be very responsive.

With 4 women, look at the configuration of the beds. We travel at times with our adult daughters and they prefer not to share a bed (if necessary, they'll share a king). Perhaps that may help to make a decision.

susanna

I like the Parisvacationapartment best. I like the idea of three bathrooms and three bedrooms with four women...where is the fourth person going to sleep?
It is a great company, great service, love the area the apartment is in,nicely decorated, I'd love to stay there with three friends!!

sara_j

Thanks for all the comments and opinions - Keep them coming!! I will expand the search to other areas as well. Yes, the bed configuration is an issue. One person wants to have her own bed but others of us may be willing to share if the beds are king. The parisvacation apartments have great looking bathrooms! I sort of like the idea of a separate toilet and sink WC that could be used while others are in the shower. But the toilets need to be convenient because we are at the age where we have to get up in night.

motherofthree

I stayed with my family in a Paris Perfect Apartment and was very happy all the way around. We stayed in Chateau La Tour and there were five of us. A queen in one, 2 twins in another and a sleeper sofa in LR. NOT like the horrible sleepers with the metal bard in your back, but like a twin hiding in a sofa. The balcony stretched the length of the apartment and had an amazing view of the ET. We found it very conveniently located, but with young kids had no need for night life. We thought the thrill of the view would be enough for them and it was. All of us could see the ET twinkling at night from our beds. Plenty of room, wonderful apartment and building. I would use them again in a heart beat. Enjoy whatever you decide.

sara_j

Well, I have looked some more and found these to add to my list:
http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen.../chassagne.php This in the 6th

and this one in the 5th
http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen.../chassagne.php Has anyone stayed here??

I found Anselm's thread about the homeaway apt and it sounds good too. And the neighborhood sounds fine to me.

Being close to the metro and having neighborhood restaurants is important to us as well.

sara_j

OOPS _ I was careless with my cut and paste! I meant to ask if anyone has stayed in the Paris Perfect Chassagne apt?

And I meant to say I found this nice one in the 5th
http://www.guestapartment.com/proper.../gloriosa.html Has anyone stayed here??

Keep those comments and suggestions coming! I appreciate your help!

Judy

I've stayed in the Chassagne apartment. It is in a great location. We loved the location!! Sleeping for 4 women might be a challenge, though, as the master bedroom has a queen sized bed and the second bedroom has a queen which can be separated to twins but the room is extremely small. Our adult daughters had this room and had to keep their luggage in the dining room. The room basically only contained the beds.
With 4 women I would try to find an apartment with 2 somewhat equal bedrooms. Have you looked at parisvacationapartments other apartments. They seem to have more real king sized beds which make sharing more palatable.

elsiejune

Hi Sara, I've stayed at both PP's Paulliac and HomeAway #143450. They are both beautiful apartments indeed, with excellent management. I much prefer this area of the 7th to the 1st for strolling to restaurant dinners and ease of marketing, but if les grands magasins are more your thing, then the HomeAway flat is just a stone's throw. Truly, both are central with good access to bus or metro. With four women, you'll want to look carefully at the floor plans and make sure the 2 baths and 2 wc are conveniently located. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have specific to these two flats. Have fun in your search - EJ

sara_j

Thanks Judy and ElsieJune for your replies. I didnt realize that the Chassagne apt was that cramped as the sq footage seems rather spacious compared to some of the others. One of the challenges I am facing is that one of the ladies wants her own bed. If there are just 2 kings in the place, there needs to be another bed or sofabed or something for her to use.

Yes, Judy I have been looking at the parisvacation apts and some of them are great.
http://www.parisvacationapartments.c...3rd-floor.html This one would work and the floor plan looks okay although I don’t think the BRs or baths are as pretty as some of the others.

This one would work I think (someone might need to sleep on the couch!)and the baths are convenient to the BRs. http://www.parisvacationapartments.c...2-bedroom.html

The Invalides/St Germain one is pretty but the bathrooms/WC are all the way across the apt from one of the BRs and there is no sofa bed or extra bed for the one who wont share a bed…..

The one where you stayed is really nice but alas, out of our budget!

ElsieJune - I can barely see the floor plan of the Homeaway Apt but it looks like one bathroom is ensuite and the other is across from the second bedroom. Is that correct? Did you or any of your group sleep on the sofabed?

Re the Paulliac, it looks like there is an extra powder room by the kitchen - is that correct? And did the apt feel crowded for 4 people? Two would be in the king bed and the other two in the twins. It says it has 1450 sq feet which is twice the size of some of of the PP apts with the Eiffel view!

I know we have lots of time to find an apt so not concerned about it but I love looking! I have a Portugal/Spain trip this May that I should be researching but somehow this seems more fun on a cold day!
Thanks!!

surfmom

We stayed in the Paris Vacation Apartments Palais Royal 3rd floor, 2 bedroom and LOVED it! We would stay there again. in a heartbeat.

Configuration: It is a 2 bedroom with Queen beds. The two baths are both very nice. I usually pick the large or nice one for me and give the kids the other... and I debated between both! Ended up using the one opposite the 1st bedroom as we used that as the master. The couches - we never folded them out - instead, they were very deep and we just gave the kid that slept there a blanket and pillow and they made a little bed and snuggled in.

The building is great - you have to go in from the street, but when leaving, there is a door that leads directly into the Palais Royal - I loved coming home at night walking through Palais Royal before cutting back into the street at one of the entrances to then walk into the building. We felt very safe and secure and didn't notice any particularly loud neighbors. We did hear the upstairs apartment one evening - but nothing loud, just footsteps.

I love this area - I just feel so central to many places in Paris. I also love to photograph at night, so we would put kids to bed and I'd sneak out at sunset to the Louvre for photos (see my profile). It is also easy to stop during the day and drop things off.

There is wireless! and a washer/dryer (which I used nightly). About 2 blocks away - through some side streets is a Monoprix with groceries in the basement floor. We've shopped there a few different times and it is a nice option to have it so convenient.

Paris Vacation apartments ? I thought they were great - they were waiting for us at the apartment and she apologized and had noticed a few lightbulbs that had burned out. The maintenance guy stopped by the next day to fix them. They also left fresh croissants and flowers which are a nice little 'welcome to Paris' treat! The last day, we had special ordered a taxi since we were five people. They came to check us out and take the keys and he waited with us until the taxi came to ensure that it was one that could handle 5 people and we wouldn't be stranded. I was impressed with that.

Overall, we thought it was a great apartment - it is nice to have the kitchen open to the living space and the kitchen table is right there, so you can converse with others while you are cooking/putzing in the kitchen. It also has a dishwasher, which is nice, because who wants to wash dishes ?!? The seating/couches are very comfortable and can handle 4 people easily - that is one caution I will give you. When I was looking at other apartments, some will really only have one couch and others need to sit at kitchen chairs. We also liked the entrance - there was a little space and shelves to drop keys/books, leave shoes etc. Some apartments are so tight there really isn't room, and this was great.

Sorry for the rambling, but we were very happy with them and the location!

sara_j

Thanks for the review,Surfmom! Lots of people like that agency.

Were there lots of restaurants, stores, galleries around that area? And was it close to Metro?

Also the website says (twice) that there are king beds but you say that they are really Queens?

surfmom

sara, I'm not sure about bed size - if they say they are Kings, I would imagine they are. I honestly don't pay attention - I just know that we weren't squished!

Restaurants, stores, galleries ? Not sure how to answer that - because we ate in at night and were out and about during the day. I would say that there is less to do in that area than the Marais, but more to do than the 7th.

Le Grand Vefour is right there and gets great reviews - there is also a restaurant on the ground floor, so it would be a great place to stop nightly for a drink and appetizers.

this might be it ? http://www.restaurantdupalaisroyal.com/?action=galerie

http://www.grand-vefour.com/en/navigation.htm

There is an Italian place at the end of the street, where the road turns. Finally, you are about a block from Galerie Vivienne, which is a wonderful little covered gallery with some neat shops in it.

http://www.galerie-vivienne.com/

Obviously, you can head to rue Saint Honore -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue_Saint-Honor%C3%A9

I can't say how far of a walk it is, since I have kids and I don't get time to shop! Here is also information about rue du Faubourg Saint Honore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue_du_...nt-Honor%C3%A9