How to Find the Perfect Apartment Rental in Paris

You can save money and experience Parisian life by renting an apartment. But how to find that diamond in the rough? The travelers in our forums decided to share their finds in an ongoing thread, condensed here. If you have your own apartment rental find to share, please head over to the forums and join the conversation.

5 Essential Tips to Rent By

Google street view works in Paris
"I just want to share with those of you who are looking for an apartment, like me, that google maps is incredible. I was able to input in the search bar simply "Paris rue Pot de Fer" and then click on "street view" and get a clear street level image of the place. In some cases you can even find the number of the building and see exactly what the place looks like. You can spin around and see the surroundings, and by clicking on the arrows, "walk" down the street a few blocks, take a left, explore the area." --sparsam7

Groups will almost always save money going with an apartment vs. a hotel
"It was definitely not an inexpensive choice, but for 4 of us, it was a better deal than two hotel rooms of comparable quality would have been, and we had a lot more space than we would have with two hotel rooms." --NWWanderer

Have a backup plan
"We got to the apt. and it was a mess!!! Bed unmade, sheets dirty, clothes lying all about the bedroom. We declined the rent and caught a bus to St. Ouen and our rented hotel room. So I have learned, have a plan 2 if the apt. rental falls through. The hotel was 250E more than the apt., but at least we had a place to stay that we knew what to expect." --jkbritt

Expect extra amenities
"The washer/dryer combination [was] great. Carry less clothes! Be sure to get instructions on how to use it, there are a lot of dials in French! The machine doesn't wash huge loads and the clothing can come out quite -wrinkled, but the apartment does have an iron as well." --richardab

The real question is... what are the owners like to do business with?
"I think it is important to verify the legitimacy of an agency or owner, because the process of renting an apartment involves a lot of trust on both sides of the transaction." --cw

How to Find An Apartment

Check out the Paris Tourism Office Web site (www.parisinfo.com) for reputable agency listings. Policies differ, but you can expect a minimum required stay from three to seven days; a refundable deposit payable on arrival; possibly an agency fee; and maid service. A great Web site with unbiased ratings of agencies and listing services is Paris Apartment Info (www.paris-apartment-info.com).

Rental Services Recommended by Fodorites

"I rented ... from Rent Paris (www.rentparis.com) last summer and had a great experience." --slangevar

"I always rent from Paris Perfect (www.parisperfect.com). All of their places are lovely." --gracejoan3

"Vacation in Paris (www.vacationinparis.com) is a great company and service, and one can pay in U.S. dollars. ... One also gets the apartment keys mailed ... no need to meet an agent to let one into the apartment." --Guenmai

"We rented from Guest Apartment Services (www.guestapartment.com) ... Superlative experience. I stayed there with my mother and she is picky!" --Leely2

"We have rented three apartments in recent years from Rothray (www.rothray.com). I can't tell you how completely reliable Ray is and how nice his apartments are.... Look at his website and know he will help you with everything and is 100% honest." --MAP

"The English speaking owners are a pleasure to deal with, and seem to have thought of everything... See for yourself at Rental Apartment Paris (www.RentalApartmentParis.com)." --lregeo

"We have rented twice from Thierry at Paris Best Lodge (www.parisbestlodge.com). He is great ... I would definitely trust him." --emsmom

Related Links

• Our online Paris guide
• From the Forums: Paris Apartment Thread
• Paris in Spring: 21 Things to Do Outside
• Beginners' Guide to Train Travel in France

Photo credit: Istockphoto / Eric Hood