Accomodations in Paris
 

we are a family of 4 looking for accomodations in Paris for 5 nights in mid March. I have spent hours searching .... Thought I would ask if anyone has any thoughts on the best area / accomodation suggestions / price etc. We would like to be centrally located and a patio or windows with a view would be nice. $200/night would be our max.

Thank-you

We've just rented a lovely one bedroom apartment from VacationinParis for our february trip.

They are based in NJ so all transactions were done in dollars and we could use our credit card. I found them wonderfully helpful and easy to work with. We found the apartments to be very reasonable and we liked the idea on not having to pay a large security deposit paid to the owners in France in euros which is common with some of the other agencies.

Here's the website.

http://www.vacationinparis.com/

Good luck

Look at apt #201 at Vacation In Paris website , listed above. Sleeps 4 and has a nice little courtyard and very centrally located with lots of bus links and a metro practically next door.

Browsing Vacation in Paris site. How to get #201? I can't see it.

Thanks.

An apt. might be your best bet, because I think your budget is too low for what you want -- central area with view/patio. First, hardly any hotels have patios, I"m not sure what you are meaning by that. Do you mean you want a room with an individual, personal patio? (don't use that word, it would probably be called a terrace, but forget it, you aren't getting any room with a private terrace in your budget).
If you just want a hotel with a private courtyard are or something, I'd also forget that if I were you. First, it will be March so you won't want to be spending time outside in some courtyard, anyway. Second, there aren't hardly any hotels like that, either, especially in your budget.

Your budget is only around 140 euro a night, you want a quad for that rate in central paris with special things. Your budget is too low for a hotel like that. If anyone can think of such a hotel in that price range, I'm sure they will name it but I cannot.

this is the best I can think of
http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com/

they do have an interior garden area and maybe some rooms for 4 and their rates are reasonable, but they would still be over your max, I would guess

this is the 201 VIP
http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_201.htm

I think you have to search by type but if you know how their URL works, you can just put the number in it

Unit 201 does look good and I have sent an inquiry. It looks like Marais is a very central area. As for the 1weekflat site. Is it for full weeks only. I see you only stayed for 5 days but the site looks like weekly prices only?

Some may only rent for a week, but many will rent by the night, with a minimum of 3 nights being the shortest stay limit that I saw most often.

I was charged for 6 nights not a full week for our Vacationinparis apartment.

When I spoke with the reservationinst she mentioned she had stayed at the apartment we chose and loved it.

I'm really looking forward to having the extra room of a full one bedroom apartment as opposed to the size of any hotel room that I could get for $128 a night

Celticharper, What apartment did you choose?

Also any problems with the $150 for the keys and sending the keys back to receive the $150 deposit?

We used Vacation in Paris to rent an apt on our trip two years ago - they were extremely responsive with everything and we were very pleased with the way they operate. Loved having an apt with the kids so that we could eat breakfast at "home" every morning and often picked up something to eat there for dinner as well since we were so pooped from walking all over the city.

We received the key (I think) about a week before our trip along with detailed instructions about the apt, and an envelope to return the key when we were done. We actually sent the key back after the date they asked for it as we coudn't find a mail box and were travelling on, but no problems. Deposit was sent to us promptly.

No problem whatever in getting the key deposit back. I receive mine the very day they get it. Since I pay with a credit card via Paypal that is the way I get my refund. Then I transfer the money back to my checking account

likelivingthere looks and sounds like advertising to me!

Stella: vacationinparis is a great company to work with. As for the key deposit, it's no problem. I got mine back within a week of when they received the key from me. Plus, they don't charge any huge deposits unlike if you were renting from some owners or through other agencies. Also, the apartment is paid for in U.S. dollars so no worry of currency fluctuation or having to figure out how you're going to pay an owner hundreds of Euros upon arrival, etc. You'll also get the key before you leave home which is not the norm in most rental situations. It's nice not to have to be dependent on meeting someone to give you the key as flights can be delayed or other things could come up. So, it really couldn't be easier. I just mailed VIP a personal check. from L.A. to N.J., for the amount of the apartment and that was the end of it. Happy Travels!

Guenmai said it all. Those were my reasons for renting from Vacationinparis. I have a lot less fear about losing $150 key deposit made on my CC than I do losing a 750€ security deposit, paid in cash to a stranger in France. I liked being able to handle the transaction completely in the US by credit card just in case anything goes wrong I have the protection of the CC company.

It's not advertising to talk about a company we are renting from since we have no financial interest in the company, we are just passing along our experiences.

We are renting the apartment http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_08.htm
on Rue St Dominique in the 7th. It's on the sale page right now till the end of Feb for a discount.

I do a trip report when we return to let everyone know how it turns out.

Stella: VIP#210 looks fine if you don't have a problem with 4 people living in 32 square meters of space. The Marais is a very good area.

As for how to look up the various apartment listing numbers on VIP, after you get to their website, scroll to the bottom of the page and then click on "Site" and all of the apartment list numbers will pop up. Happy Travels!

If I were you I'd take a look at #148 in the 5th.

I had #122 in the 6th which is very nice and is a very popular apartment. It is 40 square meters and is on two floors. There will be no view, but the location is great. I've stayed in that neighborhood since 1981. And there's an elevator in the building. Happy Travels!

I think an apartment is a good choice for your price range. Check out this hotel...Grand Hotel Des Balcons, I've stayed there several times, and it may be in your range. They have a wonderful breakfast, and it is convenient for metro. St. Germain area

We rented a flat in Paris with our family years ago , and I must chime in that it was perfect! Had laundry facilities and a large kitchen, and we truly felt like Parisians by the end of our trip! Take a look at rentavilla.com

<<likelivingthere looks and sounds like advertising to me!>.

It was definitely advertising. It's a company that helps you "find" an apartment in Paris or Barcelona. In other words, you'd be paying someone to do the research, totally unnecessary when there are so many people here recommending companies that they've been satisfied with.

I reported it yesterday and am glad to see that the post is gone.

<<It's not advertising to talk about a company we are renting from since we have no financial interest in the company, we are just passing along our experiences.>>

No, it isn't and that's the point. The post in question was an ad promoting their own company, not a post from someone who was recommending a rental company that they'd used.