Accomodations in Paris
May 21st, 2010, 01:33 PM
#21
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Hi Fodors,
Recently returned from our European trip and felt that I should comment on the Vacation in Paris group. Sadly we were very disappointed in the local contact person. We had been held up in Frankfurt so late arriving in Paris. We were given instructions of how to get to our apt. and advised on how long it would take. We made every connection without waiting even a few minutes so we made perfect time but it took us 25 mins longer than the estimate we were given. Our contact was not there eventhough there was a warm glassed in foyer to wait for us. The contact person was extremely rude when we called and suggested that we pay more for the inconvience than the after hours charge of 30 euros. Further we were not allowed a receipt so that we could charge this back to the airline. As for the apt. there were warnings about not using the phone to call a cell phone number because of the expensive although a cell phone number is the only number given to reach the contact person when the apt. came up short on services promised. I would definately not use this company again. On a brighter note we had no problem with any of the other companies we dealt with in Germany or Italy.
Recently returned from our European trip and felt that I should comment on the Vacation in Paris group. Sadly we were very disappointed in the local contact person. We had been held up in Frankfurt so late arriving in Paris. We were given instructions of how to get to our apt. and advised on how long it would take. We made every connection without waiting even a few minutes so we made perfect time but it took us 25 mins longer than the estimate we were given. Our contact was not there eventhough there was a warm glassed in foyer to wait for us. The contact person was extremely rude when we called and suggested that we pay more for the inconvience than the after hours charge of 30 euros. Further we were not allowed a receipt so that we could charge this back to the airline. As for the apt. there were warnings about not using the phone to call a cell phone number because of the expensive although a cell phone number is the only number given to reach the contact person when the apt. came up short on services promised. I would definately not use this company again. On a brighter note we had no problem with any of the other companies we dealt with in Germany or Italy.
May 21st, 2010, 01:48 PM
#22
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I might suggest that now is fine time to book an apartment. I just paid my deposit of half the total rental yesterday for a Paris apartment I had been hesitating over. Luckily, the exchange rate worked in my favor this time, as the $1.37/Euro rate I almost sent a week or so ago had dropped to just a bit over $1.23/Euro. I was able to do it with my Capitol One credit card, and so paid no foreign transaction fees.
May 21st, 2010, 07:41 PM
#23
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It's very unfortunate that you had an unpleasant experience. I had the total opposite experience and still have the company on my plus list. Plus, I received the apartment keys before I left home therefore arrival time was not an issue. I have never rented an apartment where I had to meet anyone to let me in.
As for not being able to call a cell phone number, from the apartment phone, from what I remember, it was the same at my apartment through them. I usually have a cell phone through www.callineurope.com and don't depend on apartment phones. The apartment that I just had through www.homeaway.com , however, provided free phone service both locally and to the U.S. One needs to enquire about the phone set up. Even though my recent apartment included free phone service, there were times when the call wouldn't go through, for whatever reason, so on those occasions, I'd just use my cell phone. Happy Travels!
As for not being able to call a cell phone number, from the apartment phone, from what I remember, it was the same at my apartment through them. I usually have a cell phone through www.callineurope.com and don't depend on apartment phones. The apartment that I just had through www.homeaway.com , however, provided free phone service both locally and to the U.S. One needs to enquire about the phone set up. Even though my recent apartment included free phone service, there were times when the call wouldn't go through, for whatever reason, so on those occasions, I'd just use my cell phone. Happy Travels!
May 21st, 2010, 08:07 PM
#24
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Stella:Curious as to which apartment it was that you ended up renting and what was the apartment short of? I'm sure you've sent VIP a letter about the situation so that they will hopefully contact whatever person you called who was so rude.
I'm a bit confused about the part of not being given a receipt so that you could charge the extra amount back to the airline? Do airlines pay for such?
I'm also confused about the part about you being given the instructions on how to get to the apartment. Do you mean that you were given the "written" instructions and estimated arrival time to the apartment, in the VIP packet or that you actually called the contact person, upon arriving to the airport, to say that you'd arrived in Paris and then were given the instructions? Because if you called the contact person, from the airport, after landing and he/she knew that you were on your way, then there was no excuse for the person to not be there.
I remember, month before last, while I was in the airport shuttle at CDG, and on my way to my rented apartment, there were two women, from New York, in the shuttle. They were also on their way to their rented apartment. On the way from CDG to their apartment in the 14th, they called twice to let the owner know that they were on their way. As they were dropped off first (my apartment was in the 6th), I remember as soon as we drove up, that there was a French woman standing outside on the sidewalk who was right there to greet them. She even came up to the van and happily greeted me and and then said surprised "Oh, are you 3 people?". I then told her that I wasn't with the 2 women, but was on my way to my own rented apartment. I didn't need to call anyone as the owner of my apartment, who is from N.Y., had mailed me the apartment keys a good 2 weeks before I had left L.A.. Happy Travels!
I'm a bit confused about the part of not being given a receipt so that you could charge the extra amount back to the airline? Do airlines pay for such?
I'm also confused about the part about you being given the instructions on how to get to the apartment. Do you mean that you were given the "written" instructions and estimated arrival time to the apartment, in the VIP packet or that you actually called the contact person, upon arriving to the airport, to say that you'd arrived in Paris and then were given the instructions? Because if you called the contact person, from the airport, after landing and he/she knew that you were on your way, then there was no excuse for the person to not be there.
I remember, month before last, while I was in the airport shuttle at CDG, and on my way to my rented apartment, there were two women, from New York, in the shuttle. They were also on their way to their rented apartment. On the way from CDG to their apartment in the 14th, they called twice to let the owner know that they were on their way. As they were dropped off first (my apartment was in the 6th), I remember as soon as we drove up, that there was a French woman standing outside on the sidewalk who was right there to greet them. She even came up to the van and happily greeted me and and then said surprised "Oh, are you 3 people?". I then told her that I wasn't with the 2 women, but was on my way to my own rented apartment. I didn't need to call anyone as the owner of my apartment, who is from N.Y., had mailed me the apartment keys a good 2 weeks before I had left L.A.. Happy Travels!
