We are a family of 5 with 3 teenage kids planning a last minute trip to London for 1 week and Paris for 1 week the 1st 2 weeks of August. We have made no plans yet and are wondering if anyone can give us a suggestion for some good and reliable web sites to rent a reasonably priced apartment for those two weeks. Thanks in advance!

Have not used it myself, so cannot vouch for reliability, but here is one possibility for Paris. <BR> <BR>http://locaflat.com/index.html

For a family a flat is the best way to go. The extra space, a kitchen, a washing machine -- all for less money than a small hotel room. <BR> <BR>I have many contacts for apartment rentals in London and a couple in Paris. But they are all at home and I am on the road. I can try to e-mail some info to you in a couple of days. <BR> <BR>But, you can find a lot of good info re flats on the web. Just use a good search engine such as google, northernlight or excite. Enter "London (or Paris) holiday rental", or London vacation flat, or London self catering apartment. All the variations on the theme. You will find hundreds of listings with photos, rates, floor plans, maps, etc.

Hi Nikky, <BR>You may want to check www.vacationspot.com <BR> <BR>They have rental properties listed literally all over the world. <BR> <BR>Good Luck, <BR>BC

www.londonapartment.co.uk

Re Paris: this question has been asked many times on this forum before, even within past year, and I have posted several times numerous URLs of Parisian apt rental firms, so hopefully you can find that info with a simple search (using the forum search tool white box). I will comment that barring some unusual cancellation, the only apts available to rent at such a late date before going, especially in summer, would be the bottom of the barrel. If you are not very picky but just want a room with sofabeds, futons, etc, (perhaps not so attractive and not large) you might be able to find something in less popular, farther-out areas of Paris (try www.locaflat.com or www.yourhomeinparis.com for apts in 15th arr, for example, most vacation apt agencies won't handle them). A further complication is apts for 5 are also rather rare within the agencies, so there are not a lot to begin with. www.parisapartment.com is a good website with reviews and listings of many Parisian ST apt rental agencies. (my comments all pertain to Paris, I don't know London apt rental market) Good luck. If you only want an apartment-hotel (which might be the better bet given your situation), try www.citadines.com or www.apartmenthotel.com or www.home-plazza.com/bastille/index.htm

I remembered a thread from a "fodorite" who has a beautiful flat in Paris. here is their url. http://www.lacigaleparis.com/ <BR> <BR>One thing - when you do search, you may want to concentrate on UK and Paris based agencies or individuals. When you book through a US or International company, the rents can be a lot higer since they are geared to the US market and you are paying a middleman. <BR> <BR>Privately owned flats can be the nest bargains because they are self-managed.

I rented an apartment through these people last fall; pleased with the accommodations (just as advertised) and the service from both the U.S. rep and the landlord in Paris: <BR>http://www.albany.net/~nracnyfr/parisapt.html <BR> <BR>My reco for London is being renovated, and isn't available until September, but here's the website that lists other apartments: <BR>http://www.londonservicedapartments.co.uk/index.htm

For Paris, check out RentParis.com I just used them for a month's rental in May as have 2 other friends. The two young men who manage the rentals are very responsive and great. <BR> <BR>In London, you might check out the Nell Gwynne apartments in Chelsea. Good area and very large apartment complex. They have a website.