Can anyone suggest apartments in Paris and Barcelona for a family with 2 teenagers ?? I have searched for hours for something reasonable. or a hotel.
Also a gite in Dordogne area you may recommend.
P.S.Do other Aussies use this site and if so is there an aussie version??

Here a site I found AFTER booking aour apartments in Spain for a trip this May. It's an "owner direct" service and seems to have a great variety of apartment all over the world.

http://22elgoog.vrbo.com/

The site we used for the Barcelona trip was:

http://www.lovingbarcelona.com

Hope these help.

via con dios,

Brian

I stayed in an apartment in Barcelona for a long weekend last year and it was great. We booked through www.oh-barcelona.com and found them to be very efficient and helpful. The apartment was spotless, in a great location just off Las Ramblas in the Gothic Quarter, yet it was still nice and quiet. They have plenty of apartments to choose from.

Thanks so much to all for help-will try all your suggestions.

cailin - I have booked an apartment through Oh-B and it is good to hear your testimonial! I have been feeling a tad nervous about being in the Ciutat Vella at night. We'll be on Carrer D'Avinyo, a main road running parallel between Las Ramblas and Via Laietana. Do you have a feel for this area? Please tell me my fears are unfounded! Or not...

Thanks, Amy

cailin
the apartments look great but can you tell me more where yours was-cannot work out the area from their map
thank you

bevzy - the exact address of the apartment we stayed in was Boqueria 28 which was between La Rambla and Via Laietana (in the Barrio Gotic.

Amy, I would imagine where we stayed is pretty close to where you will be staying (although I'm not familiar with Carrer D'Avinyo,itself), and we never had any fears at night. We're both young and fairly streetwise and used to living in a big city, but even still, it felt incredibly safe. Of course, when you're in any city you have to be on your guard, but it felt a lot safer than a lot of cities I've stayed in. Further down La Rambla I believe can get a bit dodgy at night, but the area we were in was fine.

cailin - We feel pretty street-wise too, but I read that closer to the port, things can be a little dicey. We're also closer to Placa Reial, which I hear is an "adventure." I think I see your place on the Oh-B site, and it's further up towards the Eixample. We're just going to go for it, enjoy ourselves, watch our backs and enjoy that fifth floor terrace with the view!

bevzy - I have posted elsewhere about our apartment in Paris last year. Rented through Paris Vacation Apartments. It was in the 1er, a block from the Louvre. Amazing location. I also looked at the rentals in the 7eme offered by Paris Perfect. The woman there was delightful to deal with and those apartments look absolutely glorious. It just wasn't the location I wanted for my 10 y.o. daughter's first trip to Paris. I would seriously consider Perfect next time I rent.

We just spent a great week at the Hotel Valadon in January. It isn't really an apartment, but it might be suitable for a family with two teens, and it's in a GREAT location in the 7th, right around the corner from the Rue Cler market and the Eiffel Tower.

We were in one half of what they call the "family" room. Our room was in a small separate building across a tiny courtyard from the breakfast room. We had a small balcony with a table and chairs, a large-by-Paris-standards room with modern, funky decor and a sinfully comfy BIG double bed. Down a winding staircase was a bathroom that was bigger than some hotel rooms I've stayed in in Paris. It had a HUGE tub and a little private WC room for the toilet. It was also funky and modern. Everything was as clean and fresh as could be with no lingering cigarette smell.

Apparently, this room connects with a smaller double room off the courtyard through a door in the bathroom. Basically, each room has its own outer door into the courtyard, about five steps away from one another, and they share the bathroom.

(BTW= Breakfast is included in the price and was very good- an excellent croissant, bread, butter jam, coffee or tea and the owner's adorable beagle to keep you company. Be prepared to hear the owner's political jokes, too!)

Below is the contact information. The website has good pictures. Wherever you decide to stay- have a great trip!

HOTEL VALADON PARIS
16 rue Valadon, 75007 Paris France
tel (+331)4753 8985 fax (331)4418 9056
[email protected]
Metro : Ecole Militaire