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-   -   First impressions of Vacation in Paris apartment #154 Eiffel Tower Lookout (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/first-impressions-of-vacation-in-paris-apartment-154-eiffel-tower-lookout-784741/)

plafield May 15th, 2009 08:50 AM

First impressions of Vacation in Paris apartment #154 Eiffel Tower Lookout
 
I'm in the process and have already posted the beginning of a trip report entitled "Eating our way through Paris and Bruges" but we just arrived back in Paris for our 8 night stay at this apartment and I want a separate thread in case anyone else is considering renting this apartment.

We chose this apartment, as I imagine everyone does, for the amazing view of the Eiffel Tower that is promised out the huge sliding glass windows. Well...yes, there are big windows and yes, there would be an amazing view except there are 2 HUGE yellow cranes right outside the window totally obstructing the view.

It is obvious that there is a huge and extensive construction project happening below that has clearly been going on for quite some time and who knows how long it will continue...looks like it could be at least another year. Vacation in Paris's website says there is some construction in the area but when I spoke with them before renting the apartment and asked about the construction (I was primarily wondering about noise, never imagining these gigantic cranes!) they assured me they hadn't heard anything about any problems related to the construction. (ViP is located in the US.)

It's hard for me to imagine that they didn't know about this and I'm pretty angry that they're renting this apartment for the view when it's totally obstructed by all this construction. I am emailing them immediately and hope for some reimbursement of the rent but I'm not expecting they'll oblige.

The other thing to know about this apartment, if you're considering renting, is that it looks as if it would be conveniently located to the metro with Gare Montparnasse right across the street but none of the metro lines are actually located in the Gare. It is a VERY long walk either outside or through the Gare and then through the long underground mazes to actually reach any metro.

The apartment itself is OK. Much smaller than it looks in the photos but we expected that. The bed is a murphy bed and is quite hard and there is a huge space between the mattress and the wall behind so you can't prop up pillows and read in bed. There is a lovely small terrace to enjoy the view of the cranes and the constant beep-beep-beep of all the equipment below.

If the view were as promised, I'd be OK (although still not thrilled) with the many little inconveniences about this place but with the construction project as it is, quite frankly I'm pissed that we're stuck here for 8 nights. I know I shouldn't complain..we're in Paris after all, but I certainly wouldn't recommend this place or VIP for not telling us about the problem, or even worse if they really didn't know about it.

moolyn May 15th, 2009 09:40 AM

platfield, I'm so sorry to hear about your problem. We almost rented an apartment in the same building - Vacation in Paris #62 - because of the romantic view but rejected it because the bed was only 48". I think it may have belonged to the same owners because it could be grouped with 154. I remember thinking that it's too bad 154 was booked for the dates we wanted. In our case, the person I dealt with downplayed the construction and quoted the bed size in centimeters to make it sound bigger - guess she didn't realize that Canadians use the metric system too. I asked about it and other apartments here and Christina nixed the bed size and type and so I passed on it - thanks Christina!

I ended up booking an apartment in Montmartre and hopefully will have better luck than you. After I posted here, my research indicated that people had mixed results with Vacation in Paris depending on the individual owners, even though it was recommended by many, so I went with an agency that received only positive comments.

Enjoy your time in Paris anyway and think of your apartment as just a place to sleep. Thanks for sharing this information with us as you could save future disppointment for many others!

gracejoan3 May 15th, 2009 09:59 AM

Too bad about the VIP people not re-locating you to another apartment.

I know that the Paris Perfect people do not let guests stay in that kind of siutation..they do not rent the apt. if something that bad. I know they had two apts. in one bldg...they are always high up for the views and the light..and the elevator went out and needed repairing. They re-located the guests in the two apartments.

It makes a difference when you have an office in the area. The PP office is right off St.
Dominique.

Hope things get better. They at least will not be sorking on the weekend!!

Joan

cw May 15th, 2009 10:11 AM

Since VIP didn't know about this or didn't tell you, I hope they'll be willing to relocate you to a better apartment. After all, you have a week left. It would be great customer service on their part.

Everyone knows that staying in a city can involve construction noise during the day. That is really not a big problem since they work when you are out sightseeing. But when you take a place for the view and balcony and it is not as advertised, adjustments should be made.

It must be difficult to run an agency from the U.S. that involves individual owners in Paris. Sounds as though they don't have anyone working for them on site.

Good luck with your request.

Cathinjoetown May 15th, 2009 10:43 AM

They do have people in Paris and you should have been given their contact information. Register a strong protest with them as well as via email to VIP. I'd phone the US office as well. Your situation is unacceptable; the apartment was marketed as having the view. Good luck.

basingstoke2 May 15th, 2009 10:45 AM

<<Too bad about the VIP people not re-locating you to another apartment>>>

I don't see that the OP said that.

plafield - have you contacted ViP to see if they would move you? When we rented from them, the material that was sent to us had contact information if there was a problem.

schnauzer May 15th, 2009 10:47 AM

I hope you have some luck getting something back from them. That just isn't fair, not on. I'd be fuming too. I like to have my apartment as my home whilst I am away it is more than just a place to sleep.

Don't let them take you for a ride, mention your Fodor friends.
Schnauzer

Suzanne2 May 15th, 2009 11:05 AM

I'm truly sorry for your inconvenience. I did see a posting on TA earlier and that person was praising the place. My response when viewing that apartment is something has to be wrong. It looks to good to rent for the price listed.

There are no Paris Perfect apartments anywhere near that price range.

We recently stayed in a VIP apartment in a building undergoing renovations. when I expressed my concern about it I was offered a discount on the rent. However, it was from the apartment owners not from VIP.

gracejoan3 May 15th, 2009 01:36 PM

suzanne2,

"There are no Paris Perfect apartments anywhere near that price range."

What does that have to do with the problem that they are having?

Joan

nukesafe May 15th, 2009 01:58 PM

Plafield,

Are the other sites shown on the website picture obscured as well? In the shot one can see Invalides, and they mention the Arc, as well.

In case others want to see the apartment, go to:
http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_154.htm

:-(

Christina May 15th, 2009 02:03 PM

I'm glad you posted about that, as I thought that apt looked reasonable for myself. I know the area, though, and transportation issues. I probalby wouldn't have just because I don't think I'd rent a Murphy bed, but I admit the view was appealing. I also assumed the construction was issues about noise or just the street being messed up, that is common. I wouldn't have thought about cranes over the windows, and I personally find it hard to believe they didn't know about it. After all, they have a note mentioning the construction.

I will say, though, that I have had dealing with VIP and was not impressed due to them being duplicitous with me, also. I now other people think they are great, but they kind of liked to me, more or less -- well, maybe not lied, but it was a similar situation. They refused to show me photos of a bedroom AND bathroom in one apt I was interested in (the only photos on the website were the kitchen and living room), and claimed it was very nice, they had never had complaints, blah blah, but they just somehow didn't happen to have any photos. Bunch of you know what, since even if they didn't have any, they could have sent someone to take some. Also, it isn't professional to even post something for rent and not have photos, it wasn't a new place.

Well, anyway, just commiserating that my experience with them left a bad taste in my mouth, also. I didn't rent from them for that reason.

djkbooks May 15th, 2009 02:19 PM

Thank you so much for posting your comments, as I was considering that property for next April.

Suzanne2 May 15th, 2009 03:12 PM

My point is that if I could afford to stay in a luxury apartment, I would certianly consider Paris Perfect. However, with my limited budget I use VIP and sometimes need to be prepared to compromise.
Gracejoan since you say PP treats guest so well, folks should know there is a price to pay for that.

I would never rent an apartment without seeing pictues of the bedroom and bathroom,

In my own experience with VIP, whenever I've had concerns, I have picked up the phone to get the answers I needed. They have always been very up front with me.

I guess we all have to decide for ouselves what is acceptable and how much we chose to pay to get what we want. In my research the PP apartments look to be quite a bit more expensive than this place.The same is true for hotels.

Have you gotten any resoponse to your e-mails? I hope they do compensate you for this. Like I said, they have been very nice to us.

Croque_Madame May 15th, 2009 05:37 PM

I, too, have had sharply contrasting experiences with VIP. #74, a one bedroom apartment owned by Morgan Cannon (at least when when I was there), is lovely. The king size bed was exceptionally comfortable, the fold out coach mattress nice and thick.

But, God help you if you plan on even one night on the fold out couch in the #137 studio! It was such a torture rack that I decamped as soon as possible to a hotel, even if it meant (and it surely did, my dears) that I would get not one dime back from VIP. Basically, I ended up paying double, (well, more than double) for my accomodations on that particular trip. And they're still advertising that very same backbreaker of a bed!!

I believe that with VIP, you should hesitate to reserve any of their apartments unless fellow posters (who have actually stayed there) provide positive feedback about the apartment you're considering.

JayMazz May 15th, 2009 06:41 PM

<<There are currently construction cranes in proximity to the building which are visible during daytime hours. Construction noise can vary depending on the phase of the construction and occurs only during daytime hours. Because of this possibility, the rental fee has been discounted from $160 to $140 per night (for two persons).>>

Within one day of the complaint they added this disclaimer above.

here is the link.
http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_154.htm

That is pretty darned fast. I am curious to see if the OPer got some compensation from it. OPer, please update when yo can.

This makes me think more highly of VIP. My next stay will be an apt for sure when I settle for firm dates and budget for the fall. I hope their reputation will hold.

~Jay

lizanne May 15th, 2009 07:13 PM

The disclaimer and discount are very interesting.

I have been keeping an eye on this apartment. On the TripAdvisor Forum, someone who just returned reported that the elevator in the building was under repair during their recent visit.

And, the rental was $150/night last weekend (I printed it), so they've raised it to $160, then discounted it to $140?

gracejoan3 May 15th, 2009 08:56 PM

Suzanne2,

I think some things are basic for a rental. If a rental has a problem, such as this, that seems to be a "long term" problem, it should be so noted in the rental information. Those wishing to rent it at a reduced price, because of the problem, are therefore aware of it and accept it. There should be no "surprises" such as this. It is VIP's responsibility to their guests to be up front with this kind of information.

Joan

Anna1013 May 15th, 2009 08:59 PM

Croque_Madame,

I think others will appreciate what you said about VIP #137 - especially since the apt. looks pretty nice.

Question about VIP #74 - I remember others raving about it when it first got renovated(2004 as per website). Did you stay here recently? Just wondering if it's still well maintained?

plafield May 16th, 2009 01:30 AM

VIP responded to my email fairly quickly saying they were contacting the owners and would get back to me very soon. This morning, the owner called us at the apartment and asked if he could stop by. He gave us a very nice bottle of champagne (except that I don't drink) and and a song and dance about the low cost of the rental of this apartment compared to other places. I was quite clear that we looked at numerous places in the Marais (where we stayed last year and loved)that were comparably priced and we chose this apartment only because of the view. I also told him that VIP had just discounted the price by $20 ecuase of the noise and the cranes.

He then said he would arrange for a discount of 10 or 15 euros a night and VIP would refund it to us. He was very friendly and asked us if there was anything else he could do for us so we asked for new pillows and showed him how lumpy the pillow were. He was shocked at how based they were and said he'd get us new ones today or tomorrow.

I'm fairly satisfied with how it was dealt with but still left with a sour taste as I would have never chosen this apartment in this location if I had known about the view and the noise. VIP has done what they can and it seems that it all depends on the individual owner of the VIP apartments if there will be any satisfaction for a problem. I woulsn't rent from VIP again becuase of this and would go directly with an owner.

And yes, I can't afford Paris Perfect apartments either although they all look fabulous and I've heard nothing but great things about the agency.

gracejoan3 May 16th, 2009 05:29 AM

playfield,

You just don't need those kind of problems while on a vacation!

RE Paris Perfect. You might be surprised what they might be able to offer you with specials that are not on their website.

I hope you are able to enjoy the rest of your trip without problems.

Joan


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