hmmm

I still do not see why "recompense is appropriate [i.e., required]" when the noise arises from unforseen activity inside another apartment. Isn't the prospect of noise a forseeable risk of renting in an apartment building? Also don't know how a rental through VRBO would result in a better resolution. Still have risks of noise, obstructions of views (another inherent risk in a large city).

Should the owner or agent be blamed because the poster didn't realize that the metro train tracks were farther from the station entrance than she expected? Is a renter entitled to everything she expected, but was not made part of her contractual agreement?

I hope you enjoy your final two days.

plafield

hmmm, the recompense is for the lack of the promised view and the noise caused by the construction of the huge project outside, which VIP should have known about and forewarned and offered a us a discount or out of the agreement all together (as they are doing for their customers now.) If you actually read my posts you would see that I said that I agree that the internal renovation cannot be controlled or even necessarily known about, they are just insult to injury.

And, the picture they have posted on their website was taken during the working day from the apartment next door. The cranes swing about all day and occasionally they are not directly in front of the tower during a "swing", as in the posted picture. And at the end of the working day, they are "parked" and for the first 5 nights of our stay, the long arm of one of those cranes went right across the view of the tower, definitely obstructing the view. Last night they finally parked it in a position that allows us to see the tower and today is a holiday so we now, finally have an unobstructed view with quiet!

gracejoan3

plafield,

You will at least have quiet for the last two days!

Charge it all off to one bad experience, and try to forget it.

Nest visit to Paris will be better!!

Enjoy,

Joan

plafield

BTW, here is the photo we took of where the crane has mostly been positioned for our time here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/pshumsky...05527608998914

opaldog

plafield, there are many posters here who are with you on this one. VIP has not handled the situation well. I also vacation with an eye toward being able to enjoy my accommodations and relax in them. When you are sold a bill of goods and that does not materialize, i.e. spectacular view! then you are definitely owed a discount at the least or a total refund at best. Unfortunately you had to jump through hoops to get a very measly discount. Enjoy Paris if not your apartment. Thanks for letting everyone who reads this forum know about your plight.

hmmm

So, VIP "promised" you an unobstructed view of the Tower? Who could make, and who would rely on, that promise?

Playfield, I have read, with a good deal of pain, your posts. I hope all your future expectations are met.

gracejoan3

plafield,

The picture is laughable if you are not staying there!!

Joan

kerouac

That's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It's not as though the apartment had been rented by professional photographers planning to do all of their work out of the apartment window.

I think they should charge extra because you have both the Eiffel Tower AND a crane.

Suzanne2

Cranes are a very prominent factor in the Parisian landscape are they not?? lol

hmmm

We have heard of and shared the poster's "plight". Studio apartment too small. Bed too soft. Pillows uncomfortable. Bed too far from wall. Metro voie too far from Gare. Other tenants too noisey. Offered champagne she wouldn't drink, dinner she wouldn't eat, a new apartment she wouldn't move to. Crane "totally obtructing the view."

I hope something about Paris was right.

plafield

hmmm can't resist having the last word?

kerouac

I have to admit that when I read "crane totally obstructing the view," I imagine the crane just 10 meters from the apartment window.

The photo indicates "non photogenic crane" spoiling possible photographs, which is not quite the same thing in my book.

danon

for me ,the noise would be more of a problem.
At one time ,we head similar experience in London - the owner did not know ( that is what she said) that they would be demolishing a huge building right in front of the apt.
They banged from 8 AM to 6PM. We, like the OP, do not bolt from the apt. early or like to stay out all day.
We considered leaving but 2 weeks (in British pounds ) for another place was more than we could pay.
It wasn't a good experience!

Treesa

Plafield, I understand your disappointment. Had VIP notified you about the construction and if the view meant so much to you, you could have changed your plans. Those cranes in front of the apartment would not have bothered me that much. I learned something from your situation, though. Prior to renting, I'll ask the question: is there any construction going on on the premises or close to the premises?

I'm sure you enjoyed your stay in Paris and the good weather you were blessed with in the last couple of days.

opaldog

plafield, I'm with you here. I understand how you feel and don't think your expectations of a "room with a view" were unrealistic. Chalk it up to experience and don't let it spoil your feelings for Paris.

plafield

Yes, we've enjoyed our stay very much. And yes, had we been informed of the situation it would have been very different. We could have made some choices based on knowing what to expect. We DID ask about construction (and the noise is all day and very loud)and were told it was not an issue. The references they gave us said there was no real noise from construction when they were here.

My understanding is that the situation has changed radically from the time we actually rented the apartment (last October)to now. This huge project right behind the building actually started fairly recently. VIP claims they didn't know about the cranes or the noise (basically they claim that the no one informed them of the extent of the project)so they could not inform us. That's just bad business.

Now that they know about it(or now that someone has actually complained)they are informing all the people who plan to come after us and are offering a choice of a discount or being let out of the contract all together with a full refund. They are not offering anyone an alternative place so it may be too late for people coming in the next couple of months to find a reasonably priced alternative.

My primary issue is still with the lack of good communication all around. If they had known and informed us of the situation it would have been very different. If the only issue was the view and they showed us a picture (my picture, not the one they have on the web)I would have taken the discount and been fine even if I had time to find another place. If they knew about the noise as well and there was time to find another place for a reasonable price (which really would have had to have been many months ago) we would have gone somewhere else.

No matter how you cut it, while it's not the end of the world to have a crane cutting my view of the Eiffel tower in half, the way the whole thing came down is just not cool in my opinion. And clearly many folks agree. That's why I posted about it.

BUT it has not ruined our vacation. we're having a fabulous time. Are we enjoying being woken up every morning by the loud noises from construction inside and out? No. But we've named the cranes and made friends with them. We're laughing at the inconveniences that are inherent in this kind of rental. We're thrilled to be in Paris and can chalk this up to a great learning experience.

moolyn

plafield, I fully sympathize with your disappointment about the obstructed view and the noise problem and appreciate that you've brought this situation to our attention. I'm impressed that you've been a good sport about this whole experience and not let it ruin Paris for you.

VIP and the owner could definitely have handled this much better and I think they will lose business as a result. The owner cannot expect to "sell" his apartments on the basis of the fantastic view and then act surprised when someone isn't happy that it is obstructed. Perhaps the building under the crane will keep climbing and cut off the view forever.

weavermary

Sometimes people spend years planning a dream trip to Europe, only to have the museum workers in Paris decide to strike while they are there. Thus keeping the travelers from ever seeing inside the Louvre (that did, indeed, happen to some friends of mine who do not get to travel often). At least plafield could still see an unobstructed Eiffel Tower from somewhere in Paris.

MelissaMorgan

Wow, I haven't read all of these posts but I've sure read enough (and saw the photo you posted) to say YIKES. I don't know if someone has mentioned this but, if you paid with a credit card, you might consider disputing a portion of the charge and then negotiate a better discount. It's Apartments in Paris' business to be sure that they are properly advertising the unit they are renting.

plafield

Just to finish the story with the final chapter: On return home I immediately mailed the keys back to VIP as instructed. I receive a form email from them letting me know that the keys have been received and that my key deposit of $150 will be refunded through Pay-pal unless I would prefer a check. If I would prefer a check, an email was provided for me to request a check as opposed to a credit card refund.

I immediately wrote the person at the email provided, asking for a check for the $150 plus the agreed on $15 a night and reiterating that I felt that VIP had handled the situation poorly and that rather than offering me a discount on a future stay, they would have been much wiser to offer that discount added to this stay as at this point, I will not do business with them again.

Not only did I not get any response, 2 days later I received another form email saying that my credit card had been credited though Pay-pal. How's that for customer service?