A friend and I are going to Paris for a week in the fall and have been obsessively searching for apartemts. I think we have it narrowed down to four possibilities, and would love anyone's feedback, especially if you've ever stayed at any of these apartments!

First, http://www.parisbestlodge.com/studionotredame.html. this is on rue du Temple in the Marais, 5th floor with lift. Cost is 1000 euro/week, looks like it has good light, says it's on a courtyard so no street noise. One of us loves the "tranquil" decor, the other finds it a bit dull and uninspiring. This is the largest of the apts, at 63 sq meters. The rental agency gets consistently good reviews. Would love feedback about the street/neighborhood.

Second, http://www.parisbestlodge.com/verrerie.html on rue de la Verrerie (also le Marais), second floor with no lift. Same agency, cheaper at 800 euro/week, living room looks a bit small to me, though has nice light. Smallest of the bunch at 36 sq. meters. Again, info about street and neighborhood is most welcome. This has some good reviews, including a nicely detailed one on slowtrav.com.

Third, http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_74.htm, Invalides area (7, ave de la Motte Piquet), 5th floor with lift, lots of nice amenities, bright and airy looking. 40 sq. meters, $1225/week. I'm more familiar with this neighborhood, but wondering about how busy this street is.

Last, http://www.parisrooftop.com/, also known as http://www.vrbo.com/108279. Located in the 6th at Carrefour de l'Odeon, don't know what floor or whether there is a lift, 45 sq. meters, most expensive at 1120 euro/week. Amazing terrace (that is THE selling point), but concerningly dark decor and lack of photos of bathroom/kitchen. Includes a computer with hi-speed internet (other apts include internet access if you bring your laptop.) Can't find any reviews of the renter or the apartment yet, so feeling wary about the lack of details and photos. I have just emailed some questions to the owner, but no response yet.

OK, Fodors Travel Experts! I know you will have some good info or feedback to offer, so please share any and all commentary that might help us decide.

My deepest gratitude to all who can take the time to help - jessica

The first apt on Rue du Temple looks spacious but the floor to ceiling neutral IKEA decor is a bit of a turn-off. If you don't shop at IKEA, then I suppose it wouldn't look overly familiar, so not a problem. The location is in the 3rd (northern part of the Marais) near Rue du Bretagne -- I thought this neighborhood was great with interesting shops and a more local neighborhood vibe. Rue du Temple is one of the busier streets in that area but is not a major boulevard over-run with congestion. Great location if you don't mind being a bit away from the cental action.

Apt 2 is in a much busier area, right next to Rue du Rivoli and Hotel de Ville -- I don't know about this specific street but I find this part of the Marais to be hectic and zoo-like. If you love the bright lights and throngs of people, this is a good, central area.

Apt 3 looks pretty good although I don't know anything about that area. The living room looks well-lit although the bedroom looks a little dark.

Apt 4 almost certainly doesn't have a lift, otherwise the ad would have stated it. Lots of stairs but what a beautiful view and terrace. If you're traveling as a couple or a group of friends, this would be very tempting, despite being really over-priced. If I were traveling with just a girlfriend (I'm also a woman) I don't think we'd maximize the terrace as we'd be going out a lot and not having romantic meals with each other on the roof-top. Looks great for entertaining, however, bringing friends back to the roof for drinks.

If you tell us who you are and what your interests are (i.e. what kind of Paris you're looking for) that might help people give you some feedback. Are you sharing a bed or will one of you need to stay on a couch? They all look a bit expensive to me -- are these all 1 bedrooms? Sounds like light is a priority for you and you sound active enough to not mind 4-5 flights of stairs? What's important to you -- being near nightlife or having quiet neighborhood cafes and markets around you?

Personally I prefer either the Marais or St. Germain areas better than the 7th. Out of the choices you posted I would say the first choice on rue du Temple looks good for the price. It's actually nearer Arts and Metiers not in the other part of the Marais is located (the 4th dist.). I didn't think the apartment near Odeon looked outstanding for the price, but the location in St. Germain is prime.

I would not get an apartment without an elevator-just personal choice. I think the 2nd floor apartment is equal to the 3rd floor. I just feel too tired after walking around to walk up stairs.

I like the first and third, especially since I have both of those earmarked for myself!
The last one definately doesn't have enough picture of the apartment, too many of the view, not a good sign for me, not crazy about the bedroom either.

Thanks so much for your replies so far. Since I first posted this morning, we have learned that the second and third options are not available for the dates we are most interested in, which leaves us with the first and fourth listings still in the running.

In response to the question about our travel style and preferences: we are two middle-aged women, one who has been to Paris several times and one who has not. We do require separate beds, though we don't mind if one of us is on a couch in the living room. We imagine wanting to have breakfast in our apt (having run out to the nearest boulangerie for fresh baguette and croissants), then wandering off for most of the day to stroll neighborhoods, go to museums, sit at cafes, etc. We are likely to want to eat dinner in the apartment at least some of the time, and we aren't late-night party-goers. Late evenings might be spent reading, writing, chatting, or if we had such an option, sitting on a terrace and drinking wine and admiring the view. I can also imagine after-dinner strolls, particular if we are near any iconic Parisian sites to admire.

I certainly don't mind having to go up two or three flights of stairs to an apartment - we are both in reasonable shape - but I know that by the end of a day on the streets of Paris, one's feet may well object to even one flight to climb. I do worry about the fact that the terrace apt listing doesn't say what floor it's on (though one might suppose it's on the top floor!) and without mention of a lift, there likely isn't one. And then there is the mystery of the unseen bathroom/kitchen and those orange walls! (Still no response from the apartment owner since this morning's questions.)

Fishee referred to the decor in the first apt as Ikea style, which amused me because that's how we are referring to this apt: the "Ikea apartment." It is bland/neutral, or clean/uncluttered, depending on how you look at it. I actually thought about buying posters in the first museum we visit and putting them on the wall with poster putty, just to have some color in the apartment. (Then I can take the posters home and enjoy them as reminders of the trip.)

I really appreciate all your input, and welcome any more you might have.

Thanks, Jessica

hi, jessica,

I had a look at all of the choices out of curiosity - don't they all look great?

I suspect that you will find more shops, cafes, markets, etc etc. in the area of the first, though they surely exist near the last one. have you searched each one on www.mappy.com to look at restaurants, supermarkets etc?

I believe that the french yellow pages are also good for this though I've never tried it.

how are you going to decide which of you gets the sofa-bed??? toss of coin?

regards, ann

Both of those still in the running have nice features. One looks very new, and though plain, you can be sure everything is fresh and appliances working,e tc. The terrace is definitely appealing - probably on the roof over the apartment, since it says "360 degree views". I agree that the red walls are a bit serious - but it looks quite nice. Pricier, though.

I suggest you check this website:
http://www.parisattitude.com/apartment-selection.asp
Another Fodorite recommended one of the apts, and the others listed are also very attractive.

May I add another apartment into the mix?

It's rather new on the market, we were just the 2nd people to rent it (last month), and the location is unbeatable. It's on Rue St. Andre des Arts, 5th French floor with a lift, everything you need is steps away, Odeon and St. Michel metros are 2 minutes' walk, I just can't recommend it highly enough - I'd stay there again in a heartbeat. The website is:
www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-rentals/24752.htm

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. For two women, it would be perfect - there's a queensize bed in the bedroom, and a queen-size futon in the living room, and both are extremely comfortable. The kitchen is small but newly remodeled and packed with everything you'd need to cook a gourmet meal. My family and I really loved it!

Again, more thanks for your input!

I haven't used mappy.com to plot addresses, but I do use Google Earth for aerial views and PagesJaunes.com for street photos. Those certainly do help!

Regarding who sleeps on the couch: I think that the person who is having her first trip to Paris (my friend) should have the bedroom. (She thinks we should switch mid-week.) One's first trip to Paris should be as perfect as possible in every way! I've been there before, and would be happy sleeping in the bathtub if that's what it took to make this trip work.

Thanks for the PerfectPlaces link - we will give it a look. We have looked long and hard at parisattitude.com, VRBO.com, rentals-paris.com, vacationinparis.com, iloveparisapartments.com, frenchconnections.co.uk, chezvous.com, specialapartments.com, bienvenueparis.com, rothray.com, frenchyrentals.com....hmmmm, have I forgotten any??? We've been pretty thorough. Some would say obsessive.

Keep your thoughts coming, if you have something to add. I'll let you all know when a choice has been made - and then we'll owe you alla trip report when we return.

Merci - Jessica

Which ever one you go with, you're going to have to update this thread to demonstrate how the pics and descriptions matched reality.

Or didn't?

I can recommend this apartment. www.vrbo.com/79965 . The owner herself is a middle age women who lives just upstairs. She is fantastic, and so friendly, the owners pride really shows through in this apartment. My biggest fear when renting an apartment is cleanliness and this place was surpassed my expectations. The living space is very large with the two twin bed sofas (they are very comfortable), bedroom with queen bed, plenty of extra linens, eat in kitchen, just up one flight of stairs from the courtyard. Super neighborhood, one short street from Place de Vosges, excellent food. Although they are not shown in the photos, there are large windows opening up into the courtyard from the bedroom, living room, and kitchen, it had plenty of natural light. It has wifi access, also their are internet cafes nearby. The person on the website handling the transactions is in Florida, I think he is a relative. We rented this because of the excellent price, and boy were we surprised. We had never stayed in the Marais before and we loved it.

My daughter and I stayed in this apartment just around the corner from the Trocadero.
http://www.vrbo.com/60877
I was great. It looked just as it appears in the photos. The dealings were straight forward. She slept on the pull out bed in the living room and I had the bedroom. Great bed, and the living room could be sectioned off for privacy.

We would stay there again, but now are looking for an apartment with internet.

Continued thanks to everyone. While I truly do appreciate the suggestions about other places people have stayed (and that will make this thread useful to others who are still looking), if anyone else has anything to add about these two apts specifically (first and last ones listed in my original post) I would love to hear. Any personal experience, impressions from the apt websites, things you know about the neighborhoods, or general apartment rental tips are most appreciated.

It is quite amazing what a complicated process this can be! From trying to narrow it down to 2-3 neighborhoods, to comparing amenities/prices/availability/decor/square footage/ease of payment/etc. My travelling companion and I have exchanged over 100 emails in the last week with links to apartments, our reactions to apartments, and debates about the merits of various apartments and areas of the city. She is especially organized and created several charts to compare all the features of several apartments as we were narrowing down the choices - this allowed us to compare all the features and details of each apt across one page. It has been nerve-wracking, but fun! I've been through this process before (with somewhat less intensity) and it has always turned out well, so I am nothing but optimistic about our trip!

Thanks - Jessica

Jessica, wow, what distinct choices. Both apartments are in locations that I consider very convenient for sightseeing but not mobbed with people 24/7 - perfect.

The first apartment, while quite Ikea, looks very recently done, and I like that area--you'll have a number of good and relatively inexpensive places to eat within walking distance. I would consider it a bit more workaday Paris (although workaday/chic/still somewhat touristy), and for that reason would probably feel more at home there.

The other choice: LOVE the terrace and being near Luxembourg Gardens is a dream of mine. If my wallet and gluteals could take it, I'd probably swing for that one just to get the "my dream in Paris" experience. There are some nice-and-pricey places to eat nearby. I would be sorely tempted to just go for it here. Find out exactly how many flights of stairs. That would be the dealbreaker for me.

Good luck!

Here are my thoughts:

apt #1 - you know what you are getting. I like the open kitchen to the living space -- nice to be able to be in the kitchen without walking away from your travel companion in the other room. Certainly a 'safe' choice.

apt #4 - Beautiful photography on the link - just not of the apartment. Rooftop terrace would be great. This is a little more 'risky' - could be great, maybe not.

Personally, after being there recently, I wouldn't get the one without the elevator. I, too, didn't think that would be a big deal, but it would have been a royal pain. Dragging your luggage up after an overnight flight... carrying all those bottles of water, wine, etc. ... all those great bottles of mustard, honey, olive oil from Fauchon, etc. All with tired dogs ? Nope.

Yes, the outdoor terrace would be nice - also as a break from your travel partner. This would be great if you were eating in every night - or had kids and would sit there after they were in bed. Otherwise, if I was traveling without kids, I'm not sure it would get the attention it deserves.

So.... are you feeling lucky? Choice #4 is your riskier option, so it depends on your risk/reward ratio (nice alliteration there, huh?).

let us know!

I know you're waiting for info on stairs, etc now - just thought I'd add that if the "modern" apartment feels to beige when you arrive, you can fill it with flowers!

bon voyage

Jessica,

I stayed in a studio on Saintonge and Bretagne, just a few blocks from your Apt #1 on Rue du Temple. I took a few pictures of the shops on Bretagne if you wanted to get a feel for that neighborhood. Here's the thread -- there's a link with pictures around 25 messages down into the thread... I loved the area, although it was a little quiet at night.

http://tinyurl.com/y6nhlx

BTW, I love the wood beams in Apt #4 and I think the rust colored walls are cool. (What an absolute contrast to your first option!) The flatscreen television makes me think they haven't skimped on the interior of the apt although surprisingly it does look like light might be an issue. Usually, these top floor "attic" apartments are flooded with light -- one of the perks that can come from 4 flights of stairs... Good luck -- I think both apts look great.

An update for those of you who may be curious about our decision-making process:

We heard from the owner of apartment #4. In answer to some of our questions, it turns out that the apartment is on the 6th floor with no lift. That's a long haul at the end of a long day - or even at the beginning of a new day when one wants to run out for fresh croisssants for breakfast. We were not given any more photos of the kitchen and bathroom, though we asked. And it turns out that the apartment is a studio with no separate sleeping area - one of the listings called it a studio and one listing called a 1-bedroom, so we needed clarification. As stunning as that terrace is, we're not sure it makes up for the other features that not-so-stunning.

On the other hand, Thierry from ParisBestLodge (apt #1) has been ever-so-accomodating and is willing to hold that apartment while we get our airfare and exact dates figured out. On to the next challenge of buying tickets!

Anybody know of any great deals from BTV-CDG in late September? I can't find anything under $800, and I've never paid more than $610 before this! We're thinking about flying Zoom from Montreal...

Thank you again for all your input and thoughtful opinions - it was very helpful. I promise a review of the apartment when we return.

Merci mille fois - Jessica

Hi Jessica - I was following this thread closely and has especially earmarked the rooftop one.... so your conclusions were very valuable. Our family isn't going until next June, but I am being equally obsessive (and overwhelmed!) with apartment research!

Hi Jessica,
I hope you pick number 1 and let us all know how you flush the toilet! That picture shows a nice loo, but where on earth is the flusher?! The elevated cleaning brush canister also looked pretty neat.