eholden123

Has anyone ever rented from "Haven In Paris"? We found them on VRBO. I have searched the whole forum and haven't found any comments on them.

www.haveninparis.com

Here is the apartment we are looking in to for September:

http://www.vrbo.com/66278

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks!
emh

camelbak

The apartment looks lovely, though a tad expensive..but that might just be me.

I notice there are comments from past guests on the VRBO site...when I was looking for more info on the aparment I was considering I e-mailed one of the past renters directly and asked a zillion questions. She responded, was very nice, and provided me with all the info I needed! She really helped me make up my mind about the apartment.

So if your curious, and want to get more info about the particular apartment I would try that route.

Have a wonderful trip! If you decided to rent this apartment do make sure to write a review?

robjame

You have asked for thoughts so I will give you mine.
Lovely apartment no question.
BUT:
This is a two bedroom apartment yet it has only 1 true bed. Trundle bed, sofa-bed, etc all spell bad night's sleep to me.
You have only one bathroom.
I am sure that you are savy enough to know that you are paying for all those little extras - bottle of wine, flowers, French soap, guidebook - don't you want to get these things yourself? It is half the fun (and much cheaper).
For the price they are asking it better be perfect - it is 3 to 4 times more than I would want to pay.

camelbak

mmm....

How about this? For about 1/2 the cost? I think it is just dreamy really...

http://iloveparisapartments.com/a_huchette.htm

NeoPatrick

Someone posted that last apartment before. It is charming in decor, that's for sure. I'm not big on going up four flights to my apartment several times per day -- that's up to you. And several have commented negatively about the location -- the middle of one of the busiest but cheapest restaurant areas in all of Paris. But I rent an apartment in that area myself, and it doesn't bother me a bit -- the location itself is great in terms of everything else.

I didn't quite figure out the loft and sleeping arrangements in that apartment either. That ladder to a "hayloft" idea could get old quick.

beaupeep

And while it is in a great area, I rented on one street over, Xavier Privas, and the bedrooms were on the street facing side of the building and we had to keep the windows closed as it is such a touristic area, full of food stands and restaurants, that people were walking and talking loundly all through the night. I'm talking hundreds of people on the weekends. Then we were woken up at dawn by the trash trucks.

eholden123

NeoPatrick and beaupeep, you two are talking about the apartment that Camelbak is refering to, correct? Do you know if the one I referenced is in a good area?

There will only be two people sleeping in our apartment but we will be entertaining 8 people twice throughout the 8 days we will be there. Plus, after three weeks of small hotels in south of France we wanted something bigger. (So we aren't at each others throats after three weeks and can have our own space to read, etc.

So, putting how much it costs aside, is it a good location? And has anyone heard of this company?

Camelbak, I will check for references on VRBO right now.

Thanks everyone.

emh

beaupeep

Yes, rue Xavier Privas runs into Huchette. It's in the touristy, fast food place near the St Michel RER/Metro stop.

Christina

I don't know anything about that Haven company, but I think I've seen that website from some other queries on Fodors. It just looks familiar.

I think that VRBO apt. is pretty nice, as long as that kind of money is okay with you. Many people spend that just for a hotel in that area, so it's not surprising to me. I think it would be better if you only had two adults, of course, or didn't intend to use one bedroom, because a "trundle bed" is not a real bed, as far as I'm concerned. It's a thinner mattress than normal, and maybe no springs, I'm not sure, but it's not a normal bed. Kids might be satisfied with that. They don't seem to even show a photo of that.

The Notre Dame view is a little hyperbole as it just looks like a bunch of rooftops to me (maybe some spire of ND is there in the distance, so what). However, I do think it would be nice to have that balcony and some view, as long as you can use the balcony, even if a little bit.

I don't think it's too bad a deal for that size and that area, not at all. In fact, I think it's a lot better than a lot of the apts I see people considering on here, at least in terms of the seating and living room arrangement. It actually looks fairly comfortable.

Christina

oh, I am referring to the VRBO 66278 one that says it is in St Germain. I assume it is. I might be curious as to what the actual address is, though, just in case.

SuzieC

I think its lovely. I want to own it. I don't think that that "stick" is the stairway to a loft, is it?
I noted there is an elevator too.

SuzieC

oops meant to add. We want to have a pretty good sized apartment in Munich so that we can entertain my husband's family next time. Yep, to do that, it would be requisite for me to have some "space"...and a good kitchen.
Now, if only I could find as nice a flat in or around Munich!

Christina

I didn't think about that log against the wall -- I'm not positive, but I think it is just decorative. They are kind of batty about that wood beam thing in Paris, and I think it's just that, some attempt to look rustic or authentic. It doesn't look like a ladder at all. It is kind of curious that they don't describe that second bedroom very much, nor show it. I'd inquire on that issue if you intend to use it.

eholden123

Suzie, I was confused too. Neopatrick was talking about the other apartment reference that Camelbak was refering to. The one we are looking in to does not have a loft and does have an elevator. Good luck on finding an apartment in Munich. Have a lovely trip.

Christina, yes the one I am talking about is 66278. I am going to try to find an address.

Thank you for all your input.

emh

NeoPatrick

The apartment I was talking about was the ILoveParis one on Huchette. And when I went back I see that the "loft" or mezzanine is actually an additional sleeping area with two twin beds -- not the bedroom with the queen bed.

mayaj

It is a little bit expensive. We have rented an apartment in the 7th arrondissment with 550 EUR (it sleeps 4) and it has air conditioning (sometimes if the summer is extra hot, you might need AC in September). In any case, it doesn't seem to be anything special for the price.

You can check these two web-sites which were very useful for us:

www.homelidays.com
www.abritel.fr

eholden123

60 rue des Ecoles, Paris 75005

This is the address.

Good location?

emh

Christina

mayaj, what exact apt. did you rent in the 7th with AC for only 550 euro a week? I assume it's on one of those web sites? What was its size? I imagine that is the difference, although St Germain is even a little more expensive than a good part of the 7th, in terms of real estate costs, as I recall.

60 rue des Ecoles 75005 is not St Germain, so what the heck is that all about. This is deceptive, the website claims it is in St Germain doesn't it, and this new address is a cheaper area. That's about at the corner of rue des Ecoles and rue Champollion, just one very short block east of bd St Michel in the Latin Quarter. that is a pretty big and busy street.

It's a convenient location, I guess, but not one I care for. I don't like that street very well, but you might like it. It's near Balzar brasserie, actually, which is at 49 rue des Ecoles. http://www.brasseriebalzar.com

I guess that is on the top floor of one of those big apartment buildings (they are usually five stories tall, with shops on the ground floor). Well, it is convenient to a metro, that's for sure, I just don't like that area very well or that street. There aren't any great grocery stores around there, either. But if you want to be close to things like Notre Dame and the Seine, you are. It is close to St Germain, at least the edge of it.

Christina

You know, I thought maybe I was mistaken or confused, so looked at that website again -- or that the photos weren't even the same place. The comments do refer to the address and say it is near the Musee Cluny, so it is definitely in arr. 5. The owners refer to it as St Germain, which it is not, but even giving them artistic license for claiming it is near St Germain or in that general area, the ad clearly states that the apt. is in arrondisement 6. That is a lie.

eholden123

This is from their website. So you are saying this is not accurate?

5eme ardt, Paris,
metro: Cluny la Sorbonne: Line 10/ Odeon: Line 4

Your Paris vacation rental is located right across the street from the Sorbonne, in the heart of the renowned St. Germain des Pres neighborhood, and steps from the famous Latin Quarter. Just around the corner from the Luxembourg Gardens, this quintessential Left Bank apartment is situated in a neighborhood full of cafes, restaurants, cinemas, and daily markets. All of central Paris is literally at your doorstep.

emh