help me in to choose a Paris apartment!
 

I have cut my list to these 2 apartments. We want a roomy one bedroom place as our suitcases are big!

I am not sure whether best to be near rue Mouffetard for food or closer to the river/Lux gardens for night strolls?

Choice 1: rue Guisarde (about 1800 euros including agency fee)
http://www.paristay.com/index.php?me...he&id=1215

I like this because it is empty, so room to put our bags. Only 5 mins from Lux Gardens. Lots of restaurants (apparently) in street. But is it too sterile/dark??

Choice 2 rue Laromiguiere about 1450 Euros inc agency fees

http://www.parisattitude.com/apartme...umProduit=3736
This has a balcony of sorts, but I wonder if the living room is too cramped AND it is further from the Seine too.

I am really struggling to decide...

Any feedback/suggestions would be much appreciated!

Sorry - I posted this first in the US forum, but realised I should have posted it it the Europe forum.

Why do you want to be so close to the Seine? Rue Laromiguiere is really nice, I think, and it's pretty quiet around there.

However, if you want to be strolling along the Seine, I can see that you are farther away there. Rue Laromiguiere isn't really very far from Luxembourg Gardens, either, you know, it's just the opposite direction.

1800 euros is a lot of money, but that's what you have to pay in that area, I guess. If money is no object, it sounds from the things you are saying that you'd prefer the one on Guisarde. I think it looks nice enough. Obviously a 60 m2 apt. is not huge, so the LR probably is small. The price I see says about 1100 euro and that it includes the agency fee, so where does the 1450 euro come from? Also, this one is on the 5th floor (with elevator) and the other on the second on a pretty busy and small street, so I think the one on Guisarde could be very noisy. I don't really like that area, it's full of tourists and very noisy, and the restaurants on Guisarde aren't that great IMO, but I know many people on this board like that area and you could, too, as your desires and tastes are probably closer to them than mine, actually. I would prefer the one on Laromiguiere for location.

However, the one on Guisarde is more convenient to metro, that is very true. That will come in handy. ALso, it has AC. I'm not clear when you are going, but in summer, that definitely gives that a big advantage.

It's not quite my style, that barebones Ikea stuff, but it's not too bad. I've seen a lot worse.

Not sure wh

This may not help you but: I think the first apartment is pleasant but quite exorbitant for what it offers.

I might prefer it to the second (though the Pantheon location is very attractive) for reasons very close to yours: austere, clean, spacious.

But nothing wd induce me to pay that price, when I cd find sthg much fancier for that amount.

(No need to give you alternative suggestions as you have already whittled down a larger list. FWIW: I'm rather more inclined to the R Bank in fact-- Marais, Bastille, Palais Royal)

Thanks for your comments Christina. I didn't think about the noise factor on the 1st floor - you are right.
By the way, we are staying 9 nights, hence the prices quoted.

You've got some great feedbacks already. Since I'm not as familiar with location-wise as others, I'll just comment on the photos and the apts alone.

Apt 1: Living Rm 45m2; Bedrm 12m2
Apt 2: Living Rm 26m2; Bedrm 16m2

So, apt 1 has more room in the living area, but apt 2 has more room in the bedroom (though the pic shown seems a bit cramped due to the dressers and bookcase)

I like the look of Apt 1 since it seems more modern, but I cannot stand that picnic-bench dining table! How uncomfortable that is if I have to sit there for dinner. Part of renting an apt is the benefit of cooking and eating in, but I would hate to have to eat my meals in that set-up!

BTW, I assume you'll be putting your suitcases in the bedroom, so perhaps Apt 2 will work better because the bedroom is bigger.

My only question would be why in the world would you need large bags. We can easily pack for two weeks in Paris (warm weather) in one 22" carry-on bag apiece.

And then find we took too much.

:-)

re: large suitcases: We will be away for 6 weeks in April/May in Paris, Spain and the UK, so need a variety of clothes. Also, our suitcases are large and don't really want to buy new ones!

I agree about the picnic table - that is what is putting me off about the flat!

Thanks for all your feedback - I think we are heading towards choosing apt 2...

Another vote for #2, because:
higher floor with elevator
good location
nicer bath and kitchen
that table in #1 looks like something from a monk's refectory
and it costs less