Here are specific addresses for 2 apts. in Paris. Advice please!
Oct 15th, 2007, 09:55 PM
#22
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Nanbug, I read some of your posts and you've sold me on this area. I'm now officially on the calendar for the Marais! This apt. books well in advance, and as I saw June & July start to be booked, I decided to grab it.
Oct 16th, 2007, 02:34 PM
#23
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We are going next summer in June. I emialed vacationinparis and apt 125 was already taken for the week we were looking at. So you're taking the one from rentparis huh? I am have to go look at that one again.
Oct 16th, 2007, 03:31 PM
#24
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Hi --
We rented the apt.on Rue Vielle du Temple (#11 on their website) -- it was a very small studio, but the location was perfect and the price, at 79 Euros a day wasn't bad, either!
Another neat thing -- most of the buildings in the area are a few centuries old and not the typical Hausmann/Parisian 19th-century buildings. Most date from the 17th and 18th centuries and are constructed of stone, with incredibly thick walls and exposed timber joists. This contributes to the neighborhood's charm, that's for sure.
Anyway...
Here's the review I posted on the RentParis website, in case you haven't seen it (they've apparently fixed the sheet problem - my only complaint):
"My beau and I had a wonderful 8-night stay in this studio last week. It was comfortable, very clean, charming and above all, perfectly located in the Marais, our favorite neighborhood in Paris. Cafes, art galleries, restaurants, and unique shops were literally at our doorstep and we walked to all the major tourist sites every day. The neighborhood reminded us of a classier version of NYC's Greenwich Village and SoHo.
The apartment was exactly as pictured on the Rentparis website. It had two big windows overlooking a courtyard, so there was very little noise, except for the occasional worker who uses the adjacent cafe's back door. Not a big deal.
Everything was efficiently organized and we loved having a washer/dryer. (Note: The dryer takes a looong time to dry clothes, so we ended up using the provided drying rack. You'll need to plan ahead if you need your clean clothes in a hurry.)
To our surprise, the Murphy bed was very comfortable, nearly a queen size, although my 6'1" beau said his feet overhung the end a bit. Our only TINY complaint -- the sheets/blankets were a bit small (only a double size?) for the bed and for two people. We kept waking up without covers and I awoke many times on the mattress after the bottom sheet popped off. It was a small annoyance that could be easily remedied by a real queen-size set of bed linens.
Overall, an incredibly nice stay and a pleasant experience with Rentparis and Fabrice, our host. We will certainly return. (We already miss those mouth-watering aromas from the patisserie downstairs.)"
We rented the apt.on Rue Vielle du Temple (#11 on their website) -- it was a very small studio, but the location was perfect and the price, at 79 Euros a day wasn't bad, either!
Another neat thing -- most of the buildings in the area are a few centuries old and not the typical Hausmann/Parisian 19th-century buildings. Most date from the 17th and 18th centuries and are constructed of stone, with incredibly thick walls and exposed timber joists. This contributes to the neighborhood's charm, that's for sure.
Anyway...
Here's the review I posted on the RentParis website, in case you haven't seen it (they've apparently fixed the sheet problem - my only complaint):
"My beau and I had a wonderful 8-night stay in this studio last week. It was comfortable, very clean, charming and above all, perfectly located in the Marais, our favorite neighborhood in Paris. Cafes, art galleries, restaurants, and unique shops were literally at our doorstep and we walked to all the major tourist sites every day. The neighborhood reminded us of a classier version of NYC's Greenwich Village and SoHo.
The apartment was exactly as pictured on the Rentparis website. It had two big windows overlooking a courtyard, so there was very little noise, except for the occasional worker who uses the adjacent cafe's back door. Not a big deal.
Everything was efficiently organized and we loved having a washer/dryer. (Note: The dryer takes a looong time to dry clothes, so we ended up using the provided drying rack. You'll need to plan ahead if you need your clean clothes in a hurry.)
To our surprise, the Murphy bed was very comfortable, nearly a queen size, although my 6'1" beau said his feet overhung the end a bit. Our only TINY complaint -- the sheets/blankets were a bit small (only a double size?) for the bed and for two people. We kept waking up without covers and I awoke many times on the mattress after the bottom sheet popped off. It was a small annoyance that could be easily remedied by a real queen-size set of bed linens.
Overall, an incredibly nice stay and a pleasant experience with Rentparis and Fabrice, our host. We will certainly return. (We already miss those mouth-watering aromas from the patisserie downstairs.)"
Oct 16th, 2007, 04:23 PM
#25
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So it sounds like you had a great expereince with rentparis? I'm guessing you'd feel good about using them again and recommending them as well? Thanks for helping out myself as well as arewethere!!
Oct 16th, 2007, 06:13 PM
#27
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We have rented from rentparis and vacationinparis. We had good experiences with both. Rentparis was our first rental and after that we were sold on rentals. They were easy to deal with, although they do not accept credit cards and wanted cash euro on arrival (after a deposit). It was awhile ago, so I am not quite sure of all the details. Vacationinparis does accept credit cards and everything is done in dollars. We have rented twice from them. The first apartment was great on Place Ste. Catherine; the second apartment was not so appealing. It was located in the 3rd near rue de temple. The location was fine, the apartment on the other hand was tiny and needing refurbishing and cleaning. On the other hand I would use them again, being careful to pick a better apartment (not the cheapest).
Oct 16th, 2007, 06:56 PM
#28
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Question about Rentparis, now that I've booked. I did not enter the deposit immediately through paypal. I get free foreign wires and the exchange rate on the wire is $1.44 today which is fairly good. No other fees. I plan on doing it that way. The website says they need the deposit within 7 days of booking, however, the confirmation email doesn't give a due date on the deposit. Here's what they say:
Pay the deposit with a bank check, certified check, foreign money order or traveler's check which MUST be accompanied by your reservation number to our European office, at least 45 days before you arrive in Paris:
Did you all use the credit card option, or did anyone send their deposit? I'm wondering if I'll get a reminder about that, or if I can send it anytime before the 45 days.
Pay the deposit with a bank check, certified check, foreign money order or traveler's check which MUST be accompanied by your reservation number to our European office, at least 45 days before you arrive in Paris:
Did you all use the credit card option, or did anyone send their deposit? I'm wondering if I'll get a reminder about that, or if I can send it anytime before the 45 days.
Oct 17th, 2007, 01:52 AM
#29
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We rented thru them in 2000 and 2003. At that time they accepted deposits by credit card. They stopped right after our rental in 2003. The first stay they required a credit card security deposit on arrival. The second visit they did not require a deposit as they had just stopped accepting credit cards. Sorry I can't help with current terms.
Oct 17th, 2007, 04:29 PM
#33
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I haven't dealt with rentparis since 2003. They didn't use paypal back then, so that is a change. The apartments we used with rentparis were http://www.rentparis.com/appart-en-29.html and http://www.rentparis.com/appart-en-26.html. The first apartment was a great location with a window overlooking the street, which I prefer. We stayed there with our daughter and son-in-law and our son. There was plenty of room and it was furnished nicely and clean. Last May I walked by the apartment and there was a for sale sign in the window. Not sure what happened there. The second apartment on rue braque was in a beautiful, old building on a small street near the archives. It was a large studio facing the street (quiet). The bathroom was good, the kitchen was ok. It was our first rental and we have rented ever since.
The vacationinparis apartments were http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_115.htm and http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_69.htm. The first apartment on Place Ste. Catherine was probably the best we have stayed in. The location couldn't have been better. It was also in an old building 2 flights up with 3 big windows overlooking the street and Place Ste. Catherine. The bathroom was nice with a huge bathtub/shower. The bathroom was off of the bedroom. The entrance hallway led to the kitchen on the right and the living room on the left. It was a full kitchen, but not eat in. We don't cook, but buy lots of good food and drink and bring it in. I thought this apartment was good for the two of us, but with more the only other sleep option was a sleep sofa. We loved this apartment. The second apartment with vacationinparis was another story. We were very disappointed with it. It was tiny, dirty, and faced an airshaft type "courtyard".
I would rent with both companies again. It was easier to rent with vacationinparis. They take credit cards and deal in dollars. They also send you the key before you leave so that you don't have to arrange to meet up with anybody. Much simpler. They also have alot of apartments to choose from. Good luck.
The vacationinparis apartments were http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_115.htm and http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_69.htm. The first apartment on Place Ste. Catherine was probably the best we have stayed in. The location couldn't have been better. It was also in an old building 2 flights up with 3 big windows overlooking the street and Place Ste. Catherine. The bathroom was nice with a huge bathtub/shower. The bathroom was off of the bedroom. The entrance hallway led to the kitchen on the right and the living room on the left. It was a full kitchen, but not eat in. We don't cook, but buy lots of good food and drink and bring it in. I thought this apartment was good for the two of us, but with more the only other sleep option was a sleep sofa. We loved this apartment. The second apartment with vacationinparis was another story. We were very disappointed with it. It was tiny, dirty, and faced an airshaft type "courtyard".
I would rent with both companies again. It was easier to rent with vacationinparis. They take credit cards and deal in dollars. They also send you the key before you leave so that you don't have to arrange to meet up with anybody. Much simpler. They also have alot of apartments to choose from. Good luck.
Oct 17th, 2007, 05:06 PM
#34
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Hi again.
RE: Paying RentParis...
I paid the deposit via PayPal, and, months later, the entire balance via PayPal, too, days before we arrived.
I knew it was risky to do that, but I felt confident that things were going to be okay, since I'd had very good communication from them and they had an excellent reputation.
And it sure beat withdrawing a bunch of cash from the ATMs the first jet-lagged morning in the city.
RE: Paying RentParis...
I paid the deposit via PayPal, and, months later, the entire balance via PayPal, too, days before we arrived.
I knew it was risky to do that, but I felt confident that things were going to be okay, since I'd had very good communication from them and they had an excellent reputation.
And it sure beat withdrawing a bunch of cash from the ATMs the first jet-lagged morning in the city.
Oct 17th, 2007, 07:21 PM
#37
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In late May 2006 we stayed in a rentparis.com apt. near the one you are considering (N°22 - 10 rue Simon Lefranc to be exact). IDEAL location and we were most pleased with rentparis.com The person who met us to give us the key was very nice, the apt. itself was spotless. We stayed for 6 nights and after 48 hours received a phone call asking if everything was to our liking. It was a great decision and if staying more than 3 or 4 days anywhere, I would recommend renting an apt. over staying in a hotel any day. We rented an apt. in the center of Rome a few years back and again it was a good move. Being in the center or in this case the Marais district, kept almost everything in walking distance and saved time on travel. For photos and more on that trip: http://tinyurl.com/2vaz7d
Michele
Michele
Oct 17th, 2007, 09:32 PM
#38
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littlehouse, they do take credit cards, but I'm thinking that my free wire with a discounted exchange rate would be a little less expensive. Also, I didn't have to pay right at the moment that I booked, which I felt gave me a little "breathing" room. I'm still not sure if they will want the wire right away. I would think that the email confirmation would have stressed this. I may wait and see if they ask for it; otherwise, I'll just make sure it's there within 45 days of arrival. Something tells me they'll remind me, though.
Anyway, now that this life and death decision is over with, I can go on to fretting over the rest of my trip. It's funny how having so many option makes us kind of paralyzed, but the planning is at least half the fun in my opinion!
Thanks again to all for the good advice and suggestions.
Anyway, now that this life and death decision is over with, I can go on to fretting over the rest of my trip. It's funny how having so many option makes us kind of paralyzed, but the planning is at least half the fun in my opinion!
Thanks again to all for the good advice and suggestions.
