Hi all, does anyone have any recommendations for airbnbs/apartments in arrondissement 6th-8th? My budget is $225 max and we are going to be there for 7 night in early December. I do not mind hotels but I feel with a toddler it would be easier if I could cook a few meals or prepare snacks myself. Thanks!

the vast majority of vacation rentals in Paris are illegal.

There are legal apartHotels like Citadines and other chains with several locations all over the city. Otherwise I would not risk a rental at this time because the city is cracking down.

You might also read this for some background.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...b-in-paris.cfm

You might try Hotel Residence Henri IV. It's a legal apart'hotel, has a kitchen, and is right where you want to be in the 6th arrondissement, right around the Cluny museum or Odeon Metro station.
Buses and Metro have good connections, and there is a lot to do in the neighborhood.

Otherwise, try Citadines or Adagio, which are also legal apart'hotels and have kitchens and laundry.

Rental apartment listings are supposed to disappear from the internet if the property owner does not apply for a registration number which is tied to his financial information. So, you might have slim pickings in December.

I stayed here last December and really liked it.

https://www.vrbo.com/322912#summary

what about websites like Expedia/Booking.com/Orbitz... they all have options for Aparthotels as well and I am guessing those would be legal if they are posted on big websites such as those?

All the websites have the same problem - lack of legality. I suggest you read the above references .

Yes but at least with booking and hotels I always get an invoice.
Invoice means declared revenues means less chance of being illegal.
However I didn't often find apartments in paris on those sites.

For about 200 euros i found great hotels where we slept with our toddler.
I remember the splendide with a balcony overlooking Arc de Triomphe either the 8th or 15th.
We put a small bed in the antechamber. It was great.

Whathello, which hotel did you stay in?

Splendide.

Sorry. Correct name is splendid étoile.

We also liked a lot Elysées union rue Hamelin. They had apartments next to the hotel. It had 2 bedrooms 2 batherooms one kitchen and a salon.
It was 5 years ago though.

Illegal vacation rentals have all migrated to websites which feature the SEO "apart'hotels".
This doesn't mean they are legal - in fact, most of them are not.

If you don't see a photo of a front desk staff anywhere on the website, it's illegal.

Frankly, I wouldn't want to stay in someone's apartment with all of his/her stuff around. Chances are you won't see your host anyway - he/she will be staying on someone else's couch for free.

I imagine that all of the websites ask people who post their ads to confirm that they are legal rentals. Have you ever met any liars in your life?

I'm going to take the contrarians view and recommend two apartments in the 18th, both of which I have stayed in with a toddler. And both appear to have availability in December.

https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p499997

https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p252320vb

Of the two, I probably preferred the first because I like it's location slightly more. However, both are toddler friendly and our little Izzy had a wonderful time in Paris with them as her "home away from home".

You're exactly right, life in an apartment with a toddler is so much easier. These both have washers (the first also has a dryer) and space for your toddler to walk around. It's nice to have a kitchen to prepare breakfast or snacks and to store things in a fridge. Both are in a great area with lots of toddler friendly cafes and restaurants, shops and bakeries. They are easy walking distance to playgrounds and parks and Izzy's favorite merry-go-round. They are close to good bus routes.

Paris in December is absolutely magical and you'll have such a great time with your little one. If you have any questions, I'm happy to provide further info.

"I'm going to take the contrarians view"

Why?

"...I wouldn't want to stay in someone's apartment with all of his/her stuff around."

Absurd. Do you think the problem is really that of renting out otherwise occupied apartments? Of course not. The problem is that apartments are taken off the long-term rental market to be used for short-term vacation rentals exclusively and have no one's "stuff around".

Early December is usually a slow season, you can try

VacationinParis.com
Parisbestlodge.com

Being on a big website doesn't mean anything. You don't seriously think Expedia, etc., has the manpower to examine the legality of every vacation rental apt on their website versus local law?

>>Because I think there is room for another view.<<

Yes, there is room for lots of other <i>views</i> . . . but the fact remains the apartments are mostly illegal. So you may like renting one (so have most of the rest of us in the past) - but the landscape has totally changed. The days of being able to 'rent a flat and live like a local' are gone UNTIL the city government gets things under control and it is clear which wil be allowed and which won't.

Your view can mostly be characterized as "I want what I want and be damned with what is legal and what works for Parisians . . .

Believe me -- I'd LOVE to be able to rent apartments again - but I do try not to follow the laws and customs where I am a visitor.

>>VacationinParis.com
Parisbestlodge.com<<

Also mostly illegal.