Saint Germain apartment

Old Dec 13th, 2004, 09:15 AM
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Saint Germain apartment

Hi, My husband and I are planning to go to Paris the first 10 days of June. I'm looking at an apartment that I found on the French Property Insider site. It is in Saint Germain, Rue de Vieux Columbier. The owner is Erica Berman. It looks like a great place with a huge private garden. Is this a good and safe location? Has anyone stayed there? This is our first visit and we will probably hire a guide for a couple of days. Thanks for any information you can give me.
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Old Dec 13th, 2004, 10:10 AM
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It is a wonderful location, but I can't speak about the specific placement on the street. The place looks wonderful, but I can't imagine renting an apartment for about $260 a night that doesn't even have a regular bed -- just a single in the bedroom with a trundle pull out, and sofa bed in the living room. But so long as you're comfortable with that, that's all that matters. I also see no mention of airconditioning. While that MAY NOT be a problem in June, being on the ground floor to an enclosed garden would indicate that in hot weather you probably could be very, very warm.

The garden is its best feature. And I love the stone wall (but I'm always a sucker for stone and wood beams!)
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Old Dec 13th, 2004, 03:32 PM
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sure, that is a very nice area which is why that is so expensive. St Germain is one of the most expensive parts of Paris, but that street is short and right near place St-Sulpice so there will be a lot of people around there all the time. It might be more towards where it runs into rue de Cherche Midi, I imagine. IN any case, I would never pay that kind of money and not have a real bed myself, either, but notice that this apt. is priced quite differently on a couple different web sites. It's only 1250 euro a week on goin2travel.com but 1400 euro a week on that place you found it (which is geared to wealthier people).

Just think about the fact that this is a ground floor apt. -- are you going to be comfortable sleeping with the windows open, if that is even possible? I see French doors, there are some windows in the bedroom but I don't understand the location of it. I know that is a private interior space, but I would wonder who has access to it or how easy it is to get access to it. You don't get much breeze if the only windows look onto an interior space, either (maybe not much breeze in general in Paris).

I know maybe I'm more nervous about these things, but I wouldn't rent a ground floor apt. like that. But that doesn't seem to bother you, so someone obviously lives there and accepts it. I wouldn't contact them through the French Property Insider site, though, I'd find the lowest price where this is offered.
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Old Dec 14th, 2004, 05:40 AM
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Patrick and Christina, Thanks for taking the time to give me your advice. You both are right and I will cross this apartment off my list. Does anyone know of an air-conditioned apartment in a good location? I'm interested in the Marais or Saint Germain areas.
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Old Dec 14th, 2004, 08:53 AM
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There's no garden, but you might check out the one we've rented the last two years.
www.sant.com
It's privately owned by a gentleman in San Francisco. You pay directly to him in US dollars -- about $200 a night, discount if you stay 12 nights.
Air conditioned, right on St. Germaine with a nice view up Rue de Four, and if you sort of lean out either of the living rooms windows you have a view of the Eiffel Tower. The bedroom is on the back so quiet at night. It is surprisingly spacious for a Paris apartment, and has a wonderful walk-in closet/dressing room.

Let me know if you have more questions. I'm not sure it if it is still available for June -- I know he kept it filled all this past summer.
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Old Dec 14th, 2004, 05:46 PM
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summer:
Here is an apartment site I've bookmarked for future consideration. I haven't stayed there, but you can go over to slowtrav.com and see if it's been reviewed.

Saint-Germain, very near the river
Lovely apartment, with terrace
Queen bed, nice bath, extra amenities
800 euro/week
http://www.parisbestlodge.com/mazarine.html#

I discovered it through Bonjour Paris' site. Their review is featured on the site linked above. It looks terrific!
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 04:08 AM
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Summer, I'm seconding Patrick's recommendation; we stayed there over Thanksgiving and appreciated the apartment's spaciousness, deep tub, quiet bedroom and other amenities. This was our first time renting an apartment in Paris, we typically stay in a hotel nearby, and it was a great experience and a terrific value for the price. The owner is great to work with as well.

Patrick please forgive me for not updating you sooner on our experience. I actually got quite sick at the beginning of our trip so it was especially nice to be in an apartment vs. a hotel room where I'm sure I would have gone stir-crazy. Our only disappointment was the quality of the housekeeping which we felt did not match the lovely apartment. Apparently there is a new cleaner and she is not working out. However, I spoke to the owner and he assured me that this will be corrected.

We're already looking forward to our return visit in early July. Thanks again for sharing "your" apartment with the rest of us.

Best wishes for a joyous and peaceful 2005.

Maureen
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 04:33 AM
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mvor, thanks for the update. I was curious how it worked out.

About the housekeeping. This must be a problem. Two years ago, we were a bit disappointed on our arrival and we actually did a bit of cleaning ourselves. The bathroom was not "spotless" and I pulled a glob of hair out of the tub train -- disgusting. We sort of overlooked it, because someone had left that morning and we actually arrived early -- the maid was still there, and I think rushed to get out of our way, even though we said we'd take a walk until she was finished.

I mentioned it to the owner after we returned home and he apologized saying they had already fired that one and gotten a new person.
This summer when we arrived the place was spotless! But I guess they couldn't keep that person.

Jeanne, I just looked at that studio you mention. It is indeed cute, but hardly an apartment. There is no living room, essentially a hotel bedroom with a single little chair and a kitchen on one wall. To me an apartment means that there are separate living room and bedroom.
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 05:07 AM
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Patrick, Maureen, & all,
I'm going to be staying in that same apartment for a week this March, and I'll report back about how the housekeeping situation is at that time.

Here's a gorgeous (but expensive) apartment that I would LOVE to stay in some time:

http://www.athomeinfrance.com/ah71.htm
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 05:46 AM
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Patrick, according to the owner he's spoken to the management company about the cleaning and has happily paid more in order to receive a higher standard of cleaning but, unfortunately, this hasn't always ensured that he's received better service. He acknowledged that he too has arrived and been disappointed w/the quality of the cleaning.

While Katrine the management representative who met us at the apartment was lovely, I think that if I owned an apartment and the management company I relied on to work with my clients couldn't ensure that the place was spic-n-span for my arrival, I'd try to find a better company asap. I guess this is just one of the many issues faced by an absentee owner.

It's such a lovely apartment; frankly, I'm surprised he doesn't charge more. Perhaps the inconsistency with the cleaning is one of the reasons he doesn't do so. Based on other apartments recommended here and hotel prices nearby, with better cleaning and minimal upgrades e.g. carpeting and painting, I think he could easily charge $225 to $250 a night.

I'll let you know how the July trip goes.
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 05:57 AM
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Marcy, I missed your post before, thanks for the great link--the apartment is gorgeous! Have a wonderful time in March.
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 06:09 AM
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mvor, I agree regarding the pricing. Having compared a great many apartments in Paris, I think it is a real bargain. And since it remains fully rented nearly constantly, he doesn't keep the price low to attract people. Since we rented two years in a row, when we returned this July he asked if we wanted it for next year -- trying to book it before it was full. He already had requests for that same period. Since he aren't going to Europe this next summer, I let him go ahead and rent it out.

My first change if I owned it would be to put a half glass partition between the tub and the vanity. I get tired of putting a towel there and wiping it down constantly.

Next I'd add a little color, but I realize many like that all white look.
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 06:25 AM
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Agree w/bathroom partition and the color. I'd also add hardwood floors in the living area and a club chair for reading. (Clearly I had too much time on my hands the first day when I was sick!)
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 10:27 AM
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hi, Summer -- I was just sort of expressing my opinion about some things that are important to me, but sometimes that is useful to point out things you might not have thought about. I know I've heard from several people who didn't think about a ground floor apt and later said they would never rent one again. I think that place is overpriced given the bed configuration, anyway.

I haven't rented an apt. with AC myself in Paris, and they aren't real common to find, so I'd follow Patrick's advice on that one as I know it must be nice if he likes it. I have also heard that at least one of the apts on www.parisperfect.com is air-conditioned -- they aren't cheap, either, but seem to be around the range you are considering, I think, and that is a nice and safe area.
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 03:50 PM
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If you are interested in wonderful Paris apartment accomodations, try www.parisperfect.com. I have nver encountered people who look after you like Madelyn and Phillipe. WOW!
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Old Dec 15th, 2004, 04:29 PM
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My husband and I stayed at a great place on the Left Bank which we found on vrbo. The owner, who is a real gentleman, has a website: www.chezmichelaparis.com I don't know what he is charging these days, but it defintely was worth it when we stayed there. Good Luck!
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