Does anyone know of any short stay apartments in Strasbourg? I've found websites for renting apartments in many major cities in Europe but can't find anything in Strasbourg.

I've found that short-term rentals (less than a week) outside the really big cities are often very rare, though it may depend on the time of year. If you are traveling in the off-season, it never hurts to ask. But my idea for you was to try the Strasbourg office of tourism website.

This link should get you most of the way: http://www.ot-strasbourg.com/rubriqu...45&lang=en (though the options for searching are in French after this).

Choose "gites et meubles," then check "Strasbourg" and "1 a 5 nuits). That brings up a list of rentals that seem to be short-term options in Strasbourg. These would all be direct through the owner.

Good luck! I'd be very interested to know what you may find.

Kathy

I find a couple on some French websites. Here is one, which is pretty reasonable
http://www.lecardinal.com/

The deposit (caution) is pretty stiff, though (1500 euro), even though the rent is cheap. Looks like it's out of town a bit and a car would be good. This is another private one, and it is expensive
http://www.loft-kleber.com/

I know nothing about these folks but they have been mentioned on this board, and they have some in Strasbourg. I think the issue is that they are not a typical "agency" but really just a website for owners, so if you have problems, that is between you and the owners. I seem to recall one fellow had paid rent to a place that absconded with it (maybe didn't even exist), and even though he had bought that agency's "insurance", it wouldn't cover that. Something like that, unless I"m thinking of someplace else. I'd search on that word
www.homelidays.com

There are other French websites, of course, with a smattering of a few, all in French. They do have a Citadines in Strasbourg, if you just want a kitchenette (those are apartment-hotels, see www.citadines.com ). It's near place Kleber and is a good, central location.

Short term rentals may be hard to find due to the presence of the European parliament to-ing and fro-ing to Strasbourg - it puts up the prices and makes accomodation scarce at times. When the parliament is not sitting, ie in the summer recess there is a surplus of (hotel) accomodation and cheap deals to be had. The same is true of Brussels.

MDoyle:

Just in case you can't find any apartments, I suggest a reasonable hotel smack next to the cathedral. We stayed there last year while awaiting a barge trip...The Cathedrale Hotel with a magnificent included buffet...rate at the time was $70 for a double...neat hotel, smallish rooms. So $500 for the week, with the EuroParliament in town I doubt whether you can get an apartment for less...and the big breakfast is a major inclusive plus.

Stu T.

Thanks for all the advice. I've decided to shorten my Stasbourg stay to 4 nights and will stay in a hotel instead. I've narrowed it down to the Regent Contades, the Dragon or the Cathedrale. If anyone has any feedback on those hotels it would be much appreciated.

Stu, you seem to have a lot of travel experience. How do you book your accomodations? Do you book directly or use the hotel search websites?

Dragon...NO! We had 5 nights booked there and only stayed one! It smelled of smoke everywhere in our room, including the bath towels. The furniture was cheep and falling apart and the hotel is directly across from a school which rings bells early and often. The lobby was very nice but we weren't sleeping in the lobby.
Moved over to Cardinal du Rohan and it was great,I believe the Cathedral Hotel was just up the street and very nice too.

MDoyle:

I usually book on-line or call directly to the hotel, sometimes fax. We did book the Cathedrale on line...http://www.hotel-cathedrale.fr/

We rarely go through the motions of Expedia, Orbitz, etc., and feel we get better rates on line or by calling (the best).

Stu T.