Renting an apartment in Paris

[Deleted]

Is it a good idea? Does anyone know anything about the airbnb site?

Some of those apartments look fun! And they allow us to do our own cooking!

[tskeeter]

Later, I see on your other thread that someone suggested VRBO for apartment rentals. DW used VRBO to look into apartments in Paris as we were starting to make arrangements for our trip in May. She found that there were only a few apartments suitable for our group (5 people), but many suitable for a couple or two people. She found the apartment owners she contacted in Paris responded promptly and seemed quite professional.

Advantages:

Experience will be closer to a "living in Paris" experience.

Cost is likely to be less than hotel.

Can prepare some of your own meals. Saves money and gets you into a grocery store so you can see how they are different from/like home.

Some apartments have laundry facilities. This allows you to travel with fewer changes of clothes. Even without laundry facilities, plan on doing laundry about mid trip. Do yourself or take to a laundry and spend the laundry time sight seeing. One of our great experiences was doing laundry at a Laundromat in Versailles.

Disadvantages:

You will be expected to pay the full apartment rental when you make your reservation. And you should not expect that your rent will be refundable if you cancel. This was the show stopper for us. By the time you included apartment rental in the travel insurance (we're traveling with two people over 80), the cost was about the same as a hotel with a 24 hour cancellation policy.

Location may not be as convenient to the Metro or other public transportation as popular hotels. Check apartment location against metro stops/lines, etc. (An apartment about half way between the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame would be an ideal location that allows you to walk to many sights.)

[Deleted]

Another VRBO plus is that you can buy 'rental insurance', so if something goes bump & you have to end up in a hotel, you have some coverage.

[Apple]

Later--I've been looking for places in London-- VRBO had some good places, www.wimducom has an awesome place I'm looking at and the couple there has over 20 awesome reviews (look well deserved too--she emailed me back the next morning and seemed very nice), and Ratchets was able to find a great place for me using tripadviser, although I had less success when I tried (so I don't know what kind of magic he used to get the good listings). I've never actually booked on any of these before, just seriously considering it. Had no clue about the airbnb site.

[Cookies Galore]

My aunt goes to Paris often (a few times a year) and she always rents an apartment. When I went with her we stayed in a great little place on the Rue de Rivoli in the 4th arrondissement.

[Deleted]

Ok, I've made a couple of enquiries. We will see what happens.

[Deleted]

I did it!!!! I got an apartment for 4 nights for $800. If I had gotten on this a few months back I could have done better but that is still way better than the cost of a hotel for the 3 of us and we can do laundry and make our own meals!

[swamp]

Jan 12, 2012 10:22:26 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

I did it!!!! I got an apartment for 4 nights for $800. If I had gotten on this a few months back I could have done better but that is still way better than the cost of a hotel for the 3 of us and we can do laundry and make our own meals!

You're in Paris, the land of culinary greatness. Why do you want to make your own meals?

[Deleted]

You're in Paris, the land of culinary greatness. Why do you want to make your own meals?

Because I'm not independantly wealthy!!!

Actually what we are going to do is go to the local markets and get our food. Mostly. Of course we will eat out for a few meals.

[Cookies Galore]

Jan 12, 2012 15:46:12 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

You're in Paris, the land of culinary greatness. Why do you want to make your own meals?

Because I'm not independantly wealthy!!!

Actually what we are going to do is go to the local markets and get our food. Mostly. Of course we will eat out for a few meals.

We would have breakfast (tea and croissants) at the apartment, and sometimes lunch if we were in the area to head back to the apartment, but dinner was eaten out. I still think about the food I had from this Mexican place near the Centre Pompidou. Yummy!

[Deleted]

I still think about the food I had from this Mexican place near the Centre Pompidou. Yummy!

Is it just me or does this sound just a little sacrilegious for eating out in Paris?

[Apple]

Jan 13, 2012 21:07:25 GMT -5 hkguy said:

I still think about the food I had from this Mexican place near the Centre Pompidou. Yummy!

Is it just me or does this sound just a little sacrilegious for eating out in Paris?

Lol, not to me, but I've had Chinese food in Ireland, Italian food in Scotland, and Indian food in Rome

[saveinla]

Jan 13, 2012 22:12:46 GMT -5 Apple said:

Lol, not to me, but I've had Chinese food in Ireland, Italian food in Scotland, and Indian food in Rome

apple,

I had Indian food in Rome too . It was a tiny little place and the food was delicious. I was sick of all the pizza and pasta (we were in Italy for almost 4 months) and they did not have too many options for vegetarians.

[Apple]

Jan 13, 2012 22:20:37 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Jan 13, 2012 22:12:46 GMT -5 Apple said:

Lol, not to me, but I've had Chinese food in Ireland, Italian food in Scotland, and Indian food in Rome

apple,

I had Indian food in Rome too . It was a tiny little place and the food was delicious. I was sick of all the pizza and pasta (we were in Italy for almost 4 months) and they did not have too many options for vegetarians.

Sometimes I just love to try something different We had passed by this place the day before and it smelled so good. We went in there and somehow started a conversation with a newlywed couple--turns out they were going to be going to the groom's cousin's wedding in a town near home the next month, so we gave them some ideas for site-seeing.